Race Weekend Central

Thinkin’ Out Loud: Denny Hamlin Overcomes Crustacean Fear for First Win of 2017 at Loudon

Hamlin Nhms Win

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/ NKP)

Who’s in the headline – Joe Gibbs Racing went past the halfway point of the season without a victory. That changed in the first race of the second half as Denny Hamlin took advantage of some strategy calls and track conditions at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to score his first win of the season. Hamlin …

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Up to Speed: What Daytona Performance Reveals for Playoff Hopefuls

Bubba Wallace Ryan Blaney Daytona

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP)

It is not unusual to see underdogs perform well in restrictor plate races.  However, Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway produced a few more surprises than usual. Winner Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the only driver to start and finish inside the top 10.  Additionally, no driver who entered the race in the top …

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Did You Notice?: NASCAR Daytona Races Can Be Deceiving

Kurt Busch And Wife

(Photo: Rusty Jarrett/NKP)

Did You Notice? … NASCAR races at Daytona can be deceiving? The sport’s Super Bowl, February’s Daytona 500 is known as a race whose winner rarely competes for the series title. Only Jimmie Johnson (2006 & 2013) has accomplished the feat since 1998. There’s a lot of reasons Daytona winds up so different than the rest …

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The Underdog House: NASCAR About to Get Silly?

2017 Kansas I Cup Michael Mcdowell Car Barry Cantrell Nkp

(Photo: Barry Cantrell/NKP)

Think Small Track surfaces aren’t the inly thing heating up as summertime hits full swing.  NASCAR’s Silly Season is coming, and while so far, it’s been confined to rumblings and rumors, there’s potential for things to blow up.  While most of the speculation concerns the bigger teams in the sport, including who will fill the …

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Daily Fantasy Forecast: Toyota-Save Mart 350 Preview

2017 Martinsville Cup Zach Catanzareti Ryan Newman

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Sonoma Raceway for the Toyota Save Mart 350 this Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Cars hit the track on Friday at 3:00 p.m. for first practice, and then at 2:45 p.m. on Saturday for Coors Light Pole Qualifying. Here are nine drivers to look out for during …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: Everybody Loves A Winner Edition

2017 Kansas I Cup Ryan Blaney Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

With maybe an exception or two, most everyone cheers for the winner of a NASCAR race. But Sunday at Pocono was different. It was last week when the iconic No. 3 reached victory lane with Austin Dillon winning his first Cup race. Now another iconic number and team reached victory lane with Ryan Blaney winning …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not In NASCAR: Crossing The Overtime Line Edition

2016 Indianapolis Cup Jimmie Johnson Hat Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

The NASCAR Cup race at Dover seemed to go pretty smoothly for most of the day, then everything turned into a mess at the end, including a really big mess in the race to the finish line, where some made it and some didn’t. The key here is getting the end game right and while …

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The Big 6: Questions After the 2017 AAA 400

2017 Dover I Cup Joey Logano Pack Racing Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Who… gets the shoutout of the race? There were just too many laps on the scoring pylon for Ty Dillon. Grabbing and maintaining the race lead from Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Larson in the final quarter of Sunday’s AAA 400 from Dover International Speedway, the single-car Germain Racing team was in the conversation for a race …

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Paul Menard: ‘The Pressure To Win Is Rising’

2017 Cup Atlanta Paul Menard Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Twelve races into the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season and Richard Childress Racing is one of four teams that have multiple victories after going on a 112-race winless streak. Ryan Newman pulled the No. 31 machine into Victory Lane at Phoenix International Raceway, leading the final six circuits back in March. Then, at …

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4 Burning Questions: Will Paul Menard Complete RCR’s Winning Ways?

2017 Cup Atlanta Paul Menard Zach Catanzareti

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Will Paul Menard Give RCR a Winning Trio? Two down, one to go for Richard Childress Racing. Following Austin Dillon’s first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the driver of the No. 3 joins Ryan Newman as playoff drivers for the Chevrolet team in 2017. The one left? Paul …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: The Desert Fox Edition

2017 Cup Charlotte Media Tour Zach Catanzareti Ryan Newman

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

As has been the case in more than one NASCAR race already this season, what appeared to be the fastest car didn’t win. That reminds us once again how difficult it is to win a race, and especially how difficult it is to get the end game right when it comes to late pit stop …

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Up to Speed: Ryan Newman, the Veteran

In November 2000 at Phoenix International Raceway, Ryan Newman made his first start in what is now known as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.  His engine expired after 176 laps, leading to a 41st-place finish.  Newman was 22 years old when he ran that race. Austin Dillon was eight years old and Kyle Larson …

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