Race Weekend Central

Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2009 Food City 500 at Bristol Edition

A weekend in noisy Thunder Valley following a quiet week of rest provides a jarring wakeup call to drivers, crews and fans alike. But while Sunday’s Bristol race itself did not spark the normal beating and banging fest people are used to seeing, it did help bring to light what this season’s short-track races may …

Read more

Frontstretch Fantasy Insider: Bristol, or How to Fly Jet Fighters in a Gymnasium

The Sprint Cup Series returns to its roots this weekend with the first short-track race of the 2009 season. Since it was resurfaced, Bristol Motor Speedway has gone from a one lane bullring to a multi-groove, high-banked, high-speed oval unlike any other track on the Sprint Cup circuit. Even with the new surface, Bristol is …

Read more

Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2009 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta

Four weeks into the season, the top of the Sprint Cup standings are still a long way from getting sorted out. But after everyone got a chance to take a deep breath this past weekend after Atlanta, it’s easy to notice a few trends starting to take shape. Once again, the multi-car giants of Roush, …

Read more

Top 10 Other Victory Celebrations Kurt Busch’s Miller Lite Drinking Buddies Suggested

Following Kurt Busch’s dominating Atlanta win, he celebrated by driving his car in reverse around the track in a new kind of victory lap. Later, he said that the idea came from a Miller Lite drinking session with his buddies. So, I thought we’d speculate on some of the other ideas that might have emerged …

Read more

Fanning the Flames: Confusing Contingency Awards, NASCAR’s Aero Dependence Gone Awry & Rain-Outs

Once again, some random, midweek thoughts whilst sitting on the front porch swing and enjoying the blooming Bradford Pears on a rare 70-degree afternoon in March here in Nashville: Atlanta attendance listed at 94,400? Try 9,440. I don’t care what you may think of the FOX broadcast crew’s coverage, the cutaway car is very well …

Read more

Did You Notice? DNFs Are a Good Thing, NASCAR Needs a Senior Tour & Menard’s Mediocrity?

Did You Notice? The complaints over the amount of engine failures to start the 2009 Sprint Cup season? To be honest, I like the unpredictability that’s been added back into the outcome of a race. For a while there, it looked like parts and pieces had become so invincible there was no doubt as to …

Read more

Mirror Driving: Substitute NASCAR Drivers, Runaway Tires & are the Busches the Best Siblings Ever?

Welcome to Mirror Driving. Every week, your favorite columnists sit down and give their opinion about the latest NASCAR news and rumors. Love us or hate us, make a comment below and tell us how you feel about what we’ve said! This Week’s Participants: Vito Pugliese (Wednesdays/Voice of Vito) Beth Lunkenheimer (Tuesdays/Running Your Mouth & Various/Frontstretch Truck …

Read more

Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2009 Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta Edition

As the 2009 season wears on, some of the teams that have had early success are finding themselves in a points standings freefall. As they disappear from view, the composition of the top 12 is starting to take form, with annual contenders slowly creeping towards and into that coveted threshold. The season may be early …

Read more

Matt McLaughlin’s Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2009 Atlanta Spring Race Recap

The Key Moment: Kurt Busch dominated the race at Atlanta, but a late caution and a two-tire stop put Carl Edwards at the head of the pack. Busch was able to easily retake the lead when the green flag flew with two laps left. In a Nutshell: It looks like this new Dodge engine is …

Read more