Race Weekend Central

Fire on Fridays: Who’s Actually Got a Shot at the Cup Playoffs?

Matt DiBenedetto Tyler Reddick talk Watkins Glen

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It’s somewhat fitting that this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway has an elimination factor. After all, that’s usually the case at the season-opening Daytona 500, when the pre-race Duels set the lineup and a certain number of cars (four in 2021) are left on the sidelines come the big race on …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: 2021 FireKeepers Casino 400

Kevin Harvick at New Hampshire NASCAR Cup race, NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The NASCAR Cup Series head to the Irish Hills of Michigan this week for the next-to-last race in the regular season. Let’s get your daily fantasy NASCAR DraftKings lineups set for Sunday’s (Aug. 22) race at Michigan International Speedway. The summer stretch of road races is done and it’s time for Cup teams to head …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: A NASCAR Summer of Endless Possibility

Ryan Preece racet at Hew Hampshire Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Cup Series July 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

After more than a decade of sultry and seductive Southern summers, it was easy to forget how the season manifests in New England, with blazing days and gentle nights, but it was also easy to forget how fleeting they are. Already the trees are beginning to lose their summer green. But as this summer begins …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: 2021 Go Bowling at the Glen

Chase Elliott 2021

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

After taking two weeks off for the Olympics, the NASCAR Cup Series returns to racing this weekend at Watkins Glen International. Let’s prep your daily fantasy NASCAR DraftKings lineups for Sunday’s (Aug. 8) 2021 Go Bowling at the Glen, airing at 3 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. Watkins Glen is one of my favorite …

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Fire on Fridays: NASCAR Silly Season Dominoes Left to Fall

2021 Charlotte I Cup Ryan Newman Denny Hamlin NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

This NASCAR Cup Series silly season has already been a wild one. From Brad Keselowski buying into Roush Fenway Racing to Trackhouse Racing Team purchasing Chip Ganassi Racing’s Cup program, there hasn’t been a silly season that’s shaken up the garage this much in quite a while. And it’s not over yet. There’s still a …

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The Underdog House: Silly Season Scoop on NASCAR Underdogs

Erik Jones, part of 2021 Silly Season conversation, prepares to race the No. 43 Richard P

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Setting: Silly Season It has been two weeks since the NASCAR Cup Series last graced the track at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on July 18. The two-week break has allowed many drivers, teams and organizations to catch their breath as the grind to the playoffs returns Aug. 8 at Watkins Glen. Only four races …

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The Underdog House: Erik Jones Finds His Groove at the Magic Mile

2021 Loudon Cup Erik Jones NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Setting After the NASCAR Cup Series race Sunday (July 18) at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, only four races remain in the regular season. The Magic Mile presented a fairly comparable evaluation for title-contending teams to gauge their championship setup at Phoenix Raceway. For underdogs, it was another opportunity to go out and prove their …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Quaker State 400 at Atlanta

Kurt Busch celebrates in victory lane at Atlanta Motor Speedway after the Quaker State 400. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened? Kurt Busch won the Quaker State 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday (July 11) after holding off his little brother during an intense final run to the checkered flag. Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top-five finishers. "HELL YEAH WE BEAT KYLE" — @KurtBusch pic.twitter.com/apaHrHgfO6 …

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The Underdog House: Bubba Wallace Top Dog of the Ring in Atlanta

2021-Cup-Atlanta-II-Bubba-Wallace-NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Setting Atlanta Motor Speedway has become iconic in its own way. No, it doesn’t hold the prestige of a Daytona 500. It doesn’t test the same amount of endurance as the Coca-Cola 600 does. Kissing the bricks is not seen there. And it doesn’t serve hot dogs as good as Martinsville Speedway’s. The place …

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5 Points to Ponder: Hendrick vs. Gibbs Shaping Up As Heavyweight Title Fight

2021 Nashville Cup Kyle Larson Kyle Busch pack racing Logan Riely Getty

(Photo: Logan Riely/Getty Images via NASCAR Media)

1. Can anyone crash the Hendrick-Gibbs championship showdown? NASCAR held a pair of Cup Series races at Pocono Raceway this past weekend, and believe it or not, Kyle Larson didn’t win either of them. To be fair, it took a flat tire on the last lap on Saturday (June 26) to make that sentence true. …

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The Underdog House: Trackhouse Racing, 23XI Racing Excel in Pocono Doubleheader

Daniel Suarez of Trackhouse Racing gets into his car at Charlotte Motor Speedway 2021 (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Setting For Trackhouse Racing, 23XI Racing’s Success The NASCAR Cup Series headed to Long Pond, Penn. for the Pocono Raceway doubleheader, the second consecutive year the track has hosted back-to-back races. Drivers tackled a 325-miler on Saturday, June 26 and a 350-miler on Sunday, June 27. The Tricky Triangle presented two thrilling races, with …

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Ryan Preece Backs Nashville Win with Top 10 at Pocono

Ryan Preece Truck Series Pocono 2021

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Ryan Preece is 2-for-2 with top 10s in the 2021 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. A ninth-place finish Saturday (June 26) at Pocono Raceway didn’t quite compare to the win he claimed at Nashville Superspeedway one week ago, but the results are a solid start to his Truck Series career. Preece, who drives the No. …

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