Race Weekend Central

10 Points To Ponder… After the 2008 Food City 500 at Bristol

1) Can’t Get Much Simpler – Last Friday’s rainout of qualifying for the Food City 500 required NASCAR to fall back to its rulebook for determining the lineup. It’s one of the more complex plans ever created, so let’s see if we can work through it together… OK, let’s begin. The first rule’s easy; the …

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Bubble Breakdown: On Groundbreaking Weekend, Teams on NASCAR’s Top-35 Bubble Attempt Breaking Away From the Pack

The Kobalt Tools 500 at Atlanta may have made history at the front of the field – with Toyota claiming the first victory for a foreign-born manufacturer since 1954 – but it also featured a number of drivers trying to prevent history of a different sort at the rear. With just one race remaining before …

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Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off: What is Right with NASCAR Racing

More than occasionally, I am chided by readers for being too negative about the sport I cover. I am labeled a prophet of gloom and doom; though all too often, my predictions have borne out. That raises a question in some reader’s minds as to why I continue covering a sport that gets me so …

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Top 10 Victory Celebrations Other NASCAR Drivers Can Do

Since Carl Edwards has already won two races this year, NASCAR fans have been treated to his celebratory backflip twice. While Carl’s backflip is arguably the most entertaining victory celebration in motorsports, other drivers have been looking for a post-victory schtick of their own. With this week’s Top 10 list, Kurt Smith is here to …

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10 Points to Ponder… After the 2008 UAW-Dodge 400 at Las Vegas

1. No Way, Daddy-0h! – The legendary Wood Brothers No. 21 Ford did not qualify for the UAW-Dodge 400 on speed last Friday. Instead, their chances hit a wall – literally – when Johnny Sauter wrecked the car coming out of turn 2. The single-car team, outside the Top 35 in owner points, has now …

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Bubble Breakdown: Blown Tires Lead to Blown Opportunities for Several on the Top-35 Bubble at Las Vegas

Right-front tires and unstable grip were the talk of the town Sunday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, variables which led to increasing instability as the Top-35 standings continue to fluctuate early in 2008. The mix of a new track configuration, a new car and wind gusts up to 40 mph all led to an unpredictable …

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The Yellow Stripe: From Snake Eyes To Box Cars, Sizing Up NASCAR Odds In Vegas

With the old adage that the “bookies never lose” notwithstanding, and NASCAR’s annual date with Sin City just a couple days away, now seems as good a time as ever to put up some odds you might (or might not) see throughout the 2008 NASCAR season. — All bets are off: Juan Pablo Montoya employing …

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Happy Hour: Giving Kurt Busch His Due & Other Thoughts

Yes, it’s time I got the respect I deserve, dang it! Just kidding. This isn’t about me, it’s about the infamous, oft-maligned, so-called “arrogant punk” in the Miller Lite Dodge. I’m not certain how Kurt Busch has gotten such a bad rep. I’ve been trying to come up with reasons beyond the Jimmy Spencer feud …

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Did You Notice? The Busch Brothers Playing Nice? Ryan Newman Making College History? & More…

Did You Notice? That on the final lap of the Daytona 500, you had both Kyle and Kurt Busch giving up on their own chance to win the Great American Race, instead choosing to stay in line behind their teammates while attempting to push them to the win. That selfless act was followed by an …

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