Race Weekend Central

Happy Hour: Travis Kvapil’s Situation is Sad – But It’s Reality

It’s a bummer to watch Travis Kvapil be out of a ride because of the harsh realities of motorsports. As I write this, and as Tom Bowles explained so lucidly on Monday, a freak combination of owner points transfers and bad luck has resulted in Yates suspending operations of its famed No. 28 shop indefinitely. …

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Mirror Driving: Final Thoughts on the New Bristol & Digesting the New Top 35

It’s clear 18 months after repaving this isn’t the same old Bristol. That’s led to mixed reviews from fans – but is the new Bristol a classic or a total flop?

Happy Hour: Solving NASCAR’s Racetrack Problem, Part 2 – Happy Hour Motor Speedway I, A New Short Track

In last week’s Happy Hour, I discussed baseball’s ballpark boom and how the place responsible for it all, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, changed the formula for modern ballparks – from antiseptic concrete bowls to eye-catching and distinctive structures with natural grass. I suggested that NASCAR could learn from this, with most of the NASCAR …

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Mirror Driving: Grading NASCAR in 2009, Why Kvapil’s Cryin’ & Pushing for a Pension Fund

Four races in, how would you grade the 2009 NASCAR Cup season to date? And what, if anything, can be done to make things better?

Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2009 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta

Four weeks into the season, the top of the Sprint Cup standings are still a long way from getting sorted out. But after everyone got a chance to take a deep breath this past weekend after Atlanta, it’s easy to notice a few trends starting to take shape. Once again, the multi-car giants of Roush, …

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Top 10 Other Victory Celebrations Kurt Busch’s Miller Lite Drinking Buddies Suggested

Following Kurt Busch’s dominating Atlanta win, he celebrated by driving his car in reverse around the track in a new kind of victory lap. Later, he said that the idea came from a Miller Lite drinking session with his buddies. So, I thought we’d speculate on some of the other ideas that might have emerged …

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Mirror Driving: Substitute NASCAR Drivers, Runaway Tires & are the Busches the Best Siblings Ever?

Welcome to Mirror Driving. Every week, your favorite columnists sit down and give their opinion about the latest NASCAR news and rumors. Love us or hate us, make a comment below and tell us how you feel about what we’ve said! This Week’s Participants: Vito Pugliese (Wednesdays/Voice of Vito) Beth Lunkenheimer (Tuesdays/Running Your Mouth & Various/Frontstretch Truck …

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Happy Hour: 8 Years Ago in Atlanta

I wasn’t praying for magic I was hiding in plain sight Rising up to the surface To fly into the light Rush — “Sweet Miracle” “I just hope Dale’s OK.” Three weeks earlier, Darrell Waltrip’s words in FOX’s first broadcast of the Daytona 500 had become unintentionally immortalized, spoken in concern after the Goodwrench No. …

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Mirror Driving: NASCAR’s Red-Flag Fiasco, Gordon’s Great Start & Which Small Teams Can Survive?

Welcome to Mirror Driving. Every week, your favorite columnists sit down and give their opinion about the latest NASCAR news and rumors. Love us or hate us, make a comment below and tell us how you feel about what we’ve said! This Week’s Participants: Tony Lumbis (Mondays/Rookie Report) Vito Pugliese (Wednesdays/Voice of Vito) Beth Lunkenheimer (Tuesdays/Running Your Mouth …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2009 Shelby 427 at Las Vegas

The Jewel in the Desert offered up some fast and furious competition on Sunday, with the Shelby 427 perhaps taking its place as the most competitive racing yet out in Las Vegas. In the end, the 1.5-mile oval took a rather unexpected toll on some motors, a more expected one on some nerves, and turned …

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Side by Side: Who’s a Chase Pretender – Bobby Labonte or Michael Waltrip?

Editor’s Note: The following is a special edition of Frontstretch‘s Side by Side. Occasionally throughout the season, two of your favorite Frontstretch writers will duke it out in a debate concerning one of NASCAR’s biggest stories. Don’t let us be the only ones to speak our minds, though… be sure to read both sides and …

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