Race Weekend Central

Thinkin’ Out Loud – Phoenix Chase Race 9 – And Then There Were Four

2014 Phoenix Ii Cup Kevin Harvick Burnout Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Key Moments – Denny Hamlin was a lap down more than once in the race thanks to a flat tire and a two tire stop that resulted in his car being less than competitive with the faster cars. Hamlin was granted the Lucky Dog under the third and seventh cautions of the race. The No. 11 …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2014 Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500 at Phoenix

2014 Phoenix Ii Cup Kevin Harvick Champagne Cia

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Looking for the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How behind Sunday’s race? Amy Henderson has you covered each week with the answers to six race-day questions, covering all five Ws and even the H… the Big Six. Who… gets my shoutout of the race? His top-10 run might not have been noticed at all …

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The Top Underdog: Richard Childress Racing with Ryan Newman

2014 Chicago Cup Ryan Newman Car Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

He’s the “Rocket Man,” right? That’s what they used to call him. There was a time where he seldom qualified outside of the top 10, and was known for earning the pole position. However, that time has passed, and now this Indiana-native is considered an underdog heading into the final race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup …

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Texas

2014 Texas Ii Cup Jimmie Johnson Crew Checkered Flag Cia

For the second time during the Chase, on-track contact has led to a post-race fight. The one common denominator: Brad Keselowski. This time, Keselowski made a bold three-wide move between Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon which resulted in a cut tire for Gordon and a 29th place finish. Understandably, Gordon was upset after seeing a …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: Texas – Phoenix Edition

2014 Richmond Ii Cup Denny Hamlin Teeth Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

It seemed like everyone wanted a piece of Brad Keselowski after the AAA Texas 500, but he isn’t the driver atop Who’s Hot and Who’s Not. The actions of Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick are being studied under a microscope after a multifaceted brawl in the Lone Star State left three Chasers bruised and bloody. …

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Four Burning Questions in Texas: Winless Wonders & Brad Keselowski’s Tall Order

2014 Martinsville Ii Cup Joey Logano Helmet Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

One down, two to go in the final Chase round before the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Last week in Martinsville, a non-title contender, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., upset the apple cart by stealing a win from the remaining contenders, thus putting even more pressure on the Chasers to grab a win …

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Newman, RCR Consistency Could Shake Adjusted Title Battle’s Purpose of Winning

2014 Dover Ii Cup Ryan Newman Helmet Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Last Sunday a team that earned its fourth top 5 of the season with a record of zero wins and a total of 41 laps led is in prime position to contend for the championship in the top level of stock car racing come Homestead. Let that sink in for a moment. In a modern world …

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Friday Faceoff: Feuds, Winning & the Dynamic Duo’s Demise?

2014 Martinsville Cup Martin Truex, Jr., Casey Mears, Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers, More Wreck Credit Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2014)

Welcome to Friday Faceoff! What do you get when you take some hot-button NASCAR topics and hand them over to our dedicated and… er, opinionated staff? A little disagreement and a whole lot of thought-provoking insight! Check out this week’s edition to see what everyone is arguing… um, we mean, discussing this week! Martinsville Speedway‘s …

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Fantasy Insider: Late Revenge Tactics Could Ruin This Fantasy

2014 Pocono Ii Cup Alan Gustafson Jefff Gordon Cia

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

One of the things that is out of a NASCAR fantasy team owner’s control are the revenge tactics that can take place on the track. And since we are now down to the final three races of the season, there seems to be a lot of “getting even” stuff going on. There are few of …

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Six NASCAR Sprint Cup Teams Test at Homestead-Miami Speedway

2014 Martinsville Ii Cup Matt Kenseth Scared Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2014)

Homestead-Miami Speedway announced that six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams comprising of more than 15 of the top drivers tested on Tuesday Oct. 28th and Wednesday in anticipation for the Ford EcoBoost 400, where the championship will be determined among four drivers. Seven of the eight drivers in the Eliminator Round of the Chase (all …

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NASCAR Mailbox: Winless Champ Not Such a Stretch After All?

2014 Martinsville Ii Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Burnout Cia

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

One week makes all the difference, doesn’t it? Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s win at Martinsville on Sunday, while great for the morale of the team, was a case of too little too late. After being eliminated from the Chase one week prior at Talladega, Earnhardt pulled through and won the very next week at Martinsville, a …

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The Frontstretch Five: Questions Yet To Be Answered in 2014

2014 Martinsville Ii Cup Martinsville Overhead Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. © 2014)

Welcome to the Frontstretch Five, a brand-new column for 2014! Each week, Amy Henderson takes a look at the racing, the drivers, and the storylines that drive NASCAR and produces a list of five people, places, things, and ideas that define the current state of our sport. This week, Amy has five questions that there …

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