Race Weekend Central

The 10: The Great Tie of Arizona

2016 Phoenix I Cup Denny Hamlin Pack Racing Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Well, this is a first. Sunday’s Good Sam 500(k) marked the second photo finish in four races to start 2016, with Kevin Harvick just edging out Carl Edwards to stay atop the throne as the king of Phoenix International Raceway. Not one to be outdone, our list of Power Rankings voters somehow managed an even …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud – Kevin Harvick Beats His Way to Eighth Career Phoenix Victory

2016 Phoenix I Cup Kevin Harvick Team Celebration Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

Who’s in the headline – There are two things in life that are certain: death and taxes. Closely behind that is Kevin Harvick winning at Phoenix International Raceway. For the eighth time in his career and the sixth time in the last eight races, Harvick was the first car under the checkered flag. What happened – …

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Kevin Harvick Wins in Photo Finish for 8th Phoenix Victory

Nascar Sprint Cup Series Good Sam 500

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Well, it happened again. Much like the 58th Daytona 500 to start the Sprint Cup Series season three weeks ago, the victory came down to inches. This time, it was Kevin Harvick edging Carl Edwards to the line by 0.010 seconds to win at Phoenix International Raceway for the eighth time in his career and …

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The 10: Power Rankings Leaders Find Luck, Dust in Vegas

2016 Las Vegas Cup Kurt Busch Pack Racing Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker / NKP)

Typically, the phrase “eat my dust” is a joke when it comes to racing. However, on a wild Sunday in Las Vegas, the phrase was all too real. After 400 miles of rainy, dusty, windy madness at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Brad Keselowski and the Blue Deuce rolled back in to Victory Lane for the first …

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The Big Six: Questions Answered after the 2016 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

2015 Atlanta Cup Jimmie Johnson Burnout Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Who…gets my shoutout of the race? We’ll give a call to the “new improved” Kyle Busch. Busch set the fast time in Friday’s qualifying only to have that time disallowed because of a rear toe setting being out of spec after his run. Thus Busch had to start Sunday’s race at the back of the …

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Pace Laps: Johnson’s Major Win, NHRA Girl Power and Late Model Season Underway

Sprint Cup: Delightful Dale – You would think the most happy and ecstatic driver in the state of Georgia would be Atlanta winner Jimmie Johnson. No sir, as Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was delighted after the 2016 debut of the low-downforce package – a race he finished second to his Hendrick Motorsports teammate. “I loved it,” …

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Up To Speed: Despite Long Green-Flag Runs, Lower Downforce Still Largely Positive

Though only the second race of the season, Atlanta Motor Speedway was thought to be the initial race where we would see what the new (or at least new for 2016) low-downforce package would mean for the racing this season. After rave reviews from competitors and fans alike at Kentucky Speedway and Darlington Raceway with …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud – Jimmie Johnson Wins Folds of Honor 500 at Atlanta

Who’s in the headline – After the debut of the 2016 low downforce package it is Jimmie Johnson standing in victory lane at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Johnson’s crew chief made a call to pit when the final fuel window opened. His driver stretched out an advantage over Kevin Harvick, the dominant car of the day, …

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Jimmie Johnson Slides to Atlanta Win, Ties Dale Earnhardt with 76 wins

The Lowe’s Chevrolet was, like everyone else on Sunday, low on downforce in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Jimmie Johnson used the new package – as well as some crafty pit strategy – to grab the lead from Kevin Harvick to win for the first time in 2016 and fifth time …

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Kurt Busch on Pole in Atlanta, Kyle Busch Time Disallowed

UPDATE: Kyle Busch’s qualifying time was disallowed after he failed post-qualifying inspection for an issue with the rear end of the car, rewarding Kurt Busch the pole and moving everyone forward one position. The defending champion will start 40th on Sunday; no further penalties are expected. Kyle Busch captured his first career pole at the Atlanta …

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Who’s Hot and Who’s Not in NASCAR: Atlanta Edition

The 2016 season is off to a running start and as expected there are plenty of hots and not-so-hots after a weekend at Daytona International Speedway. Just don’t expect every race this year to have the kind of finish we saw Sunday. HOT It’s often been said that baseball is a game of inches, but …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2016 Daytona 500

Who’s in the headline – Denny Hamlin put a stamp on his Daytona Speedweeks with his second triumph in three races Sunday. Hamlin beat Martin Truex Jr. to the line with a scintillating run that resulted in the closest finish in the history of the Daytona 500. Hamlin was the dominant car for much of …

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