Race Weekend Central

Who’s Hot and Who’s Not In NASCAR: Off-Week–Indianapolis Edition

2014 Loudon I Cup Cup Paul Menard Kevin Harvick Loser Cia

(Credit: CIA)

Summer might be in full swing, but with seven races remaining before the Chase cutoff, things are only starting to heat up in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Drivers and teams received a bit of rest and relaxation over the season’s final off week but now, it’s back to business as stock car racing’s best …

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The Calm Before The Storm

2014 Loudon I Cup Joey Logano Brad Keselowski Racing Cia

If nothing else, NASCAR enters this particular Monday morning well rested. Fresh off its last Sprint Cup off weekend, the news cycle slowed to a crawl last week as most participants were busy enjoying life elsewhere, away from the cameras on some Caribbean island. Even those who stayed at home would rather relax, mowing their …

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Nationwide Breakdown: EnjoyIllinois.com 300

2014 Richmond I Nns Chase Elliott Helmet Cia

Chase Elliott had chances at winning the last few weeks go out the window when he ran out of fuel on more than one occasion. Saturday night at Chicagoland Speedway in the EnjoyIllinois.com 300, however, the No. 9 team played the pit road strategy perfectly to put themselves out front when it mattered the most. …

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Four Burning Questions on the Off-Week: Title Favorites, Silly Season Rumors, and Chase Predictions

Jimmis Johnson and Casey Mears race at Kentucky Speedway July 2014.

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2014)­­

It’s a rare off-week in NASCAR-land, and as the men and women who make up the Sprint Cup Series enjoy some well-earned vacation time, the sport’s observers are left to reflect on the season that’s been as we sit at the de facto halfway point of the schedule. The 2014 season has been an interesting …

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Mirror Driving: Rain, Teams Teaming Up, and Who Got Pushed?

2014 Daytona Ii Cup Kyle Busch Kurt Busch Racing Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photography)

Welcome to Mirror Driving. Every week, your favorite columnists sit down and give their opinion about the latest NASCAR news, rumors and controversy. Love us or hate us, make a comment below and tell us how you feel about what we’ve said! This Week’s Participants: Amy Henderson (Mondays / The Big Six & Wednesdays / …

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Fantasy Insider: Laying it On The Line in Loudon

2014 Sonoma Cup Brian Vickers Car Cia

For some NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers, these are now desperate times. With a win needed to be guaranteed a spot in the Chase for the Championship, and 11 winners so far after 18 races, that means points don’t mean much at all to some drivers. Part of the issue is that of the 11 winners, …

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The Frontstretch Five: Reasons Why NASCAR Commercials Aren’t All Bad

2014 Michigan I Cup Ryan Newman Helmet Cia

Welcome to the Frontstretch Five, a brand-new column for 2014! Each week, Amy Henderson takes a look at the racing, the drivers, and the storylines that drive NASCAR and produces a list of five people, places, things, and ideas that define the current state of our sport. In the latest edition, Amy’s taking a walk …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2014 Coke Zero 400 at Daytona

2014 Daytona Ii Cup Aric Almirola Kurt Busch Racing Cia

Credit - CIA Stock Photography

Looking for the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How behind Sunday’s race? Amy Henderson has you covered each week with the answers to six race-day questions, covering all five Ws and even the H… the Big Six. Who… gets my shoutout of the race? Casey Mears deserves the shoutout for delivering his team its …

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Going By the Numbers: Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne Offer Opposite Sides of the Spectrum in June

With winners vaulting themselves into the Chase and the points system conducive to drivers falling into and out of favor within a handful of races, a few good — or bad — races can make all the difference in the Sprint Cup Series. Just tell that to Denny Hamlin and Kasey Kahne. Each are on …

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Fantasy Insider: Will The K-Factor Continue In Kentucky?

2014 Sonoma Cup Kyle Busch Dave Rogers Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

The NASCAR Sprint Cup series will make its way to Kentucky for the fourth time Saturday night. When it comes to making picks, there is not a whole lot of history to go on here for the Cup drivers. But with three races, there are at least some trends we can look at. The one …

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Five Points to Ponder: Wine Country, Kasey Kahne’s Breakthrough & the World Cup

ONE: Wine Country After the Irish Hills of Michigan, next up on the Sprint Cup Series slate is a trip out west to beautiful Sonoma and wine country. One of the two road courses on the schedule — the other being Watkins Glen — the chance to turn left as well as right brings up …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not In Sprint Cup: Michigan-Sonoma Edition

2014 Michigan I Cup Jimmie Johnson Helmet Cia

Can Jimmie Johnson help Tyler Clary achieve his goals of becoming a racecar driver?

Move over Talladega — Michigan International Speedway deserves some of the spotlight now. NASCAR’s fastest non-restrictor plate track took a step up with the assistance of Sprint Cup’s new rules package, and Who’s Hot and Who’s Not shows that other than the faster speeds, nothing really changed.  Long green flag runs were prevalent, and smart …

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