Race Weekend Central

Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2009 All-Star Race

The All-Star Race is supposed to feature the cream of the crop, a chance for Sprint Cup’s top tier to go head-to-head in a battle royale with nothing but money and pride on the line. And after a tame beginning, this race featuring a who’s who of stock car stardom refused to disappoint, with drivers …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2009 Southern 500

The Track Too Tough to Tame may have a new surface, but she’s that same old fickle girl. The rankings may not have taken a DNF at Darlington, but they certainly earned their stripe with the list all scrambled after 500 miles there Saturday night. Former champions are hogging the top of the charts, but …

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Matt McLaughlin’s Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2009 Darlington Race Recap

The Key Moment: Mark Martin was able to gap Jimmie Johnson on the final restart with an old-school approach of braking early and accelerating hard out of the corners… a lesson I’d guess Johnson isn’t going to forget anytime soon. In a Nutshell: New car, new tires, new track surface… same old Darlington. Dramatic Moment: …

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Mark Martin Gambles on Fuel Mileage to Win 2009 Southern 500 at Darlington

Ever since Darlington Raceway was repaved, races can be run to different rules as compared to the past. Saturday night was no different. Mark Martin and a few other teams gambled on fuel mileage Saturday night. While the rest of the leaders pitted for four tires and gas on lap 321 under caution, Martin and …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2009 Crown Royal 400 at Richmond

Some retro short-track racing in Virginia provided a lot of high-powered action Saturday night, with the end result a record 15 caution flags and a late-race pit strategy that left the standings jumbled all the way up until the checkered flag. That unpredictability factored right into our own Power Rankings this week, as 14 out …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Sprint Cup: 2009 Crown Royal 400 at Richmond Edition

Watching the running order during Saturday’s Richmond race was similar to watching a yoyo go up and down. Pit strategy, brake wear, copious amounts of cautions, timely adjustments and good ol’ fashioned hard-nosed racing worked in harmony to jostle both the running positions and the points standings all throughout Saturday night’s event. In comparison to …

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

The Key Moment: Kyle Busch battled his way past Jeff Gordon on the 14th restart. After a couple tense laps battling the No. 24 and lapped cars, he drove off from the field to score his 15th career win in the Cup Series. In a Nutshell: Happy Birthday to Boos. Dramatic Moment: There were about …

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Bowles-Eye View: Roush’s, Ford’s Rough Start Peaks During Short-Track Slump

There were three big reasons for three of NASCAR’s “Big Four” owners to smile on Saturday night. Joe Gibbs was busy congratulating Kyle Busch in victory lane, his young prodigy scoring a season-leading third win while jumping to fifth in points. Behind him, Hendrick “B” team Stewart-Haas Racing had their owner/driver knocking on the door, …

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Nationwide Series Breakdown: 2009 Lipton Tea 250 at Richmond

It was business as usual at Richmond Friday night, as Kyle Busch in his No. 18 ran up front all night, led the most laps and won the race. Busch, who led four times for 115 laps, had little trouble holding off Carl Edwards following a late restart in notching his third victory of the …

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