Race Weekend Central

Joey Logano Comes to Life Late, Wins NASCAR’s Return to Dirt at Bristol

2021 Cup Bristol Dirt Joey Logano, No. 22 Team Penske Ford, Celebrate (Credit: NKP)

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

Scenes of flooded parking lots and heavy rain gave way to sunny skies on Monday, allowing the NASCAR Cup Series to take to a dirt track for the first time in more than 50 years. It also gave way to Joey Logano, who carved his way through the dirt to win his first race of …

Read more

Fire on Fridays: Here’s Which Cup Regular Is Going to Win the Bristol Truck Race

Kyle Larson wearing a mask at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

This weekend’s 44-truck entry list for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series’ inaugural race on the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track is a little over 15% NASCAR Cup Series driver, with seven competitors who run full time in Cup dropping down to run the Truck race the night before. Bristol comes a week after a …

Read more

Bad Boys Getting Dirty at Dirt-Covered Bristol Motor Speedway

Noah Gragson at 2021 Xfinity race at Daytona Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

It’s that time of the month that the old-timer, long-time NASCAR writer and observer stops by to share some words of wisdom with you. While I will never get used to stage racing and having playoffs in my favorite sport, I am thrilled that not as many drivers and crew guys get hurt as back …

Read more

Did You Notice?: NASCAR Team Orders Creeping Into 2021

2021 Trucks Atlanta Kyle Busch, No. 51 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota, Burnout (Credit: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Did You Notice? … The way in which teammates helped each other out at Atlanta Motor Speedway last weekend (March 20-21)? The most obvious example came in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, where Kyle Busch twice slowed down in the final laps of a stage to let John Hunter Nemechek pass by and win. In …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: Atlanta Brings Unnecessary Fighting, Long Runs to FOX

Denny hamlin leads the pack in NASCAR Cup Series action at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Atlanta was an interesting weekend. You had a tripleheader of action, but not nearly as much good racing on the track as I would have liked to see. The task here is how FOX can make races enjoyable when they aren’t the most impressive. Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Sunday looked like a Kyle Larson …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta

2021 Atlanta I Cup Ryan Blaney Victory Lane Nkp

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

What happened? Ryan Blaney won the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday (March 21) after passing Kyle Larson with eight laps to go for the victory. Kyle Larson, Alex Bowman, Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch rounded out the top-five finishers. RETWEET to congratulate @Blaney on his first win of 2021! …

Read more

Up to Speed: Ryan Blaney Adds to His History of NASCAR Clutch Wins at Atlanta

Ryan Blaney gives the checkered flag to a fan at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Photo NKP

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

Check off another unique winner for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season.  Ryan Blaney emerged as a surprise victor at Atlanta Motor Speedway, capturing the fifth win of his career in dramatic fashion.  Despite a dominating performance from Kyle Larson, who led 269 of 325 laps, Blaney was the one who took the trophy and …

Read more

The Underdog House: Late Slip Overshadows Eye-Opening Day for Daniel Suarez

Daniel Suarez before the 2021 Daytona 500 Cup NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Top Dog Following last week’s race at Phoenix Raceway, Trackhouse Racing received the news that teams dread to hear. During post-race inspection, Daniel Suarez’s No. 99 Chevrolet was found with two loose lug nuts. That resulted in a one-race suspension for crew chief Travis Mack, along with a $20,000 fine. In his place, the team …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2021 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

2021 Las Vegas I Cup Chris Buescher Car Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… should you be talking about after the race? With 20 laps to go, it looked as though Ryan Blaney would have to settle for second in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 as Kyle Larson looked to have the race well in hand. Blaney had a fast car at Atlanta Motor Speedway and had closed …

Read more

Friday Faceoff: Should More Teams Let a Dirt Ace Pilot Their Bristol Entry?

Stewart Friesen

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Which new driver/crew chief combo will win next in the NASCAR Cup Series after four of them have won in the first five races? Josh Roller: The way Kyle Busch and the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 18 team is finishing, it’s a toss-up between Busch-Ben Beshore and Bubba Wallace-Mike Wheeler at 23XI Racing. But it …

Read more

Frontstretch Podcast: Ryan Vargas On Scoring His Full-Time Xfinity Ride, MTJ Snaps Streak in Phoenix

Nascar Xfinity Series

#6: Ryan Vargas, JD Motorsports, Chevrolet Camaro Swann Communications

Xfinity Series Rookie of the Year contender Ryan Vargas has clawed tooth and nail for a full-time ride in NASCAR, and he got it with JD Motorsports for 2021. He joins Davey Segal this week to discuss how he’s learning on a weekly basis in the series, the opportunities he’s been presented with in his …

Read more

5 Points to Ponder: Cream Rises, Ford Flounders?

2021 Phoenix I Cup Martin Truex Jr Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

ONE: Truex Restores Natural Cup Series Order Just as we were about to hit the point of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season where Bill Murray’s “Dogs and cats living together! Mass hysteria!” line from Ghostbusters would have applied because none of the races were being won by the drivers you’d expect, Martin Truex Jr. …

Read more