Race Weekend Central

Brandon Jones Returns to Top 5 in XFINITY Series at Talladega

2018 Brandon Jones Talladega Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

When the green flag flew Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, it had been 74 races since Brandon Jones has seen the top five in an XFINITY Series race. But when the checkered flag flew after 115 laps, it turned to zero. After starting 15th in the Sparks Energy 300, Jones survived the fuel mileage break-up in …

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The Underdog House: Green Means Go at Richmond

2018 Cup Richmond Ty Dillon Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Think Small Following two weeks of mild attrition on the track and about a month of wacky weather dilemmas, Richmond Raceway was easier to digest from start to finish. For the underdogs, it was a night of simplicity that was well-needed after the 26 hours of Bristol. Richmond was a race of comers and goers …

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The Underdog House: On The Ragged Edge at Bristol

2018 Cup Bristol Zach Catanzareti Matt Dibenedetto David Ragan

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Think Small The middle leg of the unofficial short track swing wrapped up a day late at Bristol Motor Speedway this week. And with another curveball of weather hitting the NASCAR garage, the underdogs had a lot to overcome, above and beyond what we’d generally expect on a short track. Starting Sunday afternoon, the Food …

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Justin Allgaier Overcomes Bristol Chaos for Runner-up Finish

2018 Xfinity Bristol Zach Catanzareti Justin Allgaier

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Through all the chaos in Saturday’s XFINITY Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway, Justin Allgaier seemed to experience about all of it. From spins, wall contact, bumpers and more, Allgaier capped it off with a comeback, finishing second behind race-winner Ryan Preece. Entering the weekend with what Allgaier believed was a solid No. 7 JR …

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The Underdog House: NASCAR Opportunity is Bigger in Texas

2018 Darrell Wallace Jr. Texas Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Think Small Man, what a week our underdogs are in for after a weekend like that, right? Even more than Daytona, Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway proved to be the ultimate opportunity for the underdog teams in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. For when tires started popping, cars started sliding and pit road became …

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Second No More: Kyle Busch Scores Victory at Texas

#18: Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Interstate Batteries Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series flipped the script Sunday (Apr. 8) at Texas Motor Speedway. The final 23 laps of the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 saw a heads-up battle for the win between Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick. The two led 203 of 334 laps and were on even tires for the run to …

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Beyond the Cockpit: Ross Chastain Building Strength for Busy Cup Schedule

2018 Atlanta Trucks Zach Catanzareti Ross Chastain

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Ross Chastain has learned a lot since February at Atlanta Motor Speedway. That meant not only in getting set for a busier schedule in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, but the sheer physicality of it all. After running both Dover races in 2017, Chastain is looking at a heavy schedule in 2018 with Premium …

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The Underdog House: Finding Easter Eggs at 1/6th Mark of 2018

Aj Allmendinger 2018 Cup Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Think Small At the one-sixth mark of the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season, perhaps there was no better time for a holiday break. For some, at least. As we exited Daytona Speedweeks, drifted through the West Coast Swing and plowed through white Martinsville, the true stature of the underdogs for 2018 have taken …

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Donahue Brothers Growing Together in Truck Series

2018 Martinsville Trucks Kyle Kevin Donahue Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

When a driver climbs into the cockpit of a racecar, most of the real world subsides. Friends, family, worries, it’s all out of mind. But when a part of your family enters the racetrack with you as a competitor, does that change? For brothers Kevin and Kyle Donahue, the two youngsters have dipped their toes …

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The Underdog House: Monday Blues in Martinsville

2018 Cup Martinsville Zach Catanzareti Dj Kennington

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Think Small Martinsville Speedway is known to be full of history, and each time we visit the last remaining original track on the circuit, we seem to add another layer. Sometimes those new layers include an underdog story. The spring weekend of 2018 will be remembered as the snow day, as both the Monster Energy …

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Alex Bowman Toughs Out Top 10 in Martinsville

2018 Cup Martinsville Zach Catanzareti Alex Bowman

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Alex Bowman returned to the top 10 in Monday’s STP 500 from Martinsville Speedway. And following a rather slow start to his first campaign with Hendrick Motorsports, the result felt even better. Bowman entered the Virginia short track with five straight top-20 finishes. Though consistent, a ride in Hendrick equipment breeds a certain amount of …

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Clint Bowyer Estatic in Return to Victory Lane at Martinsville

2018 Cup Martinsville Zach Catanzareti Clint Bowyer

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

In one of the strongest races of his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career, Clint Bowyer finally scored a victory Monday (March 26) at Martinsville Speedway. Leading 215 of 500 laps, Bowyer leaped to his ninth career Cup win, first at Martinsville and first overall since 2012. He can finally exhale. “I wanted that damn …

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