Race Weekend Central

Brett Moffitt Leaves Martinsville 3rd, ‘Pretty Bummed’ Not To Win

2019 Martinsville Trucks Zach Catanzareti Brett Moffitt

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Defending Gander Outdoors Truck Series champion Brett Moffitt‘s hot streak continued on Saturday afternoon (March 23) as came away from Martinsville Speedway in third place. The Grimes, Iowa native has now finished in the top five in three consecutive races and six of the last seven races dating back to last season. Despite the strong …

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2-Headed Monster: Should Auto Club Speedway Be Placed On The Chopping Block?

#22: Joey Logano, Team Penske, Ford Mustang Aaa Southern California, #18: Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Interstate Batteries, #10: Aric Almirola, Stewart Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Farmer John, #4: Kevin Harvick, Stewart Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Jimmy John's, #3: Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet Dow Coatings Go Five Wide On The Pace Laps Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Despite playing host to Kyle Busch‘s 200th NASCAR national touring series win on Sunday (March 17), Auto Club Speedway underwhelmed on many accounts. The Auto Club 400 was attended by roughly 35,000 people  — filling just over half of the 68,000 seats. Then there was the reaction on Jeff Gluck’s “Was It A Good Race?” …

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Massie’s Minute: The NASCAR Hall of Mediocrity Taints Its Famous Inductees

2017 Nascar Monster Energy Cup Series, Darlington

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

The NASCAR Hall of Fame has spent a decade enshrining some of the sport’s best inside its building. But as the 2020 nominating class revealed this week, an honor designed for a select few now finds itself mired in mediocrity. From the moment one of the top-five greatest drivers — maybe even the best ever …

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Matt Tifft Sees Front Row Motorsports Becoming a Threat

2019 Atlanta Cup Matt Tifft Car Nkp

The favorites for the 2019 Rookie of the Year award are Ryan Preece and Daniel Hemric, but in that battle lies an underdog — Matt Tifft, driver of Front Row Motorsports’ No. 36 Ford Mustang. Tifft, a 22-year-old from Hinckley, Ohio, advances to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series after finishing in the top 10 …

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Matt DiBenedetto, NASCAR’s Old School Underdog

2019 Atlanta Cup Matt Dibenedetto Nkp

Matt DiBenedetto could have a breakout year in 2019. The fifth-year driver joins Leavine Family Racing after doing a lot with a little at Go Fas Racing. LFR switched to Toyota over the off-season and formed an alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing. DiBenedetto’s crew chief this season was Denny Hamlin‘s former crew chief Mike “Wheels” …

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Kurt Busch Shows His Muscle, Gets 1st Top 5 With Ganassi

2019 Atlanta Cup Zach Catanzareti Kurt Busch

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

When Kurt Busch announced he was leaving Stewart-Haas Racing for Chip Ganassi Racing, it was seen by many as a step back. There was no denying Busch’s talent, but SHR was the most dominant team of 2018, winning 12 of the 36 races. CGR, meanwhile, went winless last year. But Busch proved in Sunday’s (Feb. …

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Ross Chastain, Timothy Peters Continue Niece Motorsports’ Strong Start

2019 Atlanta Trucks Zach Catanzareti Ross Chastain

Atlanta Motor Speedway, February 2019. (Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Last week, Niece Motorsports had its best day in its four-year history when Ross Chastain finished third and Timothy Peters was seventh at Daytona International Speedway. The underdog team followed it up on Saturday evening (Feb. 23) when Chastain and Peters each earned top 10s at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Going into this season, Al Niece’s …

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Jeffrey Earnhardt Fails To Win At Atlanta, Scores 1st Top 10

2019 Atlanta Xfinity Zach Catanzareti Jeffrey Earnhardt

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Jeffrey Earnhardt had the chance to do what his grandfather Dale Earnhardt did nine times, win at Atlanta Motor Speedway. The fourth-generation racer lined up on the outside of leader Christopher Bell on the final restart of the Rinnai 250 with an opportunity to steal a win away from his dominant Joe Gibbs Racing teammate. …

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Clint Bowyer Fastest In Final Practice At Atlanta, Kyle Busch Crashes

Clint Bowyer sits in the garage area at Kentucky Speedway in 2018. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Clint Bowyer paced the field in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Saturday afternoon (Feb. 23). It is the fourth of five on-track sessions that Bowyer has topped this weekend.  The only exception has been the final round of qualifying on Friday. Bowyer posted a speed of 179.104 miles …

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New Sponsor, New Package & Upgraded Equipment Have Landon Cassill Optimistic

2019 Daytona I Cup Landon Cassill Car Nkp

Landon Cassill returns to StarCom Racing’s No. 00 this year after driving for the organization in 29 of 36 races in 2018. The driver and team look to have an even better 2019 after forming a technical alliance with Richard Childress Racing and switching to ECR Engines. Also, the team has a new sponsor — …

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Casey Mears Crashes Out In Only Planned Start, Angry At Parker Kligerman

Casey Mears 2019 Daytona 500

(Photo: Christian Koelle)

Casey Mears was one of the feel-good stories coming into the Daytona 500. The 14-year Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series veteran qualified a non-chartered Germain Racing/Premium Motorsports entry into the race after not making a Cup start since 2016. His most recent national touring series race was in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2017. But …

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Ford Follies: Michael McDowell Miffed With Joey Logano, Clint Bowyer Despite Top-5 Finish

Michael Mcdowell 2019 Daytona 500

(Photo: Christian Koelle)

Michael McDowell ran one of the best races of his career in the Daytona 500 on Sunday (Feb. 17). The 11-year veteran finished fifth in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway for just his second-career top five-finish. And yet, McDowell wanted more. “For a small team, it’s awesome. There’s no doubt about it,” McDowell …

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