Race Weekend Central

Picks ‘N’ Pans: Michigan Summer 2008 – Will Smoke Finally Win or Is It Edwards’s for the Taking?

The Irish Hills of Michigan host the 23rd race of the season and the opportunity is there for drivers to start officially stamping their passport into the 2008 championship fight. With just three races remaining before the Chase field is set, a driver can be locked into the playoffs as long as they finish this …

Read more

Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 Centurion Boats at the Glen

Turning right and left didn’t just cause a litany of Cup veterans some angst – it also gave our writers some sleepless nights in how to figure in a road-course finish into their own Top 15 Power Rankings formula. But when all was said and done, there was a surprising amount of movement; and in …

Read more

Running Their Mouth: 2008 Centurion Boats at the Glen

This week, here’s a sneak peek at what a select few were thinking following the Centurion Boats at the Glen at Watkins Glen International.

Matt McLaughlin’s Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2008 Watkins Glen Race Recap

The Key Moment: Dale Earnhardt Jr. pitted under caution on lap 66, handing the lead to Kyle Busch – who would never come close to relinquishing it at Watkins Glen. In a Nutshell: Busch once again spanks the field handily, offering fans a chance for a nice late-summer nap. Dramatic Moment: Unfortunately, the only high drama …

Read more

Fantasy Picks ‘N’ Pans: A Watkins Glen Repeat or the Agony of Defeat?

For the final time in ’08, the Cup boys will be turning left and right as they visit another road course. Watkins Glen is one of the more historic tracks in America and it can have dramatic effects on fantasy players’ teams. This weekend affords you the chance to pick up some inexpensive road-course ringers …

Read more

Did You Notice? NASCAR & Politics, Raining on Goodyear & Penske’s Nasty Divorce

Did You Notice? That on the heels of Barack Obama’s decision to withdraw his sponsorship of a Sprint Cup car – remember, Pocono was the weekend he was supposed to put his name on the side of the No. 49 BAM Racing Toyota – another political party was spotted making waves at the Speedway. Presumptive Republican …

Read more

Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono

After the second weekend of testing out the Pythagorean theory at Pocono, the shape of the Chase came a little more into focus. The top drivers in points (“A” students) are solidifying their positions for September and beyond while aggressively going for the win – and the 10-point bonus that goes with it. Meanwhile, positions …

Read more

Voice of Vito: Charting NASCAR’s Championship Chase – Who’s In, Who’s Out… & What’s It All About, Anyway?

The last two weeks have certainly done their part in jumbling up the point standings, as races influenced by, um, extenuating circumstances have given us a look at how the Chase field may shake out as we get closer to that decisive 26th race at Richmond. Last week at Indianapolis, it was the tires that …

Read more

10 Points to Ponder… After the 2008 Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono

1. Midget Money – Frequent NASCAR “bad boy” Tony Stewart was fined $10,000 after reportedly becoming angry at officials during a USAC midget race when they made a competition-related decision that adversely affected Tracy Hines, who drives for Stewart’s open-wheel team. Witnesses said that Stewart charged a USAC official – knocking his headset off – …

Read more

Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2008 Brickyard 400

And the winner of the first annual Indianapolis Heat Race is… Jimmie Johnson! OK, so maybe it was the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, but the way in which the race was controlled by NASCAR – with competition cautions held every 10 laps – they might as well have renamed it the Allstate 25. With …

Read more

Running Their Mouth: 2008 Allstate 400 at the Brickyard

This week, here’s a sneak peek at what a select few were thinking following the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.