Race Weekend Central

XFINITY Breakdown: Justin Marks Slips & Slides to NASCAR Glory

Justin Marks

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Well, no one said it would be easy to get your first NASCAR XFINITY Series win. But chances are Justin Marks didn’t think he’d have to slip and slide through the rain to do it. Saturday (Aug. 13) at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course, amid a wet-and-wild track surface and after a final restart with two …

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Justin Marks Rides Rain to Mid-Ohio XFINITY Win

2015 Nxs Justin Marks Mid Ohio Brett Moist Nkp

(Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

In the midst of a struggling 2016 campaign, all it took was a little rain, and some tremendous driving in it, to bring Chip Ganassi Racing’s Justin Marks his first-career NASCAR XFINITY Series victory at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. Making his 25th-career XFINITY Series start, Marks marched his way to the front, led a race-high …

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4 Burning Questions: How Could Mid-Ohio Impact Chase Picture?

2014 Xfinity Mid Ohio Sports Car Course Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

How Could Mid-Ohio Impact XFINITY Chase Picture? Entering this, the road course swing of the XFINITY Series season, the Chase grid still hasn’t settled down. Through 20 races, that precious cutoff zone stands at a massive two points between 12th-place Blake Koch and 13th-place Ross Chastain. With numbers like that, it could be an either/or on …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: NASCAR’s Alliance-Bred Farm System

2016 Pocono Ii Cup Ryan Blaney Car John Harrelson Nkp

(Credit: John Harrelson/NKP)

Furniture Row Racing confirmed NASCAR’s worst kept secret on Sunday at Watkins Glen International when the organization announced that they’ll field upcoming phenom Erik Jones in a newly-formed second team next season alongside veteran Martin Truex, Jr. However, when the agreement was announced as a one-year deal, talk immediately began to shift from Furniture Row to Joe …

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Friday Faceoff: Should the Chase Get a Road Course?

2015 Watkins Glen Cup Watkins Glen Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

1. Watkins Glen International sold out for a second-straight year. Does that prove that good racing will bring fans out to the track, or is this a unique circumstance? Mark Howell, Senior Writer: These two factors are directly connected; Watkins Glen is inherently good racing. Being from that part of the country, I can say that …

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NASCAR 101: 5 Road Courses That Once Had Cup Races

2015 Road America Nxs Paul Menard Wins Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

NASCAR has never visited many road courses in its near 70-year history. In fact, archival website Racing Reference has recorded only 11 road courses ever visited for the Sprint Cup Series, and there hasn’t been a new one since 1989. Think about that: almost 30 years of racing at just the same two tracks, once a …

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2-Headed Monster: How Will Erik Jones Fare in His Rookie Season?

2016 Watkins Glen Cup Furniture Row Racing Erik Jones Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

One of the worst-kept secrets of the season was officially revealed on Sunday when Furniture Row Racing announced that Erik Jones would be moving to Sprint Cup full-time in 2017. Jones, a Joe Gibbs Racing development driver, will move to JGR’s satellite operation in 2017, driving the No. 77 Toyota as a teammate to Martin Truex, Jr. For …

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Eyes on XFINITY: Childress’ Championship Hopes Hinge on Consistency

2016 Michigan I Cup Ty Dillon Racing John Harrelson Nkp

Before the 2014 season began, NASCAR instituted a new elimination-style Chase for the first time in the Sprint Cup Series.  While none of the competitors were quite sure about how to approach the new championship format, it seemed that the teams who had the most raw speed (and therefore stood the best chance at winning races) …

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Kasey Kahne Frustrated, Not Giving up on 2016 Season

2016 Indianapolis Cup Kasey Kahne Helmet Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

When Kasey Kahne hopped over to Hendrick Motorsports at the beginning of the 2012 season, it was supposed to be a career-defining change. However, the last five seasons have been anything but perfect. Kahne, 36, is in currently his 13th full-time season. Statically, 2016 has been one of his worst seasons with few answers. Through 22 …

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Nitro Shots: The Female Factor

Nhra 2016 Denver Erica Enders On Track Courtesy Nhra

There seems to be a disconnect between the popularity of female drivers in contrast to their marketability that has never quite made sense. It has been the case across all  motorsports, not just in NHRA, but I was reminded of it again recently. Sending articles out through social media provides an informal analytic of popularity. Mention Leah Pritchett …

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NASCAR Mailbox: 16 Winners Before the Chase Cutoff?

2016 Nscs Watkins Glen Green Flag Carl Edwards Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase Grid will be set come the checkered flag at Richmond International Raceway in exactly one month. With 11 drivers already winning races and 10 of them seemingly locked into the Chase, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it’s safe to say the playoffs are set for the most part. However, with …

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