Race Weekend Central

Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off: A Look Back at NASCAR’s 2009 Season to Date

Four weeks into the 2009 NASCAR season, nothing is etched in stone. It’s too early on to know who will be champion, and even too early to predict the 12 drivers who will make the Chase quite yet. But the first four Cup events of this season have offered a diverse set of track layouts: …

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Did You Notice? No ’09 Rivalries, Fun with NASCAR TV Ratings & Statistical Surprises in Sprint Cup

Did You Notice? The only thing Lowe’s Motor Speedway President Marcus Smith would commit to last week – alluding to changes for this year’s All-Star Race – is that the distance would stay exactly the same (100 laps). To me, that’s already a bad “change” to make, no matter how you break that distance down. …

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Fanning the Flames: Confusing Contingency Awards, NASCAR’s Aero Dependence Gone Awry & Rain-Outs

Once again, some random, midweek thoughts whilst sitting on the front porch swing and enjoying the blooming Bradford Pears on a rare 70-degree afternoon in March here in Nashville: Atlanta attendance listed at 94,400? Try 9,440. I don’t care what you may think of the FOX broadcast crew’s coverage, the cutaway car is very well …

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Concern Shifts from Engines to Tires at Atlanta

HAMPTON, Ga. – The start to the 2009 season has been marred with a rash of engine failures that has not been seen in some time, a trend that has become all but a consensus headline through the first three races. But none of that seems to be phasing any race camp, or any driver …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2009 Shelby 427 at Las Vegas

The first three races of 2009 have yielded surprising results at both the top and bottom of the point standings. Some drivers, like Mark Martin, are left scratching their heads after having fast cars at each race, but no top finishes to show for that. Likewise, teams like Michael Waltrip Racing in the top 12 …

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10 Points to Ponder: 2009 Shelby 427 at Las Vegas

Kyle Busch Still the Driver to Beat Daytona was just a minor hiccup: the No. 18 team is back with a vengeance in 2009. Las Vegas native Kyle Busch won the pole this weekend, only to have to start at the back after an engine change. Nonetheless, Busch methodically made his way back to the …

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Matt McLaughlin’s Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2009 Fontana Spring Race Recap

The Key Moment: Matt Kenseth’s crew was flawless all night at Fontana, getting him off pit road first on the final sequence of pit stops. Despite Kenseth’s initial Charlie Brown-like resignation over the radio, he was able to hold off the No. 24 car. In a Nutshell: With all due apologies to Albert Hammond, “It …

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Frontstretch Fantasy Insider: Daytona 2009 – How to Make That Harvey J. Earl Trophy Yours

Just as the Daytona 500 brings stock car racing roaring back to life, it also marks the beginning of the 2009 season for hundreds of thousands of fantasy racers across the country. And just as every driver in the 500 field needs a strong finish this Sunday to kick off their campaigns, every fantasy racer …

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Closing NASCAR’s 7th Decade: The Top-12 Drivers – Including the Champ Who’ll Lead Us Into 2010

2009 closes out the first decade of the 21st century for NASCAR, and what a long, strange trip it’s been. Who would have thought back in 2000 Petty Enterprises would cease to exist nine years later – along with no Adam Petty to lead NASCAR’s first family into the next generation? Or that Dale Earnhardt …

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Bowles-Eye View: 5 Feel-Good Stories Giving Daytona an Unexpected Boost

Heading into Daytona Speedweeks, Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 1 on the side of his Chevy was synonymous with the one piece left alone from a desperation merger. Now, that “1” stands for something far more exciting – Daytona 500 polesitter – closing out a weekend that’s given hope to people looking for some different faces up …

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