Race Weekend Central

Beside the Rising Tide: Riding the Storm Out

2016 Darlington Cup Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

A couple funny things happened this weekend. Cities and communities along the Mid-Atlantic coastline (AKA, the shore, though only in New Jersey) were not pulverized and swept out to sea by a bad-tempered tropical storm. In fact, the weather ’round here was borderline spectacular. Not a single drop of rain fell. It was a pattern …

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The Underdog House: Tracking NASCAR’s Small Teams From Darlington to Richmond

2016 Darlington Cup Chris Buescher Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Tommy Baldwin Racing Regan Smith, No. 7 Nikko RC Road Rippers Chevrolet Looking back: Smith is a former Darlington winner, and he raced the track very well on Sunday night and netted a top-20 finish to show for it.  It was exactly the kind of race TBR needs to have: smart, clean, and driver getting …

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5 Points To Ponder: Was Cole Custer, John Hunter Nemechek Aggression Too Much?

2016 Atlanta Cwts Cole Custer Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

ONE: A Look At Those Locked In With Darlington in the books, the Chase field for the Sprint Cup Series has gotten substantially clearer. Of the 16 Chase spots, 12 have been tentatively filled by race winners who have clinched finishing the regular season in the top 30. These 12 drivers include, by order of …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: NBC NASCAR Throwback Weekend Brings Smiles, Questions

3 4 September, 2016, Darlington, South Carolina Usa Chase Elliott And Kyle Busch, Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry © 2016, Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Labor Day weekend is always an interesting one in the world of motorsports.  Darlington has re-claimed the weekend for Sprint Cup and the XFINITY Series, making it stand out in the process.  The trucks spent the weekend in Canada at a venue known for good action and questionable finishes.  It did not disappoint in either aspect. …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not: Labor Day Weekend Throwback Edition

Kevin Harvick Darlington Cup 2016 Yvonne Leonard

(Photo: Yvonne Leonard)

It was quite a weekend in NASCAR, a throwback in more ways than one. A beat and bang finish in the Camping World Truck Series kicked off the proceedings, followed by both paint schemes and attire suitable for Sunday’s Sprint Cup main event. Darlington delivered, paired with comments during and after the race that were old school and …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Martin Truex Jr. Claims Second NASCAR Crown Jewel of 2016

2016 Nascar Sprint Cup Series, Darlington

(Courtesy: NKP / Nigel Kinrade)

Who’s in the headline: For the first time in his career, Martin Truex, Jr. has won multiple races in a single season. Kevin Harvick was the dominant car for the vast majority of Sunday night’s Southern 500, but pit road miscues put him behind in the final laps and he was unable to overcome the handicap. Truex, now …

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Up To Speed: Following Darlington Victory, Truex Sees Potential for ‘Great’ Season

2016 Nascar Darlington

(Photo: Brett Moist / NKP)

For Martin Truex, Jr., the term “go big or go home” has had significant meaning in 2016. Though he has had several races this year when he had a car capable of winning, Sunday night’s race in the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway was only his second win of the season. His other win? The Coca-Cola …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2016 Bojangles Southern 500

2016 Darlington Raceway Martin Truex Jr Nscs Photo Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? In the “where did he come from” department, the best finish in the Hendrick Motorsports stable came from Kasey Kahne.  Kahne has been strong at Darlington in the past, so his seventh-place run shouldn’t be a surprise. But given the season Kahne’s had and how he took the stealth approach, the …

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Pace Laps: Chris Buescher Gaining Momentum, Elliott Sadler’s Big Win and Camping World Chaos in Canada

Sprint Cup: And Then There was One – Chris Buescher can officially prepare himself for one of the most stressful nights of his racing career, as he’ll attempt to race his way into the 2016 Sprint Cup Series Chase for the Championship next weekend. Stealing the victory last month at Pocono Raceway, Buescher backed it up …

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Tracking the Trucks: John Hunter Nemechek Wrecks Cole Custer for a Win in Canada

2016 Camping World Truck Mosport

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

In a Nutshell: Cole Custer entered the final corner of Canadian Tire Motorsport Park with the lead. His No. 00 truck set the pace throughout the day up north, leading the first 30 laps of the Chevrolet Silverado 250. But Custer’s truck wouldn’t make it across the finish line first. Instead, it was John Hunter Nemechek, …

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2016 Frontstretch Cup: Staff Predictions for the Bojangles Southern 500

2016 Darlington Cup Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Welcome to our ninth year of staff predictions! Each week, our experts attempt to tell you who the winner of each Cup race will be. Take a look to see who your favorite writers think will win it all (or at least score some points) this week! Think you can out-prognosticate our staff?  Leave your …

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Truck Series Roundup: Custer On Pole For Canada

2016 Dover Truck Cole Custer Zach Catanzareti

[Photo: Zach Catanzareti]

Cole Custer‘s bid to make NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series Chase is off to a promising start north of the border. The teenager won the pole for Sunday’s road course race at Canadian Motorsports Park, beating out Austin Cindric to earn the top spot with a speed of 111.808 mph. Custer, sitting 50 points below the postseason …

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