Race Weekend Central

The Frontstretch 5: First-Time Winners In One Season

2011 Watkins Glen Cup Marcos Ambrose Woohoo Tyler Barrick Autostock Usa Via Nkp

(Photo: Tyler Barrick Autostock USA via NKP)

Trevor Bayne, Daytona 500, Wood Brothers Racing Blaney is the second driver in the last six years to get his first win driving one of the most iconic cars in the history of the sport. The other was Trevor Bayne, who had just turned 20 years old when he capitalized on a late-race mistake by …

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The Frontstretch 5: Next Drivers to Find Victory Lane

2017 Texas I Cup Chase Elliott Logan Whitton Nkp

(Photo: Logan Whitton/NKP)

Chase Elliott It’s actually a bit surprising that Elliott hasn’t gotten a win yet.  He’s come close quite a few times, leading multiple laps at Phoenix and Martinsville as well as in the Daytona 500. May was difficult for the 21-year-old second-generation driver, with a best finish of 24th, but June kicked off with a …

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The Frontstretch 5: Frightening NASCAR Crashes Where the Driver Walked Away

Whether or not you watched the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500, you probably still managed to see the video of Scott Dixon’s horrific wreck. It was one of the most violent wrecks in years, yet the spectacular part is that Dixon walked away unscathed. In fact, he acted like it was just a mundane part …

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The Frontstretch 5: Thoughts on the NASCAR Schedule

2016 Indianapolis Cup Greg Biffle Carl Edwards Racing Logan Whitton Nkp

(Photo: Logan Whitton / NKP)

A playoff shakeup was needed While it may not be enough, a shakeup at the end of the season was needed. The addition of a road course and a short track are absolutely sound moves. Las Vegas?  Meh. It replaces Chicagoland, so it’s pretty much an even trade. Charlotte might not have been the best …

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The Frontstretch 5: Thoughts Leaving Kansas Speedway

2017 Kansas I Cup Ryan Blaney Kyle Busch Kyle Larson Racing Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

1. Kudos to the AMR medical team that extricated Almirola. First and foremost, I want to send well wishes to Aric Almirola for a speedy recovery. A T5 compression fracture is no joke, and he’ll need some time to get better, even if it’s revealed through follow-up doctor visits there is no further damage to …

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The Frontstretch Five: 2017 NASCAR Season Musings 10 Races In

2017 Fontana Nxs Pack Racing Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

I have just one question this week: how the heck is the 2017 NASCAR season almost a third over already?  2017 is flying by… maybe a little too fast! Complain though I might, I never want race season to end. 10 races in, there’s a lot to think about.  Some of it’s serious, a lot …

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The Frontstretch 5: Talladega Videos You’ve Gotta Watch

2016 Nascar Sprint Cup Series, Talladega

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

When newer fans hear people lament about the old days when there weren’t restrictor plates at Talladega and Daytona, this is what we’re talking about – the 1984 Talladega 500. Dale Earnhardt and Buddy Baker battling for a win, notchback Monte Carlo SS and Ford Thunderbirds, and Ken Squier calling the action with one of …

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The Frontstretch 5: Reasons to Thank Dale Earnhardt Jr. for a Career Well Spent

2017 Atlanta Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

1. He goes out on his own terms You’d expect nothing less, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the person who ultimately made the call about when to step aside.  He could have done it six months ago, and some will argue that maybe he should have, but that wouldn’t really have been his decision. It …

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Frontstretch 5: NASCAR Moments to Make You Laugh Out Loud

In honor of this off week, Amy Henderson led our staff in collecting five classic NASCAR moments that left us laughing. It’s driver personalities on display with the type of fun that keeps fans coming back to watch every week. 1. Let’s start this off with some butt cheeks. Here, Tony Stewart walks up behind Kevin Harvick during …

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The Frontstretch 5: Things to Like About NASCAR 2017

2017 Texas I Cup Kyle Larson Racing Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T Thacker / NKP)

2017 is already seven races old, and so far we’ve been treated to six different winners and some new faces. And the drivers at the top aren’t the only thing that sets 2017 apart from the last few seasons. And there’s a lot to like. There are some concepts fans aren’t sold on and we’ll …

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Frontstretch 5: Thoughts on NASCAR’s Attendance Dip

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

There’s no need to panic It’s easy to look at the empty seats at racetracks and wonder if the sky is falling. Sure, the empty seats are a concern, particularly for racetracks whose revenue is based directly on attendance, unlike NASCAR’s, which comes from a variety of sources including television and sponsor deals. NASCAR doesn’t …

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