Race Weekend Central

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Goodyear 400 at Darlington

Martin Truex Jr. celebrates in victory lane with trophy after Goodyear 400 throwback Darlington weekend 2021 spring Cup Chris Graythen/Getty

(Photo: Chris Graythen/Getty Images via NASCAR Media)

What happened? Martin Truex Jr. won the Goodyear 400 at Darlington on Sunday (May 9) after leading 248 of 293 laps for his third win of the 2021 season. Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, William Byron and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five finishers at NASCAR’s Throwback Weekend. One of the best burner-outers in the game …

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NASCAR 101: The 5 Best — & 5 Worst — Throwback Paint Schemes

2020 Darlington III fall Reed Sorensen throwback car NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It’s throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway. The concept seems to be starting to wear out just a bit. In fact, the vast majority of Cup throwbacks this year are either bad or just average. All of the truly great NASCAR schemes have been done to death, and very few sponsors want to actually throwback to …

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2-Headed Monster: Should NASCAR Mandate Drivers Get COVID-19 Vaccines?

Bubba Wallace Denny Hamlin COVID Vaccine

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Ah, yes. The COVID-19 vaccine is available and NASCAR has found itself at the forefront of the discussion. This week, NASCAR President Steve Phelps stated that requiring drivers to get a vaccine would be a “slippery slope.” Those words raised a lot of eyebrows around social media and the NASCAR world. He also said that …

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Dropping the Hammer: NASCAR Says ‘No’ to Being Part of Voting Rights Debate

Daniel McFadin Dropping the Hammer

Graphic by James Crow

On June 7, 2020 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, NASCAR President Steve Phelps made one of the most important public statements ever made by a NASCAR official, especially for one not named France. With a field of cars sitting in front of empty grandstands due to an international pandemic and some 13 days after George Floyd …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 GEICO 500 at Talladega

#2: Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Mustang MoneyLion, #37: Ryan Preece, JTG Daugherty Racing, Chevrolet Camaro Kroger/Reese’s, #4: Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Busch Dog Brew, #10: Aric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Smithfield, #23: Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing, Toyota Camry DoorDash

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What happened? Brad Keselowski won the GEICO 500 at Talladega on Sunday (April 25) after leading just one lap all day. William Byron, Michael McDowell, Kevin Harvick and Matt DiBenedetto rounded out the top-five finishers. No stopping @keselowski today! The No. 2 car is going back to Victory Lane at @TALLADEGA! pic.twitter.com/LlyRDphhNZ — NASCAR (@NASCAR) …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 GEICO 500

A pack of NASCAR race cars running the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, April 2021. Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who … should you be talking about after the race? Brad Keselowski led exactly one of 191 laps on Sunday (April 25), but it was the only one that mattered. Keselowski passed Matt DiBenedetto as the white flag flew, leading the field to the checkers for his sixth Talladega Superspeedway victory, tying Jeff Gordon and …

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Toyotas Come Up Empty At Talladega

Denny Hamlin leads a pack of cars at Talladega Superspeedway, April 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In recent years, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin have repeatedly factored into who’d emerge with a race victory on super speedways at Daytona and Talladega. But on a day mostly dominated by Fords on Sunday at the mammoth Alabama speedway, Toyotas didn’t end up factoring in a victory as a Ford-laden field duked it …

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Brad Keselowski Wins Talladega Amid Flips, Spins & Mayhem

Brad Keselowski celebrates with a burnout and USA flag after winning at Talladega spring Cup 2021 race Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Brad Keselowski led one lap. The most important one. Sunday (April 25) afternoon’s GEICO 500 featured a flip for the first time in 2021, 35 lead changes among 17 different drivers and battles throughout the field. However, Keselowski mostly stuck to the middle or back of the pack until the final restart, when he shot …

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Stock Car Scoop: Talladega Preview with Zach Sturniolo

The Cup Series field races at 2019 Talladega Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The NASCAR Cup Series is going to the largest track this weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Stock Car Scoop’s Bryan Nolen and Adam Cheek talks about which contenders we should keep an eye on for Sunday’s (April 25) race. Also, Frontstretch’s Zach Sturniolo joins the pair to discuss his articles about Brett Moffitt as well as Gray …

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Friday Faceoff: Should Jennifer Jo Cobb Have Been Approved for Talladega Cup Race?

Jennifer Jo Cobb races at Las Vegas spring truck race NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The approval process for drivers to race in the NASCAR Cup Series has come into question with NASCAR denying Jennifer Jo Cobb for Talladega Superspeedway. Are her credentials sufficient enough, or was it the right call? Luken Glover: Putting Jennifer Jo Cobb in a car for her debut at Talladega was a questionable decision, so …

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Netflix Announces Bubba Wallace Documentary Series

Bubba Wallace

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Add another streaming show to watch, NASCAR fans. Netflix and Bubba Wallace are teaming up for a documentary series of a behind-the-scenes look at his 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, Netflix announced April 22. Wallace is in his first season driving for new Cup Series team 23XI Racing, co-owned by fellow Cup Series driver Denny …

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2-Headed Monster: Does a Personnel Change Need to Happen at 23XI Racing?

2021 Cup Richmond Bubba Wallace, No. 23 23XI Racing Toyota, and Tyler Reddick, No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, Racing (Credit: Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images via NASCAR Media_

Photo: Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images via NASCAR Media

Has there been a team in recent memory to have more pressure on them in their first season than 23XI Racing? With high profile team owners like NASCAR superstar Denny Hamlin and all-time NBA great Michael Jordan, the pressure to win is high for all involved with 23XI Racing. So far in 2021, the team …

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