Race Weekend Central

Stewart-Haas Racing to Field Fords Beginning in 2017

Bye-bye, bow tie. hello, blue oval. Stewart-Haas Racing announced Wednesday that its four teams will run Ford Fusions in the Sprint Cup Series beginning in 2017. SHR has spent its entire existence with General Motors since the team’s non-Stewart inception under just Gene Haas in 2002, utilizing both the Pontiac and Chevrolet brands. The team has won two …

Read more

Denny Hamlin Leads Toyota Pack in Second Friday Daytona 500 Practice

Thirty cars took practice time Friday afternoon fort the Sprint Cup Series, and Denny Hamlin came out on top. Hamlin, looking for his first Daytona 500 victory, turned a lap of 199.658 mph in the second practice session of the day. Toyota teammates Kyle Busch (198.640), Martin Truex Jr. (198.640), Carl Edwards (198.610) and Matt …

Read more

Two-Headed Monster: Is Daytona’s Current Qualifying System Fair?

It’s that time of the season again, folks: the Daytona 500 is only three days away. In keeping with tradition, NASCAR will run two Can-Am Duels tonight, which will set the starting lineup for the Great American Race. Chase Elliott and Matt Kenseth’s starting spots are already set due to their qualifying results, but spots …

Read more

Michael McDowell, Brian Scott Lead Wednesday Cup Practices

Surprising names topped both the third and fourth Sprint Cup Series practices on Wednesday. Michael McDowell, who needs to race his way into the Daytona 500 by finishing as the highest open driver in Thursday’s Can-Am Duels, laid down a lap of 200.17 mph during a first practice that included a lot of drafting. The …

Read more

Entry List: NextEra Energy Resources 250

2015 Daytona I Cwts Tyler Reddick Woohoo Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Forty three. No, that number isn’t in regards to the former field size for the Sprint Cup Series. It’s the number of trucks entered for this weekend’s Camping World Truck Series NextEra Energy Resources 250 at Daytona International Speedway. With only 32 positions available for the CWTS race this Friday, 11 trucks will go home …

Read more

Team Penske Paces Second Daytona 500 Practice

2014 Indianapolis Cup Brad Keselowski Joey Logano Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

It’s a good day to be a part of Team Penske. Teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski topped the final Daytona 500 practice of the day Saturday, with laps of 195.933 mph and 195.848, respectively. Ryan Blaney, whose Wood Brothers Racing Ford shares a technical alliance with Penske, slotted in third with a lap of …

Read more

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Tops First 500 Practice

Dale Earnhardt Jr Bank Of America 500 2015 Charlotte Cup Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Some things never change: An Earnhardt led Daytona practice. Dale Earnhardt Jr. paced the first Sprint Cup practice for the Daytona 500 on Saturday morning with a fast lap of 194.116 mph. Joining Earnhardt in the top 5 were defending 500 champion Joey Logano (193.853), 2009 and 2012 race winner Matt Kenseth (193.782), rookie Chase …

Read more

Two-Headed Monster: Is the Chase in XFINITY & Trucks a Good Idea?

Xfinity Atlanta 2015 Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff)

NASCAR announced Tuesday it will adopt its controversial Chase playoff format to the XFINITY and Camping World Truck series tours beginning in 2016. The new iterations of the Chase will look slightly different from the version the Sprint Cup Series currently uses, although the hallmarks – playoff rounds with eliminations, a win-and-you’re-in qualifying process and automatic …

Read more

2015 NASCAR Rewind: Sam Hornish Jr.

2015 Darlington Cup Sam Hornish Jr Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

In sports like baseball and hockey, it isn’t uncommon for a player to move between the major and minor leagues during his career. In NASCAR, not so much. Once a driver has made it to the major league Sprint Cup Series, history dictates he’ll stay there until he can’t find a ride. When that time …

Read more