Race Weekend Central

Picks ‘N’ Pans: Michigan Summer 2008 – Will Smoke Finally Win or Is It Edwards’s for the Taking?

The Irish Hills of Michigan host the 23rd race of the season and the opportunity is there for drivers to start officially stamping their passport into the 2008 championship fight. With just three races remaining before the Chase field is set, a driver can be locked into the playoffs as long as they finish this …

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Fantasy Picks ‘N’ Pans: How to Pick Your Team to Perform at Pocono

Pocono Raceway is the most uniquely shaped track on the Sprint Cup schedule, giving teams quite the challenge when it comes to getting their car to race well. Boasting the longest straightaway in Sprint Cup and a triangular shape with three distinct turns, the Pennsylvania facility is truly a 500-mile test of man and machine. …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 Brickyard 400

And the winner of the first annual Indianapolis Heat Race is… Jimmie Johnson! OK, so maybe it was the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, but the way in which the race was controlled by NASCAR – with competition cautions held every 10 laps – they might as well have renamed it the Allstate 25. With …

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Holding a Pretty Wheel: Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Patrick Carpentier, Marketability Matters

Last week I started my very own hypothetical race team and picked my short list of the most talented drivers racing in Sprint Cup today. Any of the five would make a strong start for a new team for sure, and talent like that should attract sponsorship to the team as well. But I said …

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Fantasy Picks ‘N’ Pans: Prepping Your Team for Brickyard Glory

Hopefully, you enjoyed your off weekend and your fantasy team got well rested – because man, will they wind up needing that break. This weekend’s Brickyard 400 kicks off a grueling 17-race stretch to championship weekend at Homestead, and it’s time to get everything geared up and ready to go for the fantasy home stretch. …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2008 Pre-Brickyard 400 Edition

As teams approach one of the most prestigious races in the Sprint Cup Series and fans and drivers are refreshed following a rare off weekend, it’s a perfect opportunity to recognize some of the streakiest drivers heading into this year’s Brickyard 400. Of course, one man has been in a league of his own all …

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10 Points to Ponder… After NASCAR’s Summer 2008 Off Week

1. Belt Tightening – It is a safe bet that not all the economic dominoes have fallen for the NASCAR community quite yet, as financially slumping General Motors attempts to identify cost-cutting measures while seeking to generate $15 billion in savings through 2009. This past week, the automaker has informed both Bristol Motor Speedway and …

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Beyond the Cockpit: Brian Vickers Talks Turnaround, Teamwork &… Skydiving?

Brian Vickers has been making some noise in the Sprint Cup Series this year, currently sitting 14th in points, less than 100 markers out of the top 12. It’s a big turnaround for the five-year Cup veteran, who one year ago was 39th in points, having missed nine of 19 races in just his first …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland

The Chicagoland race was held at night for the first time in its eight-year history, but the cool temperatures didn’t stop the heated action on the racetrack during the final few laps of the event. Kyle Busch‘s stunning pass of Jimmie Johnson was one for the ages, and his seventh win of the season was …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona

Daytona International Speedway once again played havoc with drivers over the Fourth of July weekend. As the action heated up late in the race, some couldn’t find help getting to the front, some couldn’t get out of their own way, and some simply couldn’t stomach 400 miles around the 2.5-mile superspeedway. Greg Biffle was one …

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