Race Weekend Central

Eyes On Xfinity: Is This the Right Points Format for the Xfinity Series?

2021 Charlotte NXS Ty Gibbs checkered flag NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Through 12 races in the NASCAR Xfinity Series this season, eight different drivers have been first across the start/finish line to take the checkered flag. Of those race winners, however, three won’t be in the running for the series title — Josh Berry, Kyle Busch and Ty Gibbs. As my high school teachers would tell you, …

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2-Headed Monster: Should NASCAR Address Pre-Race Inspection Failures with Harsher Penalties?

Chase Elliott Dover 2021

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

This past weekend at Dover International Speedway, Chase Elliott‘s No. 9 Chevrolet once again failed pre-race inspection. Despite the penalty of starting at the rear, Elliott dutifully drove back up through the field to score a top-four finish.. We’ve seen other teams in recent years become serial offenders for failing pre-race inspection, such as Martin …

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Eyes On Xfinity: Clarity Needed on Penalty Appeal Rulings

2021 Phoenix 1 Nxs Noah Gragson Smoking Car Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

There’s no question that when the gates open on race weekend, it’s NASCAR’s show. There is no disputing that. You can go back to countless stories, going back to Big Bill France strong-arming his influence against drivers thinking of starting a driver’s union, to Bill France Jr. and his lieutenants finding multiple ways to say …

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Jeremy Clements, Ryan Sieg, Alex Labbe Shine in Darlington Runs

Jeremy Clements Alex Labbe Darlington

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

There’s a uniqueness about Darlington Raceway. With its quirks and peculiarities, it presents challenges that drivers and teams are not likely to see at any other venue. So on one hand, it’d be plausible for teams to not put much effort into “The Lady and Black” given that little of what teams can glean is …

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Eyes On Xfinity: Parity Breeds Sense of Urgency for Playoff Hopefuls

#39: Ryan Sieg, Rss Racing, Ford Mustang Cmr Construction And Roofing

#39: Ryan Sieg, RSS Racing, Ford Mustang CMR Construction and Roofing

Well, that didn’t take long. Eight races into the NASCAR Xfinity Series season, the sense of urgency is already ramped up. How tense is it getting? Ryan Sieg, coming off of a top-10 points finish last season, has already made a crew chief change. After a contentious start to the season, Sieg is 17th in …

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2-Headed Monster: Should NASCAR Mandate Drivers Get COVID-19 Vaccines?

Bubba Wallace Denny Hamlin COVID Vaccine

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Ah, yes. The COVID-19 vaccine is available and NASCAR has found itself at the forefront of the discussion. This week, NASCAR President Steve Phelps stated that requiring drivers to get a vaccine would be a “slippery slope.” Those words raised a lot of eyebrows around social media and the NASCAR world. He also said that …

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Eyes On Xfinity: An Off-Week Wish List for Series Regulars

2021 Xfinity Talladega Jeb Burton, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Leads (Credit: NKP)

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

So far this season, a handful of off weekends have peppered the NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule. That ends after this weekend as the series will be on track every weekend beginning May 8 at Darlington Raceway through July 17 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. As teams and drivers get the final off weekend for a …

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Toyotas Come Up Empty At Talladega

Denny Hamlin leads a pack of cars at Talladega Superspeedway, April 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In recent years, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin have repeatedly factored into who’d emerge with a race victory on super speedways at Daytona and Talladega. But on a day mostly dominated by Fords on Sunday at the mammoth Alabama speedway, Toyotas didn’t end up factoring in a victory as a Ford-laden field duked it …

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Noah Gragson Places Sixth at Talladega, Wants to “Race for Wins”

Noah Gragson

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Two straight $100,000 bonuses would make most people extraordinarily happy. However, Noah Gragson is not one of those people. When Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway was shortened as a result of weather, it left Gragson, who led four times for eight laps, deprived of the chance to race for the win. He …

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Surging Riley Herbst Keeps Moving Ahead With Top Five

2021 Xfinity Talladega Riley Herbst (Credit: NKP0

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

After a bit of a slow start to begin the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, Riley Herbst is starting to hit his stride.  That stride took a few more bold steps forward during Saturday afternoon’s rain-shortened Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway as he finished fourth.   Herbst, second-place finishing Austin Cindric and fifth-place Ryan Sieg were …

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Eyes On Xfinity: Why Aren’t We at Richmond This Weekend?

2019 Richmond Xfinity Zach Catanzareti Zane Smith

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

The NASCAR Xfinity Series is off this weekend as NASCAR stays within the Commonwealth of Virginia and races at Richmond Raceway. That’s a shame. Last week, the series raced at Martinsville Speedway, albeit delayed due to a weather postponement. What transpired was vintage short-track racing. You had a short-track ace, Josh Berry, in one of …

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Eyes On Xfinity: Series Needs Own Identity Apart from Bristol

JR Motorsports teammates Justin Allgaier and Noah Gragson races at 2021 Phoenix Xfinity spring Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Two weekends ago, two of NASCAR’s top national series commanded a lion’s share of the attention in the motorsports world when they raced on Bristol Motor Speedway’s dirt surface. Not having a seat at the table at Bristol? NASCAR’s Xfinity Series. As far as Bristol on dirt goes, it should stay that way. The challenge …

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