Race Weekend Central

Six NASCAR Sprint Cup Teams Test at Homestead-Miami Speedway

2014 Martinsville Ii Cup Matt Kenseth Scared Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2014)

Homestead-Miami Speedway announced that six NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams comprising of more than 15 of the top drivers tested on Tuesday Oct. 28th and Wednesday in anticipation for the Ford EcoBoost 400, where the championship will be determined among four drivers. Seven of the eight drivers in the Eliminator Round of the Chase (all …

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Martinsville

2014 Martinsville Ii Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Wins Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s win at Martinsville last weekend marked the first non-Chase contender to win a race in the Chase this season. After being eliminated from championship contention last weekend at Talladega, Earnhardt Jr. held off a hard-charging Jeff Gordon to claim his fourth win of the season, first at Martinsville and 22nd overall for …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: Martinsville – Texas Edition

2014 Chicago Cup David Ragan Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

The Eliminator Round is underway and already multiple drivers are in trouble. The tight confines of Martinsville Speedway proved challenging for some as new rivalries were ignited and older ones brought back to life. Yet, some championship hopefuls escaped with little more than a scratch and one driver – unfulfilled by last week’s restrictor plate …

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Did You Notice? … Tough Sledding, Payback Time And Penalty Free

2014 Atlanta Nns Fans Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Did You Notice?… How ratings keep declining in this Chase? Talladega, the Russian Roulette 500-miler of the playoffs should have been a “can’t miss” race for those interested in the sport’s new format. There’s no event more unpredictable for an “elimination” event, whereby the checkered flag Sprint Cup’s postseason field was trimmed from twelve to …

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Talladega

2014 Talladega Ii Cup Brad Keselowski Flag Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

Credit: NASCAR via Getty Images

As predicted, it took until the checkered flag before we knew who would be moving on to the eight-driver Eliminator Round. Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Matt Kenseth all knew what they had to do to continue their bid for a championship: win. Johnson led the most laps, Earnhardt, Jr. led the …

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Five Points to Ponder: Honoring Both Texas Terry And Underdog Efforts

2014 Talladega Ii Cup Kyle Larson Joey Logano Landon Cassill Racing Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

One: Bracket Busters Hands up for anyone who still has a completely accurate 2014 Chase bracket. Silence? Crickets? Tumbleweed? Yep, thought so. Don’t even vaguely try to convince me that you had a final eight that didn’t include six-time champion Jimmie Johnson or the sport’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., not to mention either Kasey …

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Charlotte

2014 Charlotte Ii Cup Kevin Harvick Burnout Credit Yvonne Leonard

Credit: Yvonne Leonard

Kevin Harvick exorcised his demons Saturday night, winning his third race of the season, but more importantly locking himself into the eight-driver Eliminator Round. Harvick won the pole and led the most laps, as usual.  This time, however, he was able to survive a late-race caution which set up a two-lap shootout to win the …

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Fantasy Insider: Rolling The Dice At The Chase Halfway Point

It was back in mid-May when Jimmie Johnson had yet to win a race this season and there were whispers about what was wrong with the No. 48 team. Maybe the relationship between Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus wasn’t what it used to be? Maybe the No. 48 team had lost its edge after …

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Truckin’ Thursdays: Carl Edwards Gives Back

2014 Michigan Ii Cup Carl Edwards Car Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Author’s Note: While the Truck Series sits idle for its final off weekend of the year, much of the series has been quiet this week, save for an announcement that Gray Gaulding’s Martinsville truck will be pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. So instead of covering the Truck Series this week, I’m taking the opportunity …

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NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Kansas

2014 Kansas Ii Cup Joey Logano Confetti Cia

Credit - CIA Stock Photography

Team Penske continued their dominating performance during the Chase as Joey Logano captured his fifth win of the season, second in the Chase and locked himself into the eight driver Eliminator Round. The Penske duo of Logano and Brad Keselowski have combined to win three of the first four Chase races. Many thought Talladega would …

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Who’s Hot / Who’s Not In NASCAR: Kansas – Charlotte Edition

2014 Dover Ii Cup Kyle Busch Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

The Hollywood Casino 400 had all the twists and turns of a great Hollywood script and left many of the Sprint Cup Series’ best with unfavorable odds of advancement moving forward. A Contender Round opener at Kansas Speedway did a number on the Who’s Hot and Who’s Not landscape and things are just getting started. …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Breaking Down NASCAR’s Kansas Chase Race

2014 Kansas Ii Cup Joey Logano Confetti Cia

Credit - CIA Stock Photography

Key Moment – With 53 laps to go in the race Kevin Harvick thought he had a right front tire going bad. After the team swapped out all four skins on his ride it was determined that all four tires were good. The end result was Harvick slipping back into the upper 20s and having …

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