Race Weekend Central

5 Points to Ponder: The Road Ahead

Chase Elliott practices at COTA

March 2, 2021: Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX. ( +CMS-HHP-Harold Hinson)

1. The “Road” Ahead For the second half of the 2021 regular season, the Cup Series regulars face an eclectic mix of tracks, including a doubleheader at Pocono Raceway (the only two-fer of this year), a brand new circuit in Nashville, and, count ’em, five road courses. Of the quintet, three road courses are new …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: 2021 NASCAR Manufacturer Parity Among Ford, Chevy & Toyota

All three NASCAR manufacturers (Ford, Chevrolet, Toyota) battle at Kansas Speedway. (Photo: NKP) Ryan Blaney, Martin Truex Jr, Chase Elliott

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

1: NASCAR manufacturer parity … At the top 12 races into the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, it’s clear three organizations have separated from the rest of the pack. Joe Gibbs Racing (with Darlington Raceway winner Martin Truex Jr.), Team Penske and Hendrick Motorsports are the sport’s new Big 3, sweeping 10 of the top …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Goodyear 400 at Darlington

Martin Truex Jr. celebrates in victory lane with trophy after Goodyear 400 throwback Darlington weekend 2021 spring Cup Chris Graythen/Getty

(Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images via NASCAR Media)

What happened? Martin Truex Jr. won the Goodyear 400 at Darlington on Sunday (May 9) after leading 248 of 293 laps for his third win of the 2021 season. Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, William Byron and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five finishers at NASCAR’s Throwback Weekend. One of the best burner-outers in the game …

Read more

Up to Speed: Don’t Count Richard Childress Racing Out of the Playoff Picture

Richard Childress and Austin Dillon together during a NASCAR Xfinity Series race in New Hampshire (Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

In the spirit of NASCAR’s throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway, think back to the 2017 season. It’s the last time Richard Childress Racing put multiple cars in the Cup Series playoffs. Can they do it again in 2021? Back then, both drivers punched their tickets to the postseason with victories.  Veteran Ryan Newman stole a …

Read more

NASCAR 101: The 5 Best — & 5 Worst — Throwback Paint Schemes

2020 Darlington III fall Reed Sorensen throwback car NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It’s throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway. The concept seems to be starting to wear out just a bit. In fact, the vast majority of Cup throwbacks this year are either bad or just average. All of the truly great NASCAR schemes have been done to death, and very few sponsors want to actually throwback to …

Read more

Frontstretch Podcast: Tyler Reddick Talks Playoff Chase, Fatherhood; Darlington Throwback Preview with Steve Waid

Tyler Reddick stands next to his car at 2021 spring Kansas Cup race NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In his second full-time season at the Cup Series level, Tyler Reddick is getting comfortable with Richard Childress Racing as he hunts for a playoff spot. He joins Davey Segal on the podcast this week to discuss his season to date, hunting for a playoff spot and how the Chevrolet engine program has improved with …

Read more

Up to Speed: Inconsistent Calls Embarrass NASCAR in Kansas

Chris Buescher races in the 2021 Buschy McBusch Race 400 at Kansas Speedway, May 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

If Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway was too orderly for the first 200 laps, the ending was full of surprises. A flurry of cautions in the closing laps kept the field bunched together. While the drivers up front were running into each other for the lead, those further back in the pack …

Read more

Tyler Reddick Dishes on Early Inconsistency, Fatherhood & Playoffs

Tyler Reddick Richmond 2021

#8: Tyler Reddick, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Childress Vineyards

Tyler Reddick is trying to navigate his way through a bumpy start to 2021. Through 10 races, the driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing sits 22nd in points with one top five and four top 10s, including a seventh-place effort at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday (April 25). While those four top …

Read more

Friday Faceoff: Should Jennifer Jo Cobb Have Been Approved for Talladega Cup Race?

Jennifer Jo Cobb races at Las Vegas spring truck race NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The approval process for drivers to race in the NASCAR Cup Series has come into question with NASCAR denying Jennifer Jo Cobb for Talladega Superspeedway. Are her credentials sufficient enough, or was it the right call? Luken Glover: Putting Jennifer Jo Cobb in a car for her debut at Talladega was a questionable decision, so …

Read more

Frontstretch 5: NASCAR Cup Drivers Who Can Rejuvenate Sluggish Seasons With Talladega Win

2020 Talladega playoff Cup Chase Elliott leads in pack racing Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Talladega Superspeedway race weekend is upon us at last, which means fast racing, daring passes, big crashes and exhilarating down-to-the-wire finishes. While most race fans are eager to see what will unfold this weekend (April 24-25), most NASCAR Cup Series drivers and teams will carry plenty of dread with them instead. Due to the high-risk …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond

Alex Bowman

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened? Alex Bowman won the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Raceway on Sunday (April 18) following an impressive late-race restart where he lined up in third place. Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Christopher Bell and Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the top-five finishers. Let the party begin! ? Retweet to congratulate @Alex_Bowman on a huge …

Read more

Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Blue Emu Maximum Pain Relief 500

Nascar Cup Series

#19: Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Bass Pro celebrates his win

Who… should you be talking about after the race? The streak of different winners to start 2021 came to an end Sunday at Martinsville Speedway when Martin Truex Jr. took the checkered flag for the second time this season in the rain-delayed Blue Emu 500. Truex didn’t dominate, didn’t even have the best car for most …

Read more