Race Weekend Central

The Frontstretch 5: Thoughts at the White Flag

2017 Kansas Ii Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Helmet Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

1. One more time around It doesn’t seem so terribly long ago that we were a few days out from Daytona, with a whole year of promise ahead. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t terribly far in the past, but suddenly, irreversibly, the days have grown cold as autumn blends into winter with …

Read more

Daily Fantasy NASCAR Forecast Powered by DraftKings: Can-Am 500 Preview

2017 Phoenix I Cup Brad Keselowski Car Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

DraftKings’ daily fantasy NASCAR heads to Phoenix Raceway this weekend for the Can-Am 500. This race marks the final event of the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The green flag flies Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m. ET on NBC. Here are eight drivers to keep an eye on this …

Read more

Beside The Rising Tide: Two Day Only!

2017 Kansas Ii Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr John K Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John K. Harrelson/NKP)

And then, there were two. A few rambling thoughts as NASCAR heads off for Phoenix…. 33% Off This Weekend Only! After trial runs at Pocono, Indianapolis, Watkins Glen, and Martinsville, NASCAR plans to schedule more two-day race weekends starting next season. They prefer that we all refer to those shortened race weekends as “enhanced” but …

Read more

Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: The Closer Returns Edition

9 10 September, 2016, Richmond, Virginia Usa Kevin Harvick And Rodney Childers © 2016, Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

While what happened in the final laps of Sunday’s race at Texas was plenty interesting, the actual race to make the championship four got a bit less interesting heading into the next and final elimination race at Phoenix this coming Sunday. While anything can happen in racing, the chances of high drama in Arizona will …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kevin Harvick Breaks Script and Wins an Intermediate Race in 2017

2017 Texas Ii Cup Kevin Harvick Woohoo Jonathan Ferrey Getty Images For Texas Motor Speedway

(Photo: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Who’s in the headline – For the first time, in what has seemed to be the history of racing, a Ford passed a Toyota on track with pure speed. That is fake news, but it has seemed that way for much of the season. On Sunday, Kevin Harvick chased down Martin Truex Jr and passed him …

Read more

Daily Fantasy NASCAR Forecast Powered by DraftKings: AAA Texas 500 Preview

2017 Texas I Cup Jimmie Johnson Checkered Flag Matthre T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

DraftKings’ daily fantasy NASCAR heads to Texas Motor Speedway this weekend for the AAA Texas 500. This race marks the second event of the Round of 8 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. The green flag flies Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN. Here are eight drivers to keep an eye …

Read more

Who’s Hot & Who’s Not In NASCAR: Elimination and Advancement Edition

2017 Kansas Ii Cup Martin Truex Jr Woohoo John K Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John K. Harrelson/NKP)

Maybe Sunday’s race at Kansas is an example of why NASCAR shifted its schedule to make this an elimination race. The normally snoozish 1.5-miler at least had the added drama of seeing drivers eliminated, or advancing, into the final eight of the playoff rounds. Unfortunately, NASCAR can’t do this at all of its 1.5-milers, but …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After The 2017 Hollywood Casino 400

Martin Truex Jr. Kansas Celebration

(Photo: Barry Cantrell / NKP)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? Chris Buescher hasn’t had a memorable season. The second-year driver followed up a surprise victory at Pocono Raceway and playoff berth last year with a 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season that has seen just three top-10 finishes and a 25th-place position in points entering this weekend. …

Read more

Double Take: As One Plate King Retires, Another Steps Up

Brad Keselowski Restart Talladega

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/ NKP)

For a while there last Sunday (Oct. 15) at Talladega Superspeedway, it looked like Dale Earnhardt Jr. was going to do it. In his final start at his best track, in front of the strongest crowd in years at the 2.66-mile superspeedway in Talladega, Ala., Earnhardt dodged wreck after wreck, barely unscathed but ready for …

Read more

Did You Notice?: When Does a NASCAR DNF Start to Matter?

2017 Talladega Ii Cwts Cody Coughlin Chris Fontaine Crash Rusty Jarrett Nkp

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/NKP)

Did You Notice? … The way NASCAR’s damaged vehicle policy has affected drivers running at the end of races? Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway set an all-time high for DNFs in the sport’s playoff era (2004-present) as 26 drivers failed to finish. Only a dozen cars wound up on the lead lap. The rate of carnage also …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: NBC Perseveres Through Talladega Wreckfest

2017 Talladega Ii Cup Brad Keselowski Sunset Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Ah yes, Talladega.  A nail-biting weekend if there was ever one.  The Spring race weekend once held the nickname of “White Knuckle Weekend.”  Every race there gives you that feeling, in person or on NBC. Last weekend was huge for Talladega.  With Dale Earnhardt Jr. having his final run on the high banks, Alabama went …

Read more

5 Points To Ponder: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Falls Just Short At Talladega

2017 Bristol Ii Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Nigel Kinrad Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

ONE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Falls Just Short In the end, on a day dedicated in his honor and the 17th anniversary of his late father’s last win, it was not to be for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who finished seventh at the end of an insane race at Talladega. “I would have loved to have won …

Read more