Race Weekend Central

Happiness Is: The Drivers Edition

2016 Darlington Cup Jeff Gordon Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

The playoffs have started in NASCAR; the IndyCar season is over; and Formula 1 is about to begin its drive home. Happiness Is… Gordon.  Jeff Gordon has been out the sport for two years now (sort of), having joined the madness of the FOX broadcast team and attempted to contribute a sensible voice.  When his …

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Slipstream Saturday: The Malaysian Grand Prix & More

Force India Fin

The new Force India fin that debuted in Singapore, 2017 (photo: Getty Images)

This week the sport of Formula 1 returns for its tenth running of the Singapore Grand Prix under the lights.  The street course provides interesting theater while also being a track that favors neither Mercedes or Ferrari.  To be clear, Mercedes has excelled on every track over the past four years, but this track is …

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Happiness Is: Time, Lights & Action

2017 Richmond Ii Cup Aric Almirola Trevor Bayne Racing Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP)

There’s a whole bunch going on in the NASCAR world this week, and much of it leaves the sport looking like, from an outsider’s perspective, it’s in upheaval.  Perhaps that is the case.  But perhaps it’s not.  The notion of things being in a constant state of crisis is one that has proliferated in many …

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Happiness Is: Darlington, Fans & Road Courses

4 6 September, 2015, Darlington, South Carolina Usa Denny Hamlin, Sport Clips Toyota Camry ©2015 Scott R Lepage Nkp

Darlington Raceway, 2017(Photo: Scott R LePage/NKP)

Welcome back to another edition Happiness Is, complete with fresh Happy.  Or something.  I’m not sure that the elves in the kitchen can always be trusted to deliver the freshest and bestest of happiness but they try.  But after this past weekend, it shouldn’t be too difficult.   One caveat.   Much gets made of …

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Slipstream Saturday: The Italian GP & More

F1 Gp Monza

Tifosi Ferrari Fans Monza Formula 1 GP Monza. Foto Imago/Insidefoto

Ciao and benvenuto to the back-end of Formula 1’s consecutive race weekends.  Last week, Lewis Hamilton tied Michael Schumacher atop the all-time list with 68, added to his win total, and closed the gap to Sebastian Vettel to seven points in the driver’s championship.  It seems safe to say that Hamilton enjoyed a pretty decent …

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Happiness Is: Bristol, Scheduling & Yin-Yang

21 22 August, 2015, Bristol, Tennessee Usa Kyle Busch, Skittles Toyota Camry Denny Hamlin, Fedex Ground Toyota Camry ©2015, Matthew T. Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Last week, this column made a silly comment about Kyle Busch running away the Truck series race, and that it might be something that would spoil the rare Wednesday night event.  The main point was that weeknight races seem like a wonderful opportunity that NASCAR is failing to embrace.  It still seems that way, as …

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Happiness Is: Kyle Larson’s 2017 Success

2017 Michigan Ii Cup Kyle Larson Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Happiness Is… Larson.  Kyle Larson took a rather tepid race at Michigan International Speedway and hijacked it.  On the final restart, he split the middle and powered through to become the surprise winner.  While he may have been lurking around the top at points, Larson never seemed to be a true threat for the win, …

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Happiness Is: Business & Redemption

Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

The clamoring over having Cup drivers race in the XFINITY and Truck series made NASCAR alter the participation strategies going into this season.  The change helped insofar as that the Cup interlopers weren’t winning every race because their participation had been limited.  Oh right, that’s not what has happened.  The idea was that limiting Cup …

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Slipstream Saturday: The Hungarian Grand Prix & More

Hamilton Hungarian Gp 2017 2

(Photo: Getty Images)

This weekend, Formula 1 makes its return to the Hungaroring for the (surprise surprise) Hungarian Grand Prix.  This race brings with it a particular eagerness from all parties involved as it is the last event before the summer break.  Another way of looking at things is that it’s like the last day of school before …

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Happiness Is: Ratings, Intelligence & That New Car Smell

2017 Indianapolis Cup Trevor Bayne Austin Dillon Crash Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Hope you enjoyed the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Silly Season, brought to you by the Jackhawk 9000 as it seems like it has almost wrapped.  This aspect of the sport is one that approaches free agency in other sports but doesn’t quite deliver in the same dramatic fashion.   It would seem if there …

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Happiness Is: Head Games, Shake Up & Advertising

2017 Cup New Hampshire Zach Catanzareti Matt Kenseth

Matt Kenseth (Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

This past Sunday, Denny Hamlin did his best to slay whatever dragons are wreaking havoc in the Joe Gibbs team complex.  His win, the first of the year for the team, locked him into the playoffs while also making him the 12th different driver to win this season in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series …

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Slipstream Saturday: Questions Surround the British Grand Prix

La Formula 1 Se Viste De Gala Por Las Calles De Londres F1 Live London 201737722 1

Mark Webber of Australia and Red Bull Racing drives and completes a pit stop at the Houses of Parliament on July 2, 2010 in London, England.

The British Racing Drivers Club announced this past week that they are exercising the opt-out clause in the contract they hold with Formula 1 to host the British Grand Prix.  The BRDC, better regarded as the owners of the Silverstone circuit, have cited that they cannot continue in their relationship with F1 as they continue …

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