Race Weekend Central

Daniel Suarez Talks Breaking Through in NASCAR, Championship Hopes

2016 Atlanta Cwts Daniel Suarez Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

Competing for wins and a championship is difficult in any series. Trying to do the same when you’re teammates with the greatest driver in series history and one of the few drivers that proved they can beat him? That sounds borderline impossible. Yet such is the situation Daniel Suarez finds himself in during the 2016 …

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Hidden Talent: Chase Format Highlights XFINITY Series Woes

2016 Michigan International Speedway Nxs Alex Bowman Erik Jones Field Photo Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

For the 14th time in 2016, the NASCAR XFINITY Series paddock roared to life for a race on Sunday at Iowa Speedway. For the 10th time, that race ended without a series regular in Victory Lane. Sure, Iowa was a little different tale than the usual – Sam Hornish, Jr. earned a redemptive victory in …

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XFINITY Breakdown: Sam Hornish, Jr. Wins One for the Family at Iowa

2016 Xfinity Iowa

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

In less than one week, Sam Hornish, Jr. went from standing on NASCAR’s sidelines to celebrating in Victory Lane. Making his first start of 2016, he jumped into Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 18 car as a replacement for rookie Matt Tifft, who sat out this weekend’s race at Iowa Speedway with a back injury. Hornish qualified …

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Sam Hornish, Jr. Takes Iowa Victory in 2016 Debut

2016 Iowa Speedway Nxs Sam Hornish Jr. Burnout Photo Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Without a NASCAR start since Nov. 2015, Sam Hornish, Jr. received a call to take the seat of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for Sunday’s XFINITY Series race at Iowa Speedway, filling in for an injured Matt Tifft. On Sunday, Hornish gave the calls, leading 183 of 250 laps en route to winning the American Ethanol E15 …

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Happiness Is…The Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon Feud

2016 Pocono I Cup Brad Keselowski Pit Stop Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

This column has pointed out some of the silliness surrounding how drivers can make the Chase in the first weekend of racing and then be able to cruise or test for a good portion of the season. That’s not to say that drivers don’t want to win on a weekly basis, but holding the big …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not: Post-Michigan Edition

2016 Michigan I Cup Joey Logano Confetti John Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John Harrelson / NKP)

The racing weekend at Michigan and Texas gave fans plenty of variety. Youth showed us their talents, restarts were crazy, at least two of the finishes were well worth waiting for and then there was a special groundhog appearance. Just your normal racing weekend. HOT Sooner or later Joey Logano was going to win a …

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XFINITY Breakdown: Suarez Secures First Victory at Michigan

2016 Michigan International Speedway Nxs Alex Bowman Erik Jones Field Photo Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Daniel Suarez had been knocking on the door of the XFINITY Series victory lane for nearly a year. On Saturday at Michigan International Speedway, Suarez broke down the door and finally scored his first win by running down and passing teammate Kyle Busch in the closing laps of the Menards 250 presented by Valvoline. Suarez …

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Highs and Lows Clash for Joe Gibbs Racing in Michigan

2016 Phoenix I Nxs Erik Jones Daniel Suarez Kyle Busch Racing Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

‘It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” reads the opening to Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities. For Joe Gibbs Racing‘s NASCAR XFINITY Series program, no statement could be truer after a hot Saturday in the Irish Hills. On one side, second-year NXS driver Daniel Suarez overcame an early speeding …

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Suarez Passes Busch for First XFINITY Series Victory in Michigan

2016 Michigan | Nxs Daniel Suarez Rey Del Rio Getty Images

(Photo: Rey Del Rio/Getty Images )

After multiple close calls, Daniel Suarez finally earned his first career NASCAR XFINITY Series victory at Michigan International Raceway in his 48th start. And here’s the kicker – Suarez passed the best in the business to do it. Suarez overcame an early speeding penalty and made his way around Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch …

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XFINITY Series Drivers Preparing To Tackle The Tricky Triangle

2015 Camping World Truck Pocono

(Photo: Matthew Thacker / NKP)

Rain might be in the forecast throughout the weekend at Pocono Raceway but nothing can ruin the vibe that the 2.5-mile racetrack has created for NASCAR’s XFINITY Series. This weekend marks the inaugural contest for the sport’s second-tier division at Pocono Raceway, a track that has been open to the sport’s premier series since 1974. In doing …

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Joe Gibbs Racing Sweeps XFINITY Series Practice Sessions at Pocono

2016 Atlanta Nxs Kyle Busch Car Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty NKP)

For the first time in XFINITY Series history, race cars logged laps on Pocono Raceway. Joe Gibbs Racing led the way, topping the charts in both practice sessions on Thursday. Practice One:  Defending Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch led the opening practice at 170.171 mph, over a tenth of a second faster than his closest competition, …

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XFINITY Series Regulars Sweep Practice Sessions at Charlotte

2016 Fontana Nxs Ty Dillon Austin Dillon Brett Moist Nkp

(Photo: Brett Moist/NKP)

An XFINITY Series regular paced each practice session Thursday in preparation for Saturday’s Hisense 4K TV 300. It was a welcome boost for a division that has dealt with its share of Cup interlopers this season. In practice one, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas took center stage. Erik Jones, a two-time winner this season and the …

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