Race Weekend Central

Matt McLaughlin Mouths Off: Appreciating The Lady in Black

This week, the Cup circuit heads to Darlington, S.C. for what will regrettably be its only stop at the “Track Too Tough To Tame” this season. Even given the awkward eve of Mother’s Day race date that no other track ever wanted, the fact they’ll be racing there this weekend still makes my heart rejoice. …

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

The Key Moment: Kurt Busch dominated the race at Atlanta, but a late caution and a two-tire stop put Carl Edwards at the head of the pack. Busch was able to easily retake the lead when the green flag flew with two laps left. In a Nutshell: It looks like this new Dodge engine is …

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Is 2009 the Re-Emergence of NASCAR’s Single-Car Team?

Editor’s Note: Jeff Meyer is on vacation this week. Look for him to return with a brand new edition of his usual Voices sarcasm next Thursday. In the meantime, Bryan Davis Keith fills in. Bill Elliott dominated the headlines for much of Speedweeks with his performance in the Wood Brothers’ No. 21 at Daytona. Regan …

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Voices From the Heartland: Time for “The Old Men” to Show “The Boys” a Thing or 2 at Daytona!

Normally, as we dive into all the hype that NASCAR inevitably creates heading into the Daytona 500, I really don’t get all that excited. ‘Cause let’s face it: the “Great American Race” means that I, once again, have a couple of great writing deadlines looming over me each week that I must deal with. And …

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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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Full Throttle: Bud Shootout, Revell’s Departure Not Exactly Embracing Our Past

Last year, the mantra that was spewing forth from Daytona was that the sport was going to embrace its past. Drivers were encouraged to show emotion and individuality, the kind of things that would bring back some of the legions of hardcore NASCAR fans that built the sport but then left when so many changes …

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The Yellow Stripe: After NASCAR’s Worst Winter Ever, Hope Springs Eternal in 2009

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it …

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Bowles-Eye View: At Phoenix, out With the Old, in With the Who?

For so many millions of us, favorite athletes become so much more. Role models for our kids, our communities, ourselves; they’re put on a pedestal of success we can only wish to achieve. Through them, we choose to live our wildest dreams, placed in a fantasy world in which a larger-than-life persona can show us …

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Matt McLaughlin’s Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2008 Martinsville Fall Race Recap

The Key Moment: Jimmie Johnson got an excellent jump on that final green-white-checkered restart and kept Dale Earnhardt Jr. off his rear bumper at Martinsville. In a Nutshell: Stock cars running belly to the ground, bumper-to-bumper into the fading sunlight of an autumn afternoon. It just doesn’t get any better. Dramatic Moment: Well, it’s not …

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