Race Weekend Central

Lug Nut Penalty For Daniel Suarez, 2 XFINITY Crew Chiefs Suspended

2017 Cup Pocono Zach Catanzareti Daniel Suarez

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

The Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19 Toyota team was found with an unsecured lug nut after the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday (Oct. 8). Two XFINITY Series crew chiefs were also fined and suspended for ride-height infractions after Saturday’s Drive For the Cure 300. NASCAR Cup crew chief Scott Graves …

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Landon Cassill Released by Front Row Motorsports For 2018

2017 Cup Charlotte Zach Catanzareti Landon Cassill

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Landon Cassill will no longer drive for Front Row Motorsports next season, joining Danica Patrick, Matt Kenseth and others as free agents for 2018. The 28-year-old joined Front Row in 2016 and currently drives the No. 34 entry for the team. He was told on Monday (Oct. 9) that he would not rejoin the team to drive …

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IndyCar Tests 2018 Aerokit in Street Trim at Sebring

Chris Owens/IndyCar Media

(Photo: Chris Owens/IndyCar Media)

Six drivers tested IndyCar’s 2018 universal aerokit at Sebring on Tuesday (Sept. 26). Juan Pablo Montoya and Oriol Servia, who tested the oval aerokit in July, were joined by 2017 champion Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon, Spencer Pigot and James Hinchcliffe. The road-course aerokit was tested by Montoya and Servia at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course at the …

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Clint Bowyer, No. 14 Team Penalized for Loose Lug Nut After New Hampshire

2017 Dover Cup Zach Catanzareti Clint Bowyer

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

NASCAR issued a penalty Tuesday (Sept. 26) to the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing team in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, driven by Clint Bowyer, because of a lug nut infraction after the race at New Hampshire (Sept. 24). L1 penalties were also issued to one XFINITY team and one Camping World Truck Series team. …

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New Tire Compound for Dover Race With More Goodyear Tests Planned

Goodyear Tires ready for NASCAR action. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

New Goodyear tires will be used for the NASCAR Cup and XFINITY Series races at Dover International Speedway this weekend (Sept. 30).  All four tires will be a different compound from the last race at Dover in June as Goodyear reacts to NASCAR’s new low-downforce aero package. NBC Sports reported that the tires were borne …

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Could a NASCAR Driver Now Make the Jump to Formula 1?

2014 Dover Ii Cup Jeff Gordon Burnout

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

To race in Formula 1, drivers need to obtain an FIA ‘Super License,’ and NASCAR drivers can now qualify for one of these licenses for 2018. F1’s governing body – the FIA – allocates points to drivers based on their performances in a number of series. To earn an F1 Super License, drivers need to …

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JGL Racing Splits With Dakoda Armstrong Over Sponsorship Payments

2017 Road America Nxs Dakoda Armstrong Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

NASCAR XFINITY Series team JGL Racing has parted ways with Dakoda Armstrong due to a lack of sponsorship payments. As a result, the No. 28 entry will not race at Dover International Speedway this weekend (Sept. 30). JGL’s No. 24 will continue to race this season with Corey LaJoie and Dylan Lupton at the wheel. …

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NASCAR Mailbox: Are The Playoffs Really the Best Way to Decide a Championship?

2017 Richmond Ii Cup Martin Truex Jr Kyle Larson Racing Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Martin Truex Jr.’s win at Chicagoland this weekend (Sept. 17) was comfortable, to say the least. Now that the playoffs have begun, the logical question has arisen as to whether he can conceivably be beaten by anyone without Truex himself making a mistake. Furthermore, if he is beaten, what are the implications of that in …

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Smithfield Foods Splits with RPM to Join Stewart-Haas Racing for 2018

2017 Texas I Cup Aric Almirola Car John K Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John Harrelson / NKP)

Smithfield Foods will end their primary sponsorship of the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford after the 2017 season. The company announced Tuesday it will join Stewart-Haas Racing as a sponsor in 2018 after over five years with RPM. “The decision to leave Richard Petty Motorsports and join Stewart-Haas Racing was difficult,” a statement from Smithfield on …

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Daniel Suarez’s Crew Chief Issued Lug Nut Penalty After Bristol Cup Race

2017 Michigan Ii Cup Daniel Suarez Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Scott Graves, crew chief for Daniel Suarez, was the sole recipient of a penalty after the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway this past Saturday. The crew chief of the No. 19 Toyota has been fined $10,000 after “lug nut(s) [were] not properly installed,” according to NASCAR’s penalty report, issued Wednesday. Suarez finished 15th …

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Ryan Blaney Fastest in Final Cup Practice at Bristol Motor Speedway

2017 Watkins Glen Cup Ryan Blaney Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

Wood Brothers Racing’s Ryan Blaney set the fastest lap in the final NASCAR Cup Series practice session at Bristol Motor Speedway Friday afternoon. The No. 21 Ford driver put in 46 laps with a fastest time of 14.926 seconds at 128.554 mph, 0.057 of a second faster than runner-up Kyle Larson (128.065mph). Larson led the …

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Kyle Busch Sets Track Record to Win UNOH 200 Pole

2017 Kentucky Cup Kyle Busch Pole Brett Moist Nkp

(Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

Kyle Busch took pole position for Wednesday night’s UNOH 200 at Bristol Motor Speedway, his 18th career NCWTS pole. The final, five minute session – consisting of the 12 fastest drivers on track – was led by Busch, who finished fastest with a time of 14.827 seconds (129.413 mph).  Even though Busch went faster during …

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