Race Weekend Central

4 Burning Questions: Should Commentators Own Teams in the Series They Cover?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. with Steve Letarte and Rick Allen

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Should commentators be involved with racing teams in the series they cover? We just can’t have nice things, apparently. Steve Letarte, a former race-winning crew chief for Hendrick Motorsports, took a job this offseason as a consultant for Spire Motorsports. This might be just a little bit of a problem, because Letarte is also a …

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4 Burning Questions: Nitpicking? NASCAR Is Back

Cup Daytona 2020 Road Chase Elliott Car

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What exactly is the qualifying problem in the Xfinity Series? When qualifying was rained out for this past weekend’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race, what was a simple rainout has dramatically changed the season for a few teams. There were a total of 45 NXS teams that were entered in last weekend’s race. Jayski’s 2021 NXS …

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4 Burning Questions: Who Wins the 2021 Daytona 500?

Nascar Cup Series

#7: Corey LaJoie, Spire Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Youtheory

Who will win the 2021 Daytona 500? The 63rd running of the Daytona 500 is going to be a rather interesting iteration of the Great American Race. The pomp and circumstance this race usually provides has been muted due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. There will still be a few things such as the pre-race …

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4 Burning Questions: Now With 35% Less Jimmie Johnson

Enfinger, Grant Martinsville 2020

(Photo: Brian Lawdermilk, NASCAR via Getty Images)

Is this really going to be the “best season ever”? That’s FOX Sports’ tagline for its coverage of NASCAR Cup Series action in 2021, at least. While I wouldn’t go that far, there definitely are some interesting things to watch out for this year. Perhaps the biggest test for these race teams is setting themselves …

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2021 NASCAR Preseason Power Rankings No. 25: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

2020 Daytona Ncs Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. Face Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In his ninth season of full-time NASCAR Cup Series action, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will return to the seat of the No. 47 JTG Daugherty Chevrolet for the second straight season. While the team has not made many announcements this offseason, the general understanding is that Stenhouse’s contract he signed prior to last year was a …

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2020 Top NASCAR Storylines: COVID, COVID, COVID

Nascar Gander Outdoors Truck Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Over the next few weeks, Frontstretch will be looking back at the top 10 stories of the season, beginning with this installment. The nine that will come after this topic all would have been the biggest story of the year in just about any other year. Michael Jordan investing in a NASCAR team? The defending …

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4 Burning Questions: NASCAR in 2030

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

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

This column is a series of proposals that essentially amount to where I’d like to see NASCAR be at in 10 years’ time. Now that the 2020 season is over and we’ve all gotten a good idea as to what exactly are the limits to the industry after being pushed to the brink by COVID-19, …

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4 Burning Questions: 2020 Season Awards

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who is the driver of the year? While Chase Elliott is the champion, undoubtedly the best overall driver this season was Kevin Harvick. Harvick’s average finish of 7.333 tied with 2007 Jeff Gordon’s average finish of 7.333 for best in that category since 1999. Ironically, both drivers failed to win championships, with Gordon losing out …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR FanDuel Forecast: 2020 Season Finale 500

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It’s the final stop on a chaotic and bizarre NASCAR Cup Series season, as 40 drivers head to Phoenix Raceway for one last race. This race will decide a championship. The top finishing driver between Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin will win the Bill France Cup. I have my own pick …

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4 Burning Questions: The Greatest of All Time

2017 Talladega Ii Cup Jimmie Johnson Chad Knaus Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

How will Jimmie Johnson be remembered? After 19 full-time seasons, the greatest NASCAR driver of all time will call it a career on Sunday. Jimmie Johnson, one of only three drivers to win seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, has stayed true to his word that 2020 would be his final year in the No. 48 …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR FanDuel Forecast: The Xfinity 500

2020 Talladega Ii Cup Martin Truex Jr Nkp

The fall race at Martinsville Speedway is the oldest race in NASCAR, having been first contested in the Cup Series’ first season in 1949. In the last 71 years, many great drivers have found victory at “the Paperclip”. In fact, only eight series champions, representing only 10 of those 71 championship seasons, have failed to …

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4 Burning Questions: What Is the State of NASCAR?

2020 Charlotte Road Roval Cup William Byron Pack Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What is the state of NASCAR? In a crazy season in a crazy year, there are still some positives coming out of it for NASCAR. It looks like TV ratings will fall at about the same level as they did in 2019, just a percentage point or two. This is actually great news, as NASCAR’s …

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