Race Weekend Central

The Underdog House: Bubba Wallace Top Dog of the Ring in Atlanta

2021 Cup Atlanta Ii Bubba Wallace Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Setting Atlanta Motor Speedway has become iconic in its own way. No, it doesn’t hold the prestige of a Daytona 500. It doesn’t test the same amount of endurance as the Coca-Cola 600 does. Kissing the bricks is not seen there. And it doesn’t serve hot dogs as good as Martinsville Speedway’s. The place …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Ty Gibbs Spins and Wins at Charlotte

2021 Charlotte Xfinity Ty Gibbs celebrate victory lane NKP

(Photo LAT Images via Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In February, Ty Gibbs briefly went dirt trackin’, making a pass in the grass, before winning on the road course at Daytona International Speedway. You can now check “spin and win” off the list of ways Gibbs has won a race. In Saturday’s (May 29) Alsco Uniforms 300, he spun exiting turn 4 coming to …

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Riley Herbst Grabs Xfinity Pole at Charlotte

Riley Herbst No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Xfinity car at Charlotte

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Riley Herbst won his first NASCAR Xfinity Series pole for Saturday’s (May 29) race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing driver put down a fast lap of 183.986 mph during qualifying. He was also quickest in Friday’s practice session. Chase Briscoe will start next to Herbst on the front row, going 181.653 …

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Riley Herbst Tops Xfinity Practice at Charlotte

Riley Herbst Phoenix Xfinity NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

After light rain showers delayed the start of the NASCAR Xfinity Series practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Riley Herbst ended as the fastest driver in Friday’s (May 28) session. Herbst went 178.436 mph to go to the top of the board early in the shortened period. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Daniel Hemric was second quickest, going …

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Surging Riley Herbst Keeps Moving Ahead With Top Five

2021 Xfinity Talladega Riley Herbst (Credit: NKP0

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

After a bit of a slow start to begin the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, Riley Herbst is starting to hit his stride.  That stride took a few more bold steps forward during Saturday afternoon’s rain-shortened Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway as he finished fourth.   Herbst, second-place finishing Austin Cindric and fifth-place Ryan Sieg were …

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Jeb Burton Scores 1st Xfinity Win in Rain-Shortened Race

2021 Xfinity Talladega Jeb Burton, No. 10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet, Victory Lane (Credit: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

“Rain, rain, rain, rain,” were the words of Chris Rice over the radio of Jeb Burton‘s No. 10 Chevrolet just as officials brought the field to the pit road with less than 25 laps to go. Shortly after, Burton was declared the winner of the Ag-Pro 300 at Talladega Superspeedway; his first career Xfinity Series …

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Zach’s Turn: Noah Gragson Pushing His Luck With Competitors

2021 Xfinity Atlanta Noah Gragson, No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet, Pits (Credit: NKP)

Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography

It’s no secret NASCAR Xfinity Series regular Noah Gragson doesn’t care about making enemies. So it should be no surprise yet another incident found its way to the JR Motorsports driver, this time following Saturday’s (March 20) EchoPark 250 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Daniel Hemric confronted Gragson on pit road after the race, triggering an …

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Xfinity Breakdown: Austin Cindric Survives Chaotic Final Restart, Wins in Phoenix

Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

To say restarts on the current Phoenix Raceway configuration are crazy, especially late-race restarts, is putting it lightly. While pandemonium unfolded behind Austin Cindric in the Call 811 Before You Dig 200 on Saturday (March 13), Justin Allgaier in the final made a move on his outside, entering turn one on the final restart with …

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Austin Cindric Dominates in the Desert, Wins at Phoenix

Nascar Xfinity Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Austin Cindric continued his NASCAR Xfinity Series win streak at Phoenix Raceway, dominating the Call 811 Before You Dig 200 on Saturday afternoon (March 13). Cindric won the race after leading 119 laps and avoiding all the chaos on the two-lap shootout. Ty Gibbs, Brandon Brown, Riley Herbst and AJ Allmendinger rounded out the top five. …

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Eyes On Xfinity: Who Will Be 2021’s Next New Winner?

Noah Gragson

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

What have we learned four races into the 2021 NASCAR Xfinity Series season? Simple: Expect the unexpected.  If you’re looking for a series in which one driver dominates each week and everyone else is running for second place, Xfinity is not for you. Defending series champion Austin Cindric opened up by winning at Daytona International …

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Friday Faceoff: Can Anything Be Done to Enhance Competitors’ Mental Health?

2019 Las Vegas I Cup Ty Dillon Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Ty Dillon’s recent podcast is another example of the mental toll racing can take. Is there anything NASCAR or teams can do to alleviate it, or is the intense stress an inevitability? Mark Kristl: Professional athletes always face pressure. If they do not perform well enough, they become unemployed. It is partly why athletes retire …

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5 Points to Ponder: NASCAR Chemistry Matters, Stewart-Haas Racing Slump Deepens & More

Kevin Harvick and Cole Custer race at Daytona International Speedway February 2021 Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

ONE: Stewart-Haas Racing Slump Gets Deeper Kevin Harvick sat on the pole for Sunday’s (March 7) Pennzoil 400 driving his No. 4 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing. It was a great position to assert himself up front at a Las Vegas Motor Speedway track he led 92 laps at last March. Instead? Harvick never led a …

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