In 2009, Kyle Busch became the first driver since Cale Yarborough in 1977 to win a Cup race on his birthday. However, after winning this weekend at Kansas Speedway, Busch is the only driver in series history who is undefeated on his special day. Since Busch joined the Cup tour in 2005, a race has …
Thanks to a social media fan vote, Anheuser Busch dubbed this weekend’s Cup race the “Buschy McBusch Race 400”. Is such naming genius or silly? Do you even consider it relevant either way? Luken Glover: I think it was a great way to get the fans involved, and I think many expected a crazy name …
Talladega Superspeedway has always been a unique challenge, dating back to the first ever visit that NASCAR made to the 2.66-mile behemoth. The reasons that make it so have changed over the 52 years it’s been part of the sport’s racing schedule, but the hurdles between each competitor and victory still loom just as large. …
The approval process for drivers to race in the NASCAR Cup Series has come into question with NASCAR denying Jennifer Jo Cobb for Talladega Superspeedway. Are her credentials sufficient enough, or was it the right call? Luken Glover: Putting Jennifer Jo Cobb in a car for her debut at Talladega was a questionable decision, so …
Alex Bowman may not be the next seven-time champion, but Sunday (April 18) he was able to post a NASCAR stat that Jimmie Johnson couldn’t during his final three years in the NASCAR Cup Series: put the No. 48 in the winner’s circle. It also marked the first win for Bowman since Auto Club Speedway …
If the stats tell the story, then it seems that Martin Truex Jr. has suddenly turned into short-track ace. In his first 80 Cup races on tracks under a mile in length, Truex won exactly zero. None. Then, after finally breaking through at Richmond in 2019, he’s taken home the trophy in five of his …
Every driver has a unique situation and skill level that makes comparing racers from different eras wildly speculative and a little unfair. But for me, the career trajectory of this week’s winner Ryan Blaney is beginning to mirror that of Ricky Rudd. Think about it: Solid equipment but not universally viewed as elite. He doesn’t …
Fans who have been around for more than a decade can likely recall a time when Martin Truex Jr. victories came about as often as February 29 does. Now it’s nearly as surprising when he goes almost a year without a win. Fortunately for his Joe Gibbs Racing team, that clock was reset on Sunday …
Who doesn’t love a good redemption story? Just under a year ago, Kyle Larson became the poster boy for thoughtless expression, firing off without taking into account what his words might mean to someone else. But we all do stupid things. It’s how you use the experience to better yourself that defines you. While the …
Any interesting story isn’t complete without a good surprise or two. The NASCAR Cup Series has been racing in Florida for better than three weeks, and I don’t think it’s possible for the three trophies to be going back to North Carolina with a more unexpected trio of drivers. But the statistics would support the …
Here’s an interesting tidbit: For the first time since 1950, the first two races of the Cup Series schedule have been won by first-time visitors to victory lane. It’s almost happened a couple times before. In 2001, Michael Waltrip picked up his first win at Daytona International Speedway, but Rockingham Speedway winner Steve Park had …
Should the Daytona 500 and this weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race on the road course have been held with fewer days in between? Luken Glover: I can understand the reasoning behind it, but no. In a world where television ratings are crucial, a midweek race would not be the way to go. We saw a …
