Race Weekend Central

Thompson in Turn 5: The Verdict Is in – NASCAR Scores Big With the CoT

Michael McDowell‘s terrifying near-head on collision with the SAFER barrier and subsequent barrel-rolling down the track at Texas Motor Speedway Friday was the most serious real-life test yet of NASCAR’s new car, known during its developmental period as the Car of Tomorrow (CoT). But the five-year project by NASCAR’s Research And Development division had been …

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Mirror Driving: NASCAR’s CoT Both Safe & Boring, Toughing Out Texas & Managing RCR’s Future

NASCAR’s CoT did its job at Texas, disintegrating to absorb Michael McDowell’s horrific crash during qualifying. Is it time to stop complaining about the CoT?

The Magic of McDowell, “Forgetting” a Blowout & Watching TV Blow the Finish in Texas… Again

From the wild (Michael McDowell‘s crash) to the wacky (Kyle Busch spouting off… again), here’s your guide to the past weekend of NASCAR television at its best, its worst, and its most confusing down in the Lone Star State. The Good The best part of the coverage down in Texas was the professional way that …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2008 Samsung 500 at Texas Edition

It’s been a while since there’s been a scary accident in any of NASCAR’s three premier series; so, needless to say, Michael McDowell‘s qualifying crash at Texas raised a few eyebrows when it comes to safety in the sport. It’s a wreck he could have easily not walked away from; but luckily, the improvements have …

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Bubble Breakdown: Jeremy Mayfield Out, Sam Hornish Jr. Back Inside Top-35 Safety Net

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series made its annual spring journey to the Lone Star State for the running of the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway this past weekend. They tell me that everything is bigger in Texas; and apparently, this adage can be applied to the problems of some bubble teams. There’s bickering at …

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Happy Hour: Nationwide Whackers are Hurting NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series

On several occasions during the Martinsville race this past Sunday, the announcers in the FOX booth analyzed “short-term gain” vs. “long-term loss.” The comparison was made whenever a driver skipped a pit or took two tires for track position, meaning that they may gain track position in the short run, but the older tires may …

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Side-by-Side: Can the Pettys Survive Without Bobby Labonte?

Editor’s Note: The following is a special edition of Frontstretch‘s Side-By-Side. Occasionally throughout the season, two of your favorite Frontstretch writers will duke it out in a debate concerning one of NASCAR’s biggest stories. Don’t let us be the only ones to speak our minds, though… be sure to read both sides and let us …

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Fanning the Flames: Petty, Childress, Earnhardt Shaking Things Up

If you’re like me, you don’t spend the majority of April Fools’ Day looking over your shoulder anymore. Yeah, I used to be one of those guys that took full-on advantage of the one day of the year where I could turn a co-worker’s office around backward or slip the occasional Whoopee Cushion in there… …

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Fantasy Picks ‘N’ Pans: 2008 Samsung 500 at Texas Edition

After two weeks of short-track racing, the Sprint Cup Series heads to the wide open spaces of Texas Motor Speedway for this weekend’s Samsung 500. They say things are often bigger and better in Texas; but that does that equate for success for your fantasy team? With only one repeat winner in 13 races at …

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