Under-the-radar moves can sometimes have the biggest impact. The NASCAR silly season brings lots of changes, and while some moves are flashier than others, sometimes it’s the ones that don’t make all the headlines that result in a team’s success. Most of the moves people pay attention to are when drivers move from one team …
Read more2-Headed Monster: Is Rudy Fugle the Answer for William Byron?
Top Dog John Hunter Nemechek was back on top of the underdogs on Sunday as the rookie driver finished 17th in the Hollywood Casino 400. Nemechek earned his only career Xfinity Series win at Kansas Speedway, so perhaps we should have seen this coming. Not only that, but his first Gander RV & Outdoors Truck …
Read moreThe Underdog House: John Hunter Nemechek Just Plain Speedy in Kansas
Was Kyle Busch’s performance in 2020 the worst season ever by a defending NASCAR Cup Series champion? Luken Glover: It’s definitely in the top 3. The only factors keeping it from No. 1 are that there is no practice since the restart and that he has been running solid when chaos strikes. The two seasons …
Read moreFriday Faceoff: Is Kyle Busch’s 2020 the Worst Ever for a Defending Champ?
Top Dog Road courses at the top level of NASCAR are something of an equalizer. A good driver can elevate the performance of an entire team even without the benefit of top notch equipment or research data. So it’s a logical assumption that at least one or two underdogs will likely run competitively and finish …
Read moreThe Underdog House: Bubba Wallace Leads on the Long, Lonely Road Home
Is it better for the sport if the playoff drivers win the playoff races? Luken Glover: Yes and no. I look at someone like Jimmie Johnson, who would set the racing world on fire if he were to win one of the last NASCAR Cup Series five races. However, playoff drivers winning playoff races have …
Read moreFriday Faceoff: Where Will Ty Dillon Drive in 2021?
Top Dog As usual, a NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway resulted in a “Big One.” No, not just a big crash, though there were plenty of those. I’m referring to a big group of underdog teams scattered throughout the top half of the finishing order. Leading the line both literally and figuratively was …
Read moreThe Underdog House: Ty Dillon Best in Class as Underdogs Run Wild at Talladega
Top Dog There hasn’t been much to get excited about for our Cup Series underdogs lately. We’ve primarily talked about the best in the category barely making the top 20 by the end of each race. Las Vegas Motor Speedway and its surrounding environment may have inspired you to bet the farm on a long …
Read moreThe Underdog House: John Hunter Nemechek Loses Pit Strategy Gamble in Las Vegas
Top Dog Being the top underdog each week can be a funny thing. Take for example Front Row Motorsports’ NASCAR Cup Series driver Michael McDowell. McDowell earned the proverbial best in class award for the second consecutive race at Bristol Motor Speedway last Saturday, Sept. 19, by finishing 10th. However, in the previous race at …
Read moreThe Underdog House: Michael McDowell Does Better, Still Best At Bristol
Top Dog When covering underdog teams, there’s always a distinct possibility that looms over each and every race. That possibility is the potential for every Cinderella at the ball to wind up with a broken glass slipper. Or perhaps more appropriate, the ugly, well-funded stepsisters might steal all of the glass slippers. Such was the …
Read moreThe Underdog House: Virginia Is for Lovers, Not Underdogs
Ryan Blaney was the biggest title contender to have a bad weekend at Darlington. Richmond is one of his worst tracks on the circuit. Has he lost his shot at advancing to the Round of 12? Luken Glover: I wouldn’t rule him out just yet. He has found more speed at some tracks he’s struggled at …
Read moreFriday Faceoff: Is Ryan Blaney Already Too Far Behind?
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