Race Weekend Central

Tearing Apart the Trucks: News Around the Truck Series

NASCAR Releases 2010 CWTS Schedule Earlier this week, NASCAR released the schedules for the 2010 season. The biggest change on the schedule is the removal of Auto Club Speedway and the addition of Pocono Raceway. One big question mark on the 2010 schedule is the June 18 date at the Milwaukee Mile. The previous promoter …

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Tracking the Trucks: 2009 Lucas Oil 200 at Iowa

In a Nutshell: Mike Skinner took the checkered flag 1.370 seconds ahead of Aric Almirola to win the inaugural Lucas Oil 200 at Iowa Speedway. Skinner took the lead for the final time with 83 laps remaining on the way to his second series win this season. Colin Braun, Ron Hornaday Jr. and Johnny Sauter …

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Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Patience & Perseverance Pay Off for Speed at Bristol

Scott Speed Start: 3rd; Finish: 15th Summary: Scott Speed recorded his best starting position since Chicago in July when he qualified on the inside of row two for the Sharpie 500. The Californian would not remain there for long however as he quickly faded outside of the top 15 by the lap 100 mark, eventually …

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Nationwide Series Breakdown: 2009 Kroger 200 at IRP

After Saturday night’s race, even I am willing to put aside the fact that yet again the Nationwide Series ended a race with a 1-2 dose of Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch (though this time, Edwards came out on top). Why? Without a doubt, the Kroger 200 was the most exciting race of the 2009 …

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2009 NASCAR Rookie Midseason Grades: Who’s Better, Keselowski, Logano or… Ambrose?

The Sprint Cup Series marked the season’s halfway point with an off week shortly thereafter, which gives Professor Lumbis a chance to take a breath and evaluate this year’s crop of rookies. It certainly has been an odd season for the 2009 freshman class, as we’ve seen wins, DNQs, “bubble trouble” and even outside Chase …

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Did You Notice? Ganassi Kept the Wrong Guy, Logano’s a Little Too Shy & Money Talks

Did You Notice? That for all the Joey Logano hype, not everyone is jumping on the bandwagon quite yet? Certainly, Sunday’s race was a bonified step in the right direction for establishing the 19-year-old as a national superstar. But while Logano shattered the record for being the youngest race winner in NASCAR history, what we’ve …

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Sprint Cup Rookie Report: Out With the New & In With the Old for Phoenix Freshmen

Joey Logano Start: 31st; Finish: 21st Summary: Last Friday, Joe Gibbs Racing president JD Gibbs put to rest the rumors that had his team’s rookie driver out of a job before the end of his first season. But it looked like even a vote of confidence from the boss wasn’t going to be enough to …

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Thompson in Turn 5: Old Controversies, the No. 8 & Aric Almirola are Shelved

On Wednesday, it was reported that the No. 8 Chevrolet team of Earnhardt Ganassi Racing will be scuttled immediately, removing themselves off the entry list for the Subway Fresh Fit 500k at Phoenix International Raceway next Saturday night. And with the news everyone has expected for days now becoming official, two separate issues that had …

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What’s Vexing Vito: Economy or No Economy, Parking No. 8 Car for Phoenix Dumbest Thing Ever

Word has come down from on high at Earnhardt Ganassi Racing that the No. 8 Chevrolet now piloted by Aric Almirola – and formerly by some guy with a goatee and another one with a buzz cut – will be parked until adequate sponsorship can be found. Is this what NASCAR’s come to? As if …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2009 Samsung 500 at Texas Edition

Jeff Gordon’s large winless streak came to an end Sunday in Texas – where everything is big. But while Gordon had a giant weight lifted off his shoulders, other drivers felt huge swings in the points. Greg Biffle gained eight spots in the standings after his third-place Texas run, while Mark Martin’s sixth-place finish gained …

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Beyond the Cockpit: Aric Almirola Makes a Sales Pitch, Mulls His Future & Signs a Shoe?

After earning a full-time ride for the 2009 season, this was the year Aric Almirola was to step out of the shadows and into the limelight of what’s expected to be a strong Sprint Cup future. Indeed, it’s been a career’s worth of ride sharing for the Florida driver, whose only win in NASCAR’s top-three …

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