Race Weekend Central

Five Points to Ponder: Projecting Final Four, Junior’s Good Year & Frayed Tempers

2014 Martinsville Ii Cup Brian Vickers Car Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. © 2014)

One: Final Four Up for Grabs Two races remain until we learn which quartet of drivers will contest for the Sprint Cup championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Most of us, myself included, had assumed we would find out at least one of those four names at Martinsville, but for the first time in seven Chase races …

Read more

BSNews! Hendrick Motorsports Announces Team Changes

2014 Indianapolis Cup Jeff Gordon Alan Gustafson Rick Hendrick Selfie Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

BSNews! – Amid a week of various team changes and shuffles throughout much of the garage, Hendrick Motorsports announced it plans a major team swap involving the No. 24 of Jeff Gordon and the No. 88 of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Sources that will remain anonymous, mainly because BSNews ace Stu Padasso has forgotten who he …

Read more

Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: Martinsville – Texas Edition

2014 Chicago Cup David Ragan Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

The Eliminator Round is underway and already multiple drivers are in trouble. The tight confines of Martinsville Speedway proved challenging for some as new rivalries were ignited and older ones brought back to life. Yet, some championship hopefuls escaped with little more than a scratch and one driver – unfulfilled by last week’s restrictor plate …

Read more

NASCAR’s Most Popular Reminder: Wins Over Chase

2014 Martinsville Ii Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Helmet Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

For Dale Earnhardt, Jr., 2014 was supposed to be “the year.” It’s his final go-round with crew chief Steve Letarte, seventh season with powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports and last season with major sponsor National Guard. This year’s Daytona 500 winner, he was the first man to clinch a Chase bid and, entering Sunday had totaled three …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud: Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500

2014 Martinsville Ii Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Burnout Cia

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Key Moment – During the caution flag that flew for the third incident between Kasey Kahne and Brian Vickers on lap 278, Steve Letarte realized that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was going to restart in the fourth position, which would have put him in the outside line. Letarte called Earnhardt in, put four tires on his …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2014 Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville

2014 Martinsville Cup Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Grandfather Clock Credit Cia

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Looking for the Who, What, When, Where, Why and How behind Sunday’s race? Amy Henderson has you covered each week with the answers to six race-day questions, covering all five Ws and even the H… the Big Six. Who… gets my shoutout of the race? At the end, staying out on the final caution while …

Read more

Frontstretch Foto Funnies: Bottoms Up

Ff 10 24 14 1

"Here, This'll keep you from saying anything mean about other drivers..." (Photo: CIA Stock Photography)

Welcome to the Frontstretch Foto Funnies! Ever see a photo that’s just begging for a caption? We see them all the time! Each week, we’ll pick a few, then let our staff give it their best shot. We’ll post the best ones for you! Want to get in on the fun?  Leave your best ideas …

Read more

Happiness Is… NASCAR Legitimacy?

2014 Chicago Cup Brad Keselowski Paul Wolfe Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Well here we go. NHRA was off last weekend. Tony Schumacher has Top Fuel just about wrapped up with a 134 point lead.  In Europe, F1 enjoyed an off weekend after Mercedes walked away with the constructors’ title in Sochi. That series is now a two man race between Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Grand …

Read more

NASCAR Mailbox: The Absence of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. from Chase Doesn’t Change Anything

2014 Talladega Ii Cup Dale Earnhardt Jr Crash Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s failure to move onto the next round in the Chase Grid might perhaps be the best thing to happen to the Chase detractors who want to see the end of it all. I mean, Earnhardt was doing so well and was poised to potentially win his first career Sprint Cup Series championship, …

Read more

NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Talladega

2014 Talladega Ii Cup Brad Keselowski Flag Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

Credit: NASCAR via Getty Images

As predicted, it took until the checkered flag before we knew who would be moving on to the eight-driver Eliminator Round. Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Matt Kenseth all knew what they had to do to continue their bid for a championship: win. Johnson led the most laps, Earnhardt, Jr. led the …

Read more

Racing to the Point: Despite Chaos, This Season’s Main Characters Still Alive

2014 Richmond Ii Cup Jeff Gordon Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

This season’s Chase for the Sprint Cup is like watching the final season of a really good, violent drama. You’ve come to terms with the fact that characters are going to be killed off, but you’re hoping it’s done the right way. In other words, don’t kill off Walter White and Rick Grimes in the …

Read more

Five Points to Ponder: Honoring Both Texas Terry And Underdog Efforts

2014 Talladega Ii Cup Kyle Larson Joey Logano Landon Cassill Racing Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

One: Bracket Busters Hands up for anyone who still has a completely accurate 2014 Chase bracket. Silence? Crickets? Tumbleweed? Yep, thought so. Don’t even vaguely try to convince me that you had a final eight that didn’t include six-time champion Jimmie Johnson or the sport’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., not to mention either Kasey …

Read more