Race Weekend Central

Did You Notice?: NASCAR’s All-Star Race Hail Mary

2016 Charlotte All Star Cup Jamie Mcmurray Ryan Newman Kyle Larson Racing Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Did You Notice? … NASCAR is throwing an All-Star Race Hail Mary? A litany of changes announced Tuesday (April 11) for the sport’s main exhibition are designed to return it to a state of former glory. Twenty-five years after “One Hot Night,” the infamous 1992 race in which Dale Earnhardt and a victorious Davey Allison spun in …

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Pace Laps: Martinsville Madness, NHRA Rookies and Fernando Alonso’s Frustration

2017 Martinsville Cup Zach Catanzareti Brad Keselowski

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series: It’s just how we like it – Sunday’s STP 500 somehow was able to give us every aspect, challenge, up, down and turnaround that makes Martinsville Speedway what it is. As fans sat with their hot dogs in hand, the 38-driver Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race put on a show in …

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Did You Notice? … Kyle Busch & Joey Logano’s Problem With Boys, Have At It

Did You Notice? … Kyle Busch‘s problem with NASCAR’s “Boys, have at it” rule? It’s certainly not the sport itself. Thrilled with the national publicity caused by Sunday’s scuffle, they’re leaning towards no penalty for Busch. Officials are happy that a spontaneous show of emotion overshadowed a ho-hum race and breathed life into the sport. Problem is, they …

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Up to Speed: Better Finishes Ahead for Stewart-Haas Racing

2017 Atlanta Cup Clint Bowyer Kurt Busch Racing Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew Thacker / NKP)

On a cloudy afternoon at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Stewart-Haas Racing came up empty handed when the checkered flag flew. But those clouds were not without a silver lining for the four-car organization. Just over one week ago, Kurt Busch and the No. 41 team were in the spotlight, with the 2004 series champion won the …

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Did You Notice? … Whether Change Can Keep NASCAR Afloat?

Da1q6665

(Photo: Bruce Nuttleman)

Did You Notice? … Just a NASCAR change or two has descended upon us since we last came together? Since November, the sport has taken on a new title sponsor in Monster Energy, adopted a flurry of new rules designed to spice up competition, and split with tradition by chopping even the Daytona 500 into …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not: Bring On NASCAR 2017

Johnson Larson Patrick Daytona

It’s true NASCAR has the shortest offseason of any major sport. But really, why does it seem like forever between the season finale at Homestead and the start of Daytona Speedweeks? It’s just 90 days, far shorter than the end of the Super Bowl and the start of NFL Training Camps midsummer. For me, the …

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Friday Faceoff: What’s on NASCAR’s Horizon?

Nascar Champions Portraits

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

NASCAR announced Monster Energy as the new entitlement sponsor in its premier series, replacing Sprint.  Will Monster be a good fit for the series moving forward? Mark Howell, Senior Writer: Based on Monster’s (pardon the pun) track record in motorsports, the affiliation with NASCAR’s premier series will be a successful one. Based on sight of …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not: NASCAR Championship Edition

2016 Indianapolis Cup Jimmie Johnson Hat Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

The final race of the season ended with the kind of drama that NASCAR could only hope for when it devised the Chase system, and especially this current Chase system. There was no ceremonial ride around for 267 laps for the champion as there had been at times when the championship was all but won …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Sudden Shift Hands Johnson Record-Tying Title

Jimmie Johnson

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

Who’s in the headline – The elite level of NASCAR has increased by 50%. There are many gauges to judge the greats but championships are a huge differentiator. Jimmie Johnson took advantage of circumstances that fell his way, led the final three laps, and notched his seventh career title. Johnson shares the headline with Tony …

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Tony Stewart’s Historic NASCAR Career Ends With Smiles After 18 Years

Tony Stewart Jeff Gordon

(Photo: Joseph Wolkin)

“Thank you for everything you’ve done.” The words out of Joe Gibbs’ mouth Sunday evening echoed even with Hendrick Motorsports Jimmie Johnson celebrating his historic seventh Sprint Cup Series championship just a few yards away from the massive crowd surrounding the No. 14 car. 18 years. It has been quite the journey. One of the most …

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