Race Weekend Central

Happiness Is: Bristol, Scheduling & Yin-Yang

21 22 August, 2015, Bristol, Tennessee Usa Kyle Busch, Skittles Toyota Camry Denny Hamlin, Fedex Ground Toyota Camry ©2015, Matthew T. Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Last week, this column made a silly comment about Kyle Busch running away the Truck series race, and that it might be something that would spoil the rare Wednesday night event.  The main point was that weeknight races seem like a wonderful opportunity that NASCAR is failing to embrace.  It still seems that way, as …

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Beyond the Cockpit: Scott Speed Focusing on GRC Championship, No NASCAR Plans

15 23 February, 2013, Daytona Beach, Florida Usa Scott Speed ©2013, Matthew T. Thacker Autostock

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker Autostock)

He’s been away from NASCAR for a while, but Scott Speed is staying busy in the racing world. Busy winning championships. This recent resurgence of success has come in the Red Bull Global Rallycross Series, an off-road / pavement racing series that includes high jumps and a young fan demographic in just its ninth season. For …

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The 10: NASCAR Cup Series Power Rankings After Bristol

2017 Bristol Ii Kyle Busch Woohoo Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series went under the lights in Thunder Valley Saturday night for some high banked short track action. The racing there has been pretty clean of late, especially considering how um… unclean Bristol Motor Speedway once was. The Bristol trophy supply was clean too. Cleaned out that is, courtesy of Kyle …

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NASCAR Mailbox: Which Side of the Cone Are You On?

2017 Cup New Hampshire Zach Catanzareti Jtg Daugherty Racing Chris Buescher Aj Allmendinger

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

NASCAR officials want the sport to become more interesting by the day it seems, and rightfully so. The sanctioning body continues to address concerns drivers have on and off the racetrack, and they are listening to the feedback. Racers want to please the fans, so making changes that can enhance competition is probably the ideal option, …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not In NASCAR: No Beating Around the Busch Edition

2017 Texas I Cup Erik Jones Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

The way Kyle Busch has been going this season, it’s not really hard to believe that he pulled of his second triple header career win week at Bristol. While it can be a bit frustrating and less interesting when he is dominating the Truck and XFINITY series races he enters, the question from here on out …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: NBC Provides Good Bristol, Struggles With Progression

2017 Bristol Ii Nxs Pack Racing Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

For many, many years, Bristol Motor Speedway in August was one of the crown jewels of NASCAR’s schedule.  The introduction of the Chase (now Playoffs) in 2004 has weakened the weekend slightly.  However, it is still a good time to catch some action. Before we get started, NASCAR announced last week that they will be …

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The Underdog House: Checking In On 5 Hot NASCAR Small Teams

2017 Dover I Cup Regan Smith Matt Dibenedetto Racing Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Think Small Rolling into the final off-week of the season, it’s hard to believe we’re two-thirds of the way through the season, but here we are. Way back in the spring, after the race at Las Vegas, I gave you five teams to keep an eye on this season, because for various reasons, they looked …

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Up to Speed: The Best (Or Worst?) of Kyle Busch at Bristol

Kyle Busch Bristol Celebration

(Photo: John K Harrelson / NKP)

Kyle Busch’s performance at Bristol Motor Speedway over the last week brought to mind a certain episode of Seinfeld in which Jerry’s girlfriend paints a portrait of Kramer. After the painting is complete, an elderly couple becomes transfixed with Kramer’s portrait, concluding that its subject must be some kind of miscreant. Most famously, the old …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kyle Busch Busts Out Broom for Second National Tour Series Sweep at Bristol

2017 Bristol Ii Nxs Kyle Busch Celebrates Lesley Ann Miller Nkp

(Photo: Lesley Ann Miller / NKP)

Who’s in the headline – There have been multiple two-race sweeps in NASCAR history, but there have only been a pair of three-race sweeps. Both of them were accomplished by Kyle Busch and the second was this weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway. Busch won the first stage, led the second most laps, including 93 of …

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