Race Weekend Central

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: 2009 NASCAR Season Preview

After one of the most economically brutal NASCAR offseasons in recent history, it’s finally time to start focusing on performances on the stopwatch instead of on the balance sheet. This also spells good news for Professor Lumbis as I get to preview and critique this season’s rookies once again. The 2008 season was not kind …

Read more

Holding a Pretty Wheel: My Winter of NASCAR Discontent – With a Little Amusement Tossed In

With Daytona around the corner, the racing world is picking up speed, and with that comes a whole slew of questions – but not too many answers. So after a long and eventful offseason, it’s time to dust off the things that made it notable for me. First up, I have an issue with the …

Read more

2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Rookie Report Cards: Economic Woes & Poor Performances Leave Their Mark

Looking back on the 2008 NASCAR season, many fans will notice a lot of similarities between this year and 2007. The most obvious comparison, for example, involves the complete dominance by three-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson during both Chases. But the 2007 season also saw the emergence of a new trend in NASCAR, involving the …

Read more

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Scott Speed’s Debut Overshadowed by Aric Almirola’s Short-Track Success

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: (Due to rain, qualifying was canceled the field was set by owner points): Aric Almirola (15th), Regan Smith (30th), Scott Speed (35th), Sam Hornish Jr. (36th), Chad McCumbee (41st) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Almirola (20th), McCumbee (25th), Speed (30th), Hornish (34th), Smith (42nd) Rookie of the Race: Almirola. The rain on Friday …

Read more

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Regan Smith Wins! Then NASCAR Taketh Away

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Aric Almirola (third), Regan Smith (fourth), Jon Wood (27th) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Almirola (13th), Smith (18th), Wood (33rd) Rookie of the Race: Almirola. On Friday afternoon, rookie Almirola led a DEI assault on the top 10 in qualifying when he placed his U.S. Army car on the inside of row two. …

Read more

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Joey Logano Makes His Debut, But Aric Almirola Steals the Show

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: (Qualifying lineup set by points due to inclement weather) – Aric Almirola (15th), Regan Smith (29th), Michael McDowell (35th), Sam Hornish Jr. (36th), Patrick Carpentier (39th), Joey Logano (40th), Chad McCumbee (41st) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Almirola (18th), Smith (23rd), McDowell (27th), Hornish (30th), Carpentier (31st), Logano (32nd), McCumbee (42nd) Rookie of the …

Read more

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Aric Almirola Amazes Again at Bristol!

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Regan Smith (fourth), Aric Almirola (23rd), Sam Hornish Jr. (35th) Unofficial Finishing Positions: Almirola (13th), Smith (14th), Hornish (37th) Rookie of the Race: Almirola. For the second time this season, Almirola was behind the wheel of the No. 8 DEI Chevy at the Bristol Motor Speedway. The rookie came into this …

Read more

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Pocono Shocker – Chad McCumbee Bests Freshmen Field in Pennsylvania

Rookies in the Starting Lineup: Sam Hornish Jr. (26th), Chad McCumbee (34th), Michael McDowell (35th), Regan Smith (36th) Unofficial Finishing Positions: McCumbee (17th), McDowell (24th), Smith (25th), Hornish (26th) Rookie of the Race: McCumbee. The 23-year-old Craftsman Truck series veteran managed to qualify for his first Sprint Cup race in 2008 this past weekend, after failing …

Read more

Sprint Cup Rookie Report: 2008 Mid-Term Grades – Reviewing NASCAR’s Rocky Rookie Road

The season is just past the halfway point, which means it’s time for Professor Lumbis to issue his midterm report cards for the 2008 rookie class. Get out your Tums, though – as after team closures, numerous wrecks, and poor finishes, this report is sure to give some readers agita after reading about the dreadful …

Read more

Mirror Driving: The Busch-Montoya Scuffle, a Silly Season Shuffle & Saving the Truck Series With… the IRL?

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 (Tuesdays/Voice of Vito) Mike Neff (Wednesdays/Power Rankings & …

Read more