Race Weekend Central

Kevin Harvick Earns First Stewart-Haas Pole with Ford at Atlanta

2016 Pocono II CUP Kevin Harvick helmet Logan Whitton NKP

(Photo: Logan Whitton/NKP)

Stewart-Haas Racing and Ford are sure off to a flying start to the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. Kevin Harvick won the pole for Sunday’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, this coming a week after teammate Kurt Busch’s Daytona 500 victory. For Harvick, the pole is the 18th of …

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2016 NASCAR Rewind: Ryan Newman

2016 Cup Talladega ryan newman Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Ryan Newman spent the early part of his NASCAR career demonstrating why his nickname Rocket Man was an appropriate moniker. But lately, it seems such descriptions aren’t as fitting as they once were. Such was the case yet again for Newman in 2016. After participating in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship each of …

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Ryan Newman Leads Opening Cup Practice At Homestead

ryan newman

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Championship 4? Chase contender? Ryan Newman was never close to either this season, but that didn’t stop the veteran from leading the field during an uneventful NASCAR Sprint Cup Series opening practice at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Newman, posting a speed of 175.387 mph, led the way in his No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet and now …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Rainy Nights Edition

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Texas

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Sometimes the rain taketh away and sometimes it giveth. Carl Edwards was glad to be on the good side of that precipitation equation in what turned out to be a Sunday night race at Texas Motor Speedway following rain and a slow-drying track. With his victory, Edwards has joined Jimmie Johnson to make up two of …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Carl Edwards Saves Best for Last to Win at Texas

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Texas

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Who’s in the headline – While Carl Edwards will garner most of the headlines for the weekend, it was Mother Nature who took most of the attention. The race was delayed by five-and-a-half hours due to track drying efforts that seemed to make progress at a snail’s pace. Once the race began, the sun had …

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Did You Notice? … NASCAR Silly Season Isn’t All That Silly?

Did You Notice? … That with Ryan Newman‘s signing Monday, the veteran reaching a contract extension with Richard Childress Racing 2016 has become the quietest Silly Season in the modern era? Other than a retiring Tony Stewart, whose replacement (Clint Bowyer) was announced late last season, it’s possible we won’t have a single change among any of the major programs for …

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5 Points to Ponder: Ryan Newman’s Contract Extension Cements Role At RCR

2016 Indianapolis Cup Ryan Newman Brett Moist NKP

(Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

ONE: Talladega Looms Large If you watched the race broadcast this past Sunday, you couldn’t have failed to miss the fact that a number of the Chasers had trouble during the race. Specifically: Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Austin Dillon and Chase Elliott. It was a theme that was hammered home all day long …

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Ryan Newman Re-signs with Richard Childress Racing

2016 Indianapolis Cup Ryan Newman Brett Moist NKP

(Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series veteran Ryan Newman will return to Richard Childress Racing in 2017, shutting down rumors he would not return to the seat of the No. 31 Chevrolet. Newman, 38, has signed a multiyear deal with the organization and the team’s longtime sponsor, Caterpillar. “Ryan’s consistency on the track has been a benefit …

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Double Take: Yes, There Is Life Outside of the Chase

2016 Indianapolis Cup Ryan Blaney Brett Moist NKP

(Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

Much of the conversation in NASCAR right now is focused on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase field, and rightfully so. After all, one of those 16 drivers will end the season with the series championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. But hey, look, there are still 24 other drivers who will take the green flag in Sunday’s race …

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Friday Faceoff: How Far Is Too Far?

2016 Kentucky CUP Tony Stewart helmet Russell LaBounty NKP

(Photo: Russell Labounty/NKP)

After last weekend’s race at Richmond International Raceway, one thing on everyone’s mind was the on-track spat between Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman that continued in verbal sparring afterward.  Did either driver go too far with their actions or words? Clayton Caldwell, Contributor: I respect the passion from both drivers and I understand why Ryan Newman …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: NBCSN Charges Into Chase Coverage

If you’ve read Couch Potato Tuesday in recent years, then you know that I’m not exactly a fan of this time of year when it comes to race broadcasts.  The Chase focus drives me up the wall.  The Chase completely takes precedence over the race.  Everything is couched in the Chase.  This year, its worse …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2016 Federated Auto Parts 400

2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Richmond

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? While Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson was getting plenty of airtime for some bold moves late in the race and a recent hot streak, Jamie McMurray was quietly getting a top-10 finish of his own (he wound up seventh) and in doing so, made them one of three multi-car organizations …

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