Race Weekend Central

Christopher Bell On Atlanta Penalty: ‘Next Time My Hands Are Staying Straight’

Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing at Daytona

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

AUSTIN, Texas – Christopher Bell learned his lesson. A week after the NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver explained his view of the penalty that negated his second-place finish. Bell was penalized by NASCAR for advancing his position by passing Ross Chastain below the double line at the …

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Dropping the Hammer: Atlanta’s NASCAR Future Is Here. Survey Says…?

Atlanta Motor Speedway

(Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images)

After a full reconfiguration of Atlanta Motor Speedway produced racing SMI CEO Marcus Smith called “sports entertainment,” did the powers that be get this right?

Dropping the Hammer: Chase Briscoe’s Surprising First Cup Win (or Was It?)

Chase Briscoe crosses the finish line at Phoenix Raceway, March 2022.

(Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)

With 20 laps left in Sunday’s (March 13) NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix Raceway, the final challengers for the race win came into focus: Somehow, it came down to three drivers under the age of 30 who hadn’t won on the Cup circuit yet. Looking at the makeup of the Cup Series in 2022, the …

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Dropping the Hammer: Scoreboard, Baby

Alex Bowman and Kyle Busch

Getty Images via NASCAR Media

We live in a weird world. No more than five years ago, Alex Bowman‘s racing claim to fame in NASCAR was this: climbing from a Tommy Baldwin Racing car at New Hampshire in 2015 as its right-side tire caught fire and sent the car up in flames. That was it. Aside from two Xfinity Series …

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Austin Cindric Arrives With Daytona 500 Win: ‘We’ve Come a Long Way’

Austin Cindric

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Austin Cindric’s final pit stop couldn’t have been worse.

With Daytona International Speedway’s frontstretch lights illuminating them, the pit crew for Team Penske’s No. 2 Ford was slow and lacked coordination.

They also didn’t even bother to put on safety equipment. One even wore a backpack.

NASCAR’s Next Gen Car, Old Habits & Finding the Limit

NASCAR Next Gen car

(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Out with the old and in with the new.

That’s the overall theme this weekend as NASCAR starts its 2022 season.

The primary stage of transition is the Cup Series’ Next Gen car.

NASCAR’s premier series is no stranger to new cars. This one’s alternate name is Gen 7 for a reason.