Race Weekend Central

The Frontstretch 5: Different Strategies You’ll See in the Playoffs

2019 Loudon Mencs Kurt Busch Face Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

During NASCAR’s regular season, most teams are on more or less the same strategy of winning races and accumulating points in an attempt to qualify for the playoffs.  Those strategies vary from week to week, of course, depending on the track, how good the cars are off the truck or whether they’ve already got the …

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Fire on Fridays: 2020 Is All or Nothing for Matt DiBenedetto

2019 Atlanta Cup Zach Catanzareti Matt Dibenedetto

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

The NASCAR world was shocked when veteran racer Paul Menard announced he’s retiring from full-time racing at the end of the 2019 season. More people were pleasantly surprised to see Matt DiBenedetto would replace him at Wood Brothers Racing in 2020. While it’s a one-year deal only, Menard said his family’s company, Menard’s, wants to …

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Friday Faceoff: Are There Safety Issues NASCAR Should Address?

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

#2: Brad Keselowski, Team Penske, Ford Mustang Discount Tire

Safety concerns have been mounting after some harrowing accidents across all forms of racing over the past couple weeks. Is there a particular area in NASCAR that needs to be further addressed? Adam Cheek: SAFER barriers all around. Yes, NASCAR’s done a great job putting them in the most problematic areas of most tracks. However, …

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2-Headed Monster: Was Signing Matt DiBenedetto the Right Move for the Wood Brothers?

2019 Phoenix I Cup Matt Dibenedetto Nkp

(Photo: NKP)

Perhaps the biggest news of the NASCAR silly season came Tuesday (Sept. 10) when Wood Brothers Racing announced Paul Menard would be retiring from full-time competition after the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season. Replacing him in the No. 21 Ford in 2020 is Matt DiBenedetto. Many were happy for DiBenedetto, but was it …

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Frontstretch Podcast: Kyle Larson Gears Up for Postseason

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In this week’s edition of the Frontstretch Podcast, Dustin Albino and Mike Neff discuss a frantic weekend of racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Kevin Harvick dominated the Brickyard 400 en route to his third win of 2019. But the bigger story was the playoff battle, which saw Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman race their way into the postseason, while …

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Odds & Ends Around the Track: Viva Las Vegas Edition

2019 Las Vegas I Cup Ryan Blaney Joey Logano Racing Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Do the NASCAR playoffs do anything for you? Maybe I am too old-fashioned, but having a one-race, winner-take-all race just doesn’t do it for me. The concept to have more “Game 7 moments” in the sport was to generate more interest. But television ratings are only big for big races, not for the playoffs. It …

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The Frontstretch 5: Storylines to Watch With 10 to Go

2019 Pocono Mencs Matt Dibenedetto Face Nigel Kinrade Photography

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

As pumpkin spice takes over everything, another NASCAR season is nearly over, with more than two-thirds of the races already on the books. But there’s still some racing left to be done, and there’s plenty to talk about. Some storylines are just now writing their opening sentences, but they’re going to be worth watching as …

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Did You Notice?: Paul Menard’s NASCAR Longevity the Definition of Average?

2019 Daytona I Cup Paul Menard Nkp

(Photo: NKP)

Did You Notice?… Paul Menard is one of the longest-tenured active drivers in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series? I looked at every Cup driver who’s run at least five races this season and added up their career totals. MOST CAREER STARTS – ACTIVE CUP SERIES DRIVERS Kurt Busch 674 Kevin Harvick 672 Ryan Newman 646 …

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Paul Menard Retiring from Full-Time Competition After 2019, Matt DiBenedetto to Drive No. 21 in 2020

2019 Las Vegas I Cup Paul Menard Nkp

(Photo: NKP)

Matt DiBenedetto‘s unemployed status for 2020 didn’t last long, and it’s thanks in large part to Paul Menard. Wood Brothers Racing announced Tuesday (Sept. 10) that Menard is retiring from full-time competition at the end of 2019, with DiBenedetto taking over the No. 21 in the 2020 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. The move comes …

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Kyle Larson, Paul Menard Lead Brickyard 400 Practices

2019 Michigan I Nxs Paul Menard Helmet Nkp

(Photo: NKP)

In preparation for the Big Machine Vodka 400, Kyle Larson and Paul Menard led the two practice sessions for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practices at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. However, the main storyline occurred at the end of the second practice session. As time expired, Denny Hamlin pounded the wall and fire came out …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR FanDuel Forecast: Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard

2017 Kansas Ii Cup Kyle Busch Jimmie Johnson John K Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John K. Harrelson/NKP)

The stars of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series head to one of the most historic tracks in the world this weekend — Indianapolis Motor Speedway — for the Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard. The race will air on NBC on Sunday, Sept. 8, at 2 p.m. ET. This 2.5-mile rectangular course has …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard

2017 Indianapolis Motor Speedway Mencs Kyle Busch Kevin Harvick Photo Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Can you believe it’s finally here? At last, a weekend I’ve been anxiously waiting all season. No, I’m not talking about the start of American football. Instead, it’s the week before the playoffs in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Drivers and teams are headed from one iconic racetrack to another, jumping from Darlington Raceway’s …

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