Race Weekend Central

Joe Gibbs Racing Notches Critical Performance at Las Vegas

2021 Cup Las Vegas Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Toyota, and Kyle Busch, No. 18 Toyota (Credit: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Joe Gibbs Racing has lamented its shortcomings at 550-horsepower racetracks all season, but the team’s performance at Las Vegas Motor Speedway should quell that concern. Denny Hamlin led a 1-3-4 finish for JGR on Sunday night (Sept. 26) with teammates Kyle Busch third and Martin Truex Jr. fourth. Good runs are always appreciated, but a run …

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Zach’s Turn: Pocono Raceway’s Doubleheader Canned Too Quickly

Pocono Raceway 2021

(Photo: James Gilbert/Getty Images via NASCAR Media)

Pocono Raceway finally got to show NASCAR fans exactly how a doubleheader weekend can work. Five races in three days – two Cup Series races accompanied by ARCA Menards, Camping World Truck and Xfinity series events – provided the ultimate weekend for stock car racing fans. The Pennsylvania racing community and its surrounding areas responded …

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Zach’s Turn: NASCAR’s Points Battles You Should Know Exist

NASCAR Cody Ware Ryan Preece 2021 Coca-Cola 600

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

With the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs in full swing, you’re forgiven if you have limited your attention to the 16 eligible drivers. But there are other points battles happening behind them you ought to know about — a point hammered home by Reddit user u/1-800-DADJOKE. That person has been keeping a watchful eye on the …

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Zach’s Turn: Ross Chastain Storms Forward Without Playoff Pressure

Ross Chastain before a NASCAR race at Circuit of the Americas, May 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

As his tenure with Chip Ganassi Racing nears its checkered flag, Ross Chastain has no pressure.

There are no playoff expectations since his No. 42 team didn’t qualify for the postseason. There is no need to audition for a new ride, since he’s already confirmed to join Trackhouse Racing in 2022 as the driver of the team’s new No. 1 car. All there is to do is go out and try to wind up in victory lane.

Hendrick Motorsports Battered & Beaten at Darlington

Hendrick Motorsports Darlington Southern 500

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The 2021 NASCAR Cup Series regular season was dominated by Hendrick Motorsports, providing plenty of momentum heading into Sunday night’s (Sept. 5) playoff opener at Darlington Raceway.

But whatever momentum they carried into the postseason was largely wiped away over the course of 500 miles at The Lady in Black — at least for three of the organization’s four drivers.

Lawless Alan Frustrated With Derek Kraus After Darlington Crash

Lawless Alan

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Lawless Alan was holding his own and trying to make laps in his sixth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start.

But his Darlington Raceway debut was disrupted by an incident in turn 3, which began when Derek Kraus got into Alan’s left-rear quarter panel to send the No. 45 Niece Motorsports spinning.

Harrison Burton Boosts Hot Streak with Runner-Up Finish at Darlington

Harrison Burton Darlington II 2021

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

DARLINGTON, S.C. — Harrison Burton got all the way to the driver-side door of Noah Gragson in turn 4, but that was as close as he got to victory lane. Burton notched his best result of 2021 with a second-place finish in the Sports Clips Help a Hero 200 at Darlington Raceway on Saturday (Sept. …

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Zach’s Turn: Darlington Highlights Intersection of Old & New as Playoff Opener

Darlington Raceway NASCAR

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Darlington Raceway is an obvious historic landmark for NASCAR. That is part of what makes the 71-year-old facility the perfect start of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, which kick off at the 1.33-mile South Carolinian oval Sunday (Sept. 5) with the 72nd annual Cook Out Southern 500 at 6 p.m. ET. Although the 10-week playoffs …

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Zach’s Turn: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Hopeful Momentum Translates Into Daytona Win

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Michigan 2021

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is in the midst of one of the best seasons of his career. The driver of the No. 47 Chevrolet for JTG Daugherty Racing has finished outside the top 20 just six times through 25 races and posted his 13th top-15 finish of the season Sunday (Aug. 22) at Michigan International Speedway …

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Zach’s Turn: Where Lies the Truth Between Denny Hamlin & Chase Briscoe?

Chase Briscoe Denny Hamlin Indianapolis 2021

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Days after the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe continue to debate what happened on the final restart of the race. The conversation has taken up a good chunk of the social media chatter too, whether that be on Twitter, Reddit or Facebook. But …

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