Race Weekend Central

Couch Potato Tuesday: NASCAR on NBC Needs Coverage of More Than Just the Championship 4

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: NKP)

Well, the NASCAR season is now complete.  Kyle Busch is the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion.  Out of the five of us from Frontstretch that worked the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, I was the only one to pick him to do it.  Ultimately, Busch was the only one to not screw up Sunday.  Sometimes, …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: Some Quick Thoughts

2019 Homestead Mencs Kyle Busch Trophy Cck

(Photo: Christian Koelle)

The season is now complete. You’re probably wondering what I thought of the broadcasts this past weekend from Homestead-Miami Speedway. Truth is, I was in Homestead last weekend covering the event for Frontstretch. I wrote articles, interviewed drivers, tweeted and took over 3,000 photos. Pretty busy weekend, don’t you think? That said, I haven’t been …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: Phoenix Championship Coverage Was Ridiculous

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

We now know the names of all 12 drivers that will be fighting for the championships this weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Once everyone gets to Florida, it will be all championship, all the time. TV-wise, will that be any different than what we got in Phoenix on Sunday? Bluegreen Vacations 500k Based on what we …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: Texas Provides Decent Racing and Conflict of Interest?

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

#4: Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Busch Beer / Ducks Unlimited and #10: Aric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Smithfield

Ever since Texas Motor Speedway was reconfigured into the current version, I’ve always thought that the track races somewhat similar to the original Texas Motor Speedway of 1997.  The first stage of Sunday’s race was very much like 1997.  Chaotic as heck. Sunday’s 500-mile race at Texas Motor Speedway was almost like two completely separate …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: NBCSN Has Decent Sunday, FOX Sports 1 Has a Nightmare

Nascar Gander Outdoors Truck Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Martinsville was very interesting.  The rules package made for another anticlimactic Cup race with a grand total of three lead changes.  That’s the same as what we had back in March.  Then again, the weekend will be remembered for two instances. First Data 500 Yes, Martin Truex Jr. dominated Sunday’s First Data 500, leading 464 …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: Kansas Disappoints at Times; Xfinity Brings More Action

2019 Kansas Mencs Denny Hamlin Victory Celebration Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kansas Speedway was an interesting time. Sunday brought the end of the Round of 12 for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams, while shenanigans broke out in the Xfinity race. How NBC showed these stories really determined how the broadcast would be perceived. Hollywood Casino 400 Sunday brought yet another cutoff race to the Monster …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: Dover Hard to Keep NASCAR on NBCSN From Dozing Off

2019 Dover Nxs Restart Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Dover International Speedway’s October races are some of the most exhausting on the calendar for NASCAR drivers. Cooler-than-normal Sunday temperatures (Oct. 6) at least made the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race slightly less taxing than it could have been. (Next year, with the race scheduled for August on what was the off week between …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: The ROVAL Drove Me Nuts With Playoff Implications

2019 Roval Mencs Restart Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Charlotte Motor Speedway’s ROVAL is an interesting proposition.  On paper, it doesn’t seem all that difficult.  In practice, it’s a bit of a wreckfest.  Sunday’s race was rather ridiculous at times.  That said, ridiculousness is perfectly fine here.  It’s how the ridiculousness is covered that is important. Bank of America ROVAL 400k Looking back, likely …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: The Playoffs Envelope Coverage at Richmond

2019 NASCAR Cup starting grid

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Richmond Raceway has changed in recent years.  The races this past weekend may have been the least competitive pair of Cup and Xfinity races there in years at the front of the field.  The Cup race had a grand total of six lead changes in 400 laps.  That’s not even the lowest number this decade.  …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: The Cup Playoffs Start With Mediocre Action & Distractions

2019 Las Vegas Mencs Clint Bowyer Start Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Schedule-wise, this weekend was a terrible idea.  A 7:15 p.m. Sunday night green flag on a non-holiday weekend really doesn’t work well.  Especially when the race is in Las Vegas and the only reason it started that late is the fact that it was 101 degrees at the time the green flag dropped.  The thing …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: The Playoff Cutoff Brings Hyperfocus

2019 Indianapolis Mencs Kevin Harvick Restart Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Oh boy. Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This is a race that has been problematic for NASCAR over the last decade. It appears that they never properly gave penance for the fiasco in 2008. As a result, the race is a shell of it’s former self. It’s a great shame. Yes, there were apparently 65,000 people at …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: NBCSN Stays Up Late at Darlington

2019 cup pack racing at Darlington sign cars blurry NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

I can only speak for myself, but this was one of the most tiring weekends in recent years that didn’t involve covering the Rolex 24 at Daytona. A Cup race that started nearly four hours late due to rain, combined with weekend edit responsibilities and a number of major sports car series we (read: I) …

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