Race Weekend Central

Frontstretch 2-Minute Drill: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte

2017 Coca-Cola 600 wide view Nigel Kinrade/NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade /NKP)

A full 500 miles of racing have already been completed on Sunday (May 30) with Helio Castroneves‘ historic win in the Indianapolis 500 kicking off a full day of motorsports, but 600 miles loom ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series for the evening’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The normally busy day was cut …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Ty Gibbs Spins and Wins at Charlotte

2021 Charlotte Xfinity Ty Gibbs celebrate victory lane NKP

(Photo LAT Images via Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In February, Ty Gibbs briefly went dirt trackin’, making a pass in the grass, before winning on the road course at Daytona International Speedway. You can now check “spin and win” off the list of ways Gibbs has won a race. In Saturday’s (May 29) Alsco Uniforms 300, he spun exiting turn 4 coming to …

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Friday Faceoff: Should Charlotte Be the Only Track to Host the Coca-Cola 600?

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

Kyle Busch doing that winning at Charlotte thing (Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

NASCAR has shown a willingness of late to set tradition aside in favor of trying something new. Should it consider running the sport’s lone 600-mile race at a different track than Charlotte Motor Speedway? Josh Roller: I can’t say this strongly enough: no. The Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte is one of the crown jewel races in …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Echopark Texas Grand Prix at COTA

Chase Elliott races in the rain at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). May 2021 Cup (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened? Chase Elliott won the Echopark Texas Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas on Sunday (May 23) after heavy rain and poor track conditions halted the COTA race early with 14 laps remaining.   Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Ross Chastain and AJ Allmendinger rounded out the top-five finishers. Let the celebration begin! @chaseelliott and …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Echopark Texas Grand Prix

Chase Briscoe smiling at 2021 Homestead Cup race. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who … should you be talking about after the Echopark Texas Grand Prix? More than a few people were surprised the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion went this deep into the year without a win. But no one was shocked that Chase Elliott picked up that first victory of 2021 Sunday (May 23) at Circuit …

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The Underdog House: AJ Allmendinger Capitalizes on COTA Road Course Prowess

AJ Allmendinger prepares for a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (March 2021) (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Top Dog: AJ Allmendinger AJ Allmendinger may be no underdog on a road course, but the 39-year-old veteran became a bit of a Cinderella story Sunday (May 23) at Circuit of the Americas. While his team, Kaulig Racing, has established itself as a powerhouse in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, it has limited experience at the …

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Frontstretch 2-Minute Drill: EchoPark Texas Grand Prix at COTA

2021 Cota Cup Tyler Reddick Practice Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Nearly 3.5 miles and 20 turns await the NASCAR Cup Series on Sunday (May 23) at Circuit of the Americas in Austin. So, too, does a decent chance of rain, which hovers around 40-50% for the duration of the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix. Sunday marks the first time NASCAR’s premier touring series has visited the …

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Tyler Reddick Claims First Career Cup Pole at COTA

2021 Cota Cup Tyler Reddick Pole Winner Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

For just the second time this season, qualifying returned to a NASCAR Cup Series race weekend…this time at Circuit of the Americas. With the series’ debut at the track in the EchoPark Texas Grand Prix just hours away on Sunday (May 23), Tyler Reddick led the way after finishing eighth in Saturday’s Xfinity Series race …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Unable to Be Wrangled, Kyle Busch Dominates COTA

2021 Xfinity COTA Kyle Busch, No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota (Credit: NKP)

Kyle Busch on track at COTA (Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The inaugural NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Circuit of the Americas started with Kyle Busch leading the field to green. Many have grown accustomed to Busch’s ability to smack the field with his performance, and in Saturday’s Pit Boss 250 at COTA, Rowdy didn’t hold back. Not only did Busch lead 35 of 46 laps, …

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NASCAR 101: Analyzing the Circuit of the Americas With Tyler Reddick

Kyle Busch at COTA

(Photo: Speedway Motorsports, CMS & Harold Hinson Photography)

After opening in Oct. 21, 2012, Circuit of the Americas, or COTA, adds to its motorsports history when it hosts its inaugural NASCAR race weekend May 22-23, 2021. As the third-largest track on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, trailing the 4.048-mile Road America road course and Daytona International Speedway’s 3.61-mile road course layout, the 3.41-mile, …

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Did You Notice?: Winners & Losers If Brad Keselowski Buys Into Roush Fenway Racing

Brad Keselowski stands by his No. 2 Team Penske Ford at Kansas Speedway (May 2021). (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Did You Notice? … Brad Keselowski will reportedly purchase an interest in Roush Fenway Racing? First reported by Motorsport’s Jim Utter, the deal would make the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series champion part owner and driver of the No. 6 Ford in 2022. The rumor has been around for a few weeks but public support of the story has …

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William Byron’s No. 24 Among 4 Cup Teams Penalized After Dover

William Byron with crew chief Rudy Fugle before 2021 Daytona Road course Cup event Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Four NASCAR Cup Series crew chiefs have been given monetary fines following the post-race inspections for the Drydene 400 at Dover International Speedway last weekend, May 16. The crew chiefs of the Nos. 24, 8, 17, and 37 of William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Chris Buescher and Ryan Preece, respectively, were each forced to pay a …

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