Race Weekend Central

4 Burning Questions: Is North Wilkesboro Returning?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. smiling

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What is the NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture? With three races remaining in the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series regular season, things are becoming clear. Ten drivers have clinched a playoff spot as long as they remain eligible: Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, William Byron, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Brad …

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4mula Burning Questions: Grabbing the (Red) Bull By the Horns

Max Verstappen leads Formula 1 field at 2021 Emilia Romagna Grand Prix Imola Photo: Lars Baron Getty

(Photo: Lars Baron/Getty via Red Bull Content Pool)

It’s finally over? After over 10 days of Red Bull Racing complaining about an incident between Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen on lap 1 of the British Grand Prix in Formula 1, this particular situation is finally over. RBR met with the stewards and Mercedes AMG Petronas F1 Team July 29 to present new evidence …

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No Burning Questions: SRX, CBS Superior to NASCAR, FOX

Tony Stewart races in Camping World SRX Series 2021 at Eldora Speedway, Mike Arning True Speed PR

Photo: Mike Arning (True Speed PR)

A lot has happened over the past few weeks in the world of stock car racing, but the constant I keep coming back to is simple: The Camping World SRX Series and CBS completely outclassed both NASCAR and FOX’s coverage of NASCAR. Denny Hamlin mentioned off-hand a couple of weeks ago during a discussion on …

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4 Burning Questions: What’s Next for Xfinity Silly Season?

Austin Cindric wins 2021 Pocono NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who did Wood Brothers Racing hire? After a hint from Door Bumper Clear earlier in the week, it was made official July 15 that in 2022, Austin Cindric will take over the No. 2 for Team Penske in the NASCAR Cup Series while Harrison Burton will take over the venerable No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing …

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4 Burning Questions: What to Do With Road Courses?

Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What can NASCAR do to fix road course races? The NASCAR Cup Series event at Road America was a pretty solid race. There was one huge issue with it, however. Yep, 22 whole minutes between stages thanks to a caution for Kyle Tilley at the end of the stage. NASCAR could have ran 10 laps …

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4 Burning Questions: Charters & More Charters

Daniel Suarez Nashville Cup 2021 NASCAR race NKP (Tootsies sponsor)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What is the future of NASCAR doubleheaders? The ratings that were pulled from this past weekend’s doubleheader event at Pocono Raceway were not great. With the networks spending eight figures to broadcast each NASCAR Cup Series race, a 0.9 is not a good result whatsoever. They were on at the dead time of Saturday afternoon, …

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4 Burning Questions: Welcome to the Sam Mayer Era

2019 Dover Nkpse Sam Mayer Championship Trophy Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Can anybody stop Sam Mayer? This weekend, Sam Mayer turns 18 and will spend his second day as an adult making his first start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The son of former part-time IndyCar Series driver Scott Mayer, Mayer has found success in everything he has strapped into. In 2018, after a successful preteen …

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4 Burning Questions: Should NASCAR Take Cues From SRX?

2021 SRX Stafford Trophy L-R Greg Biffle, Doug Coby, and Tony Stewart (Credit: Tom Morris Racing Photography)

Photo: Tom Morris Racing Photography

How was the first week of SRX? The first week of the Superstar Racing Experience was a critical success, despite some hiccups. One thing I really liked about the broadcast of the event is that they never seemed full of themselves. While FOX Sports spent the weekend patting itself on the back for its NASCAR …

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4 Burning Questions: Definitely An Xperience

Tony Stewart Return Press Conference Atlanta Motor Speedway 2014 Chris Owens

(Credit: Chris Owens)

Where will Kurt Busch end up? This week, Kurt Busch confirmed to Sirius XM that he has been contact by both 23XI Racing and Trackhouse Racing Team for the NASCAR Cup Series in 2022. 23XI was known about, but Trackhouse being mentioned is very interesting. Team owner Justin Marks said later that day that he …

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4 Burning Questions: Is Kurt Busch Going to 23XI?

Kurt Busch looks on at 2021 Cup Circuit of the Americas. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Is Kurt Busch coming to 23XI Racing? Last weekend, The Athletic reported that 23XI Racing will be expanding in 2022 and that Kurt Busch is believed to be the main candidate for the organization’s second car, with Bubba Wallace staying put in the No. 23 Toyota in the NASCAR Cup Series. While I trust The …

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4 Burning Questions: 1,100 Miles & 600 Laps

Chase Elliott and crew chief Alan Gustafson sit on pit road wall. Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

How will NASCAR handle the Eddie D’Hondt situation? On May 27, news broke that Eddie D’Hondt, longtime spotter for Hendrick Motorsports, had been arrested two weeks ago on misdemeanor charges of assaulting a woman and battery against an unborn child. The incident in question happened on Labor Day 2020. The first affidavit was filed in …

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4 Burning Questions: Finally, the Rock Has Come Back?

2012 Nascar Camping World Truck Series Rockingham

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Are two dead racetracks returning to NASCAR? This week, it was revealed by North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper that a portion of the American Relief Plan allocated to the state, $30 million in total, would be awarded to three racetracks located in the state: Rockingham Speedway, Charlotte Motor Speedway and, surprisingly, North Wilkesboro Speedway. There …

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