Race Weekend Central

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2019 Consumers Energy 400

2019 Michigan MENCS Kevin Harvick Victory Celebration NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Headline(s): Last week at Watkins Glen International, Chase Elliott repeated as the defending Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series winner at the road course. This week at Michigan International Speedway? Kevin Harvick, who won the 2018 edition of this race, scored his second 2019 win in four weeks in what turned into a fuel mileage …

Read more

Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: It’s Clobberin’ Time

2019 Watkins Glen MENCS Kyle Busch Wreck NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The theme of this weekend’s NASCAR action was “payback.” It started with the Gander Outdoors Truck Series on Thursday night (August 1) in the Eldora Dirt Derby, as Tyler Dippel got into Ben Rhodes after the checkered flag in return for being shoved into the wall in the final laps. Then in the Xfinity Series …

Read more

Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: A Tale of 2 Tracks

2019 Pocono MENCS William Byron Car Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Gander Outdoors Truck Series and Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series took on the Tricky Triangle, all 2.5 flat miles of Pocono Raceway, while the Xfinity Series returned just east of Des Moines at the 7/8-mile Iowa Speedway. Ross Chastain won easily Saturday afternoon, and not even an overtime finish on Sunday could enliven the …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: NASCAR’s Rookie Driver Disappearing Act and Cleaning Up the Playoff Bubble

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

ONE: Can Kevin Harvick’s Win Kickstart Stewart-Haas Racing? There’s no doubt Kevin Harvick’s Sunday victory (July 21) at New Hampshire Motor Speedway lifts a monkey off the back of Stewart-Haas Racing. After eight Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victories in 2018, a career high, it took Harvick 20 races to win his first. If nothing …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: NBCSN Brings Decent Action at New Hampshire, Too Much Post-Race Kevin Harvick

2019 Loudon MENCS Kevin Harvick Victory Celebration Car Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Weather-wise, last weekend was brutal. Temperatures in Loudon, NH got up to 93 degrees during the race. At Lime Rock on Saturday, it was worse. Apparently, Michelin brings its own weather station to the track each week. It measured an air temperature during the Northeast Grand Prix of 98 degrees. That was combined with a …

Read more

Daily Fantasy NASCAR FanDuel Forecast: Foxwoods Resort Casino 301

2019 Michigan I CUP Jimmie Johnson Ryan Newman NKP

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this week for the 2019 Foxwoods Resort Casino 301. But just because there’s racing at the Magic Mile doesn’t mean you need any voodoo to have a good daily fantasy NASCAR FanDuel roster. New Hampshire is one of the most unique tracks on …

Read more

2-Headed Monster: Does NASCAR Need To Eliminate Playoff Waivers?

2019 Kentucky NGOTS Tyler Ankrum Victory Lane Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Tyler Ankrum won the 2019 Buckle Up In Your Truck 225 at Kentucky Speedway. For the 18-year-old from San Bernadino, Calif., this is his first career NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series victory and likely clinches him a playoff berth. Ankrum has not competed in all the Truck Series races this season — he missed the …

Read more

Did You Notice?: Daytona’s Diversity & NASCAR’s Playoff Grid That Actually Works

2018 Daytona MENCS Field Car NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Did You Notice? … Daytona International Speedway has had a different winner for its Coke Zero 400 summer race every year this decade? Three of those were first-timers, while a fourth, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., earned his second career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory. COKE ZERO 400 WINNERS SINCE 2010 2010: Kevin Harvick 2011: David Ragan* 2012: Tony Stewart …

Read more

Daily Fantasy NASCAR FanDuel Forecast: Toyota/Save Mart 350

2019 Sonoma Cup pack racing NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Sonoma Raceway this weekend for its first road course race of the season. This means it is a whole new ballgame when it comes to filling out your daily fantasy NASCAR FanDuel roster, as you’ll need to pick the drivers who are good at turning left and …

Read more

5 Points To Ponder: Charlotte’s Climb Back To NASCAR Respectability

2019 Charlotte NXS Christopher Bell Car Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

ONE: Charlotte Motor Speedway Battles Back NASCAR may have been created in some smoke-filled meetings down in Daytona Beach but make no mistake: Charlotte is now stock car racing’s home base. Every major team has its race shop in the area, along with a core group of the sport’s operating staff paired with the NASCAR …

Read more

Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Some Gave All

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Coca-Cola 600 is a marathon slog to close out the greatest day in auto racing, following the Monaco Grand Prix in Formula One and the Indianapolis 500 in IndyCar. Despite a quiet middle half, a chaotic first quarter and wild finish made it one of the season’s better races overall. Tires weren’t cooperating, which …

Read more

Up to Speed: The Monster Energy Open Steals the Show

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Monster Energy All-Star Race weekend should be about showcasing the best and brightest talents in the sport.  But in this year’s running, the best overall race was the preliminary event. The Monster Energy Open was a thrilling race from start to finish.  The three mini-races spread over a total of 62 laps had a …

Read more

Sign up for the Frontstretch Newsletter

A daily email update (Monday through Friday) providing racing news, commentary, features, and information from Frontstretch.com