Race Weekend Central

NASCAR Mailbox: What Makes Clint Bowyer’s Martinsville Win A Big Deal?

Clint Bowyer Martinsville Cup Mike Neff 2018

(Photo: Mike Neff)

It had been quite some time since we last saw Clint Bowyer in Victory Lane. But finally, after clicking his fireproof shoes together three times and saying, “there’s no place like home,” he indeed found his way “home” to the Winner’s Circle. Bowyer’s popular victory put an end to his 190-race winless streak. It means the …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2018 STP 500

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Daytona 500 Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, Fl Usa Sunday 11 February 2018 Clint Bowyer, Stewart Haas Racing, Rush Truck Centers/mobil 1 Ford World Copyright: Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Who…gets my shoutout of the race? Most of Monday’s top 10 finishers raced in that pack for most of the day.  Seven scored points in both of the first two stages.  And then there was Alex Bowman. Bowman, who started 16th, lurked in the top 15 for much of the day, and it generally looked …

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Alex Bowman Toughs Out Top 10 in Martinsville

2018 Cup Martinsville Zach Catanzareti Alex Bowman

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Alex Bowman returned to the top 10 in Monday’s STP 500 from Martinsville Speedway. And following a rather slow start to his first campaign with Hendrick Motorsports, the result felt even better. Bowman entered the Virginia short track with five straight top-20 finishes. Though consistent, a ride in Hendrick equipment breeds a certain amount of …

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Up to Speed: No Urgency Necessary for Alex Bowman & William Byron

2018 Las Vegas I Cup William Byron Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Remember last year’s Brickyard 400? The ending of the race was a hot mess. A multi-car crash brought out the yellow flag with 10 laps left in the scheduled distance, ending a long green flag run.  From then on, it seemed that even NASCAR’s best could not go more than one lap without triggering another …

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Axalta Extends Relationship With Hendrick Motorsports Through 2022

2018 Atlanta Zach Catanzareti Cup Alex Bowman

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Axalta has reached an agreement to remain a primary sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports cars through 2022. The leading global supplier of liquid and powder coating has been a sponsor of the organization with both the Axalta brand and the Dupont brand. Axalta will be featured as a primary sponsorship through 2022 on Chevrolet ZL1’s fielded …

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Did You Notice?: NASCAR’s Blowout Problem

2018 Cup Auto Club Martin Truex Jr., Furniture Row Racing, Toyota Camry Bass Pro Shops/5 Hour Energy Celebrates His Win With A Burnout

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Did You Notice? … NASCAR winners aren’t just squeaking into Victory Lane — they’re rolling over their competition. Three of five races in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season have been won by 2.5 seconds or more. Martin Truex Jr. coasted to the win at Auto Club Speedway by nearly 12 seconds Sunday; only 10 …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Martin Truex Jr. Clubs the Competition at Auto Club

2018 Cup Auto Club Martin Truex Jr., Furniture Row Racing, Toyota Camry Bass Pro Shops/5 Hour Energy

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who’s in the headline For the first time in 14 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races, Martin Truex Jr. won a stage other than the final one. He started on the pole at Auto Club Speedway, won both stages and the race for a clean sweep of the weekend. Truex won by more than 11 …

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Friday Faceoff: Is Harvick This Year’s MTJ?

2018 Las Vegas I Cup Kevin Harvick Car Rusty Jarrett Nkp

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett / NKP)

Kevin Harvick continued his dominance by spanking the field this past weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for his second consecutive victory. And this weekend, the circuit heads to ISM Raceway, Harvick’s most successful track. Is it too early to say that Harvick is this year’s MTJ? Davey Segal: Folks, let’s look at the big …

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4 Burning Questions: What’s in Store this Weekend in the Desert?

2018 Las Vegas I Cup Kyle Larson Car John K Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John Harrelson / NKP)

What will the homecoming of Alex Bowman look like? If there was just one race anybody could point to as to why Alex Bowman got the nod to permanently replace Dale Earnhardt Jr., it would undoubtedly end up being the 2016 fall race at Phoenix. Bowman, at the time substituting for Earnhardt, drove the race …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: 2018 Ticket Guardian 500

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Pennzoil 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nv Usa Friday 2 March 2018 Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry Fedex Office World Copyright: Rusty Jarrett Nkp

Denny Hamlin should be looking forward to Phoenix (Photo: Rusty Jarrett/NKP)

NASCAR heads to ISM Raceway this weekend in Phoenix for the Ticket Guardian 500. The one-mile race track is technically a short track but races more like an intermediate circuit with its unique, dog-leg shape. With 312 scheduled laps, expect DraftKings strategy to play out like an intermediate as well. The factors that go into …

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5 Points To Ponder: Fords In Focus, Danica Who?, And Kevin Harvick, Then And Now

2018 Daytona Xfinity Zach Catanzareti Aric Almirola

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

ONE: Fords To The Front, Take Two Camaro who? Camry what? Ford may have the oldest car in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series but they’re certainly learning new tricks to beat their manufacturer competition straight into submission. Kevin Harvick’s dominating Atlanta performance came with fellow Ford driver Brad Keselowski in tow. Combined, the duo …

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Up to Speed: Wild & Young Racers Steal the Show at Daytona

2018 Daytona Cup Zach Catanzareti Erik Jones

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

If the Daytona 500 is any indication, the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup season could be one of the wildest in years. Granted, making any predictions about an entire season based only on the first race is a dangerous game.  The Daytona 500 is unlike any other race on the NASCAR schedule, and restrictor plate …

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