Race Weekend Central

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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Thinkin’ Out Loud – Brad Keselowski Cashes in With Late-Race Pass to Win at Las Vegas

2016 Las Vegas Cup Brad Keselowski Burnout Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T Thacker / NKP)

Who’s in the headline – It had been 33 races since Brad Keselowski visited Victory Lane. Keselowski took the checkered flag first in Fontana last year in the fifth race of the season. On Sunday, he led the race three times but only led a total of 24 laps. The win put a third different manufacturer in …

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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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Friday Faceoff: How Important Is Track Position?

A quick exam of the last few seasons shows that only the best restrictor plate drivers – Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski – have been able to get to victory lane. Is it still fair to say anyone can win at Daytona or Talladega, or has NASCAR finally put fate in …

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Happiness Is… Atlanta, Handling & Musical Chairs

The Daytona 500 now sits in the rear view mirror.  Denny Hamlin added his name to the big trophy and enjoyed the spoils of the win.  While his story may be a feel good one for him and his team there is still something about the whole thing that felt a little flat.  It’s not …

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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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2016 Frontstretch Podcast Episode 1: Daytona 500

Welcome to the Fronstretch Podcast! Racing expert Matt Stallknecht and his rotating panel of guests have you covered from now until the end of the season with all of the main storylines from the NASCAR week that was. On this season-opening edition of the podcast, Stallknecht, along with Aaron Bearden and Phil Allaway, examine all of the biggest stories …

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Up To Speed: Denny Hamlin Credits Teammates for Daytona 500 Win

“It was a total team effort.” Generally, when the winning driver makes such a statement in Victory Lane, they are referring to their own team. It’s their crew chief, pit crew, over-the-wall members who made the difference in getting them over the hump. Yes, there is gratitude expressed to the organization as a whole, but really …

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Pace Laps: Hamlin’s Big Step, GMS Steps Up And ‘Off’ Weekends

Sprint Cup: Hamlin, Team Toyota Packs A Punch – The final laps of Daytona reminded me of the closing moments of a Great American Race here 19 years ago. In that one, Bill Elliott held the lead on the final restart only for the selflessness of three Hendrick Motorsports teammates to bond together and blow on by …

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Denny Hamlin Wins in Closest Finish in Daytona 500 History

Daytona International Speedway has never been higher. And during Sunday’s 58th Daytona 500, it’s never been closer as Denny Hamlin gave a last-lap bump to Matt Kenseth in turn 4 before edging Martin Truex, Jr. to the line to win his first Daytona 500. “It’s the pinnacle of my career, for sure,” Hamlin said. “Toyota, it’s …

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