Race Weekend Central

The Frontstretch 5: Musing through Summer ’15

2015 Pocono Cwts Erik Jones Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Welcome to the Frontstretch Five! Each week, Amy Henderson takes a look at the racing, the drivers and the storylines that drive NASCAR and produces a list of five people, places, things and ideas that define the current state of our sport. This week, Amy has some totally random thoughts on the summer of ’15. …

Read more

Matt Kenseth’s Fuel-Mileage Victory in 2015 Windows 10 400 at Pocono a Giant Leap for Title Hopes

Kenseth Win

(Photo: Joseph Wolkin, Frontstretch)

It’s never happened before. Never. Don’t even try to figure it out, especially since it just has never occurred. Matt Kenseth has won a fuel-mileage race. It took 18 seasons for the Wisconsin native to earn a victory when everyone falls out of the race due to a lack of gas, but Sunday’s Windows 10 …

Read more

Carl Edwards Fastest in 1st Saturday Practice at Pocono

2015 Indianapolis Cup Carl Edwards Window Cia

(Credit: ©2015 CIA Stock Photography)

Three words: Joe Gibbs Racing. The four-car Toyota team, which struggled to find consistent speed in the beginning of the season, has become the class of the Sprint Cup Series field for the past several weeks, and this weekend is no exception. The JGR cars were first, second, third and fourth fastest in the opening …

Read more

Brad Keselowski Quickest in Friday’s Lone 2015 Windows 10 400 Practice at Pocono

Brad Keselowski in the garage during practice for the Windows 10 400 at Pocono Raceway

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)­­

Pacing the majority of practice at 175.370 mph, Brad Keselowski improved to 176.606 mph near the conclusion of the session, which placed him first on the speed charts at Pocono Raceway. Preparing for qualifying ahead of the Windows 10 400, the Team Penske driver led the way by 77 hundredths of a second. Keselowski has one …

Read more

Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2015 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis

2015 Indianapolis Cup Kyle Busch Kiss Bricks Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Third verse, same as the first. I’m running out of ways to say how dominant Kyle Busch has been. He has now won three straight races and four of the last five. Busch is on a mission to win his way into the Chase and now sits only 23 points out of 30th place. On …

Read more

Kyle Busch Nails Late Restart to Win 2015 Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard

2015 Indianapolis Cup Kyle Busch Trophy Vertical Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Still questioning if Kyle Busch can make his way into the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship? Well, the last three races should answer the question. A green-white-checkered restart set up a dash between Busch and Joey Logano, with the No. 18 getting the advantage and going on to win the Jeff Kyle 400 at Indianapolis Motor …

Read more

Denny Hamlin Tops Opening 2015 Jeff Kyle 400 Practice at Indianapolis

Danny Hamlin stands next to the No. 11 Toyota in the garage at Michigan International Speedway

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)­­

In NASCAR’s first practice session with the new high-drag rules package, familiar faces made their way to the top of the charts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Denny Hamlin laid down a 49.934-second lap to top opening NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice for Sunday’s Crown Royal Presents the Jeff Kyle 400 at the Brickyard. Looking to …

Read more

Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2015 5-hour Energy 301 at New Hampshire

2015 Loudon I Cup Kyle Busch Trophy Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Eight races into his return to competition, Kyle Busch has now claimed three victories in the Cup series. He continues his bid to make the 2015 Chase, taking his second consecutive win at New Hampshire. Busch now sits 58 points behind 30th position. I’ll start the hashtag: #BuschWatch Loudon produced a diverse number of teams …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: NBC Doesn’t Give the Heat Its Proper Due

2015 Loudon I Cup Michael Annett Car Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Last weekend, the Sprint Cup and Xfinity series returned to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for 501 laps of action. High temperatures on Sunday and dew points in the low 70s created rather taxing conditions for the drivers. Later on, the weather taxed NBC Sports as well. 5-hour Energy 301 Sunday afternoon brought the Sprint Cup …

Read more

Pace Laps: Joe Gibbs Racing Shines, IndyCar Championship Tightens & More

2015 Loudon I Cup Kyle Busch Pack Racing Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Sprint Cup Series: Kyle’s A+ Effort. Three Cup wins in four races? – Even the most diehard Kyle Busch fan could have never expected this summer surge, punctuated by a New Hampshire victory Sunday that has cemented Busch as the hottest driver in Sprint Cup. Bum legs? What bum legs? Busch is driving like a …

Read more

Xfinity Series Breakdown: 2015 Lakes Region 200 at New Hampshire

2015 Loudon I Nxs Denny Hamlin Trophy Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

The sun shined bright on the energy-soaked car driven by Denny Hamlin at Loudon during the Lakes Region 200 on Saturday afternoon. Controversy sparked the Joe Gibbs Racing driver throughout the day, fighting a loose racecar that caused him to spin out ahead of teammate Kyle Busch while battling for the lead 24 laps into …

Read more

Spinner to Winner: Denny Hamlin Wins Wild 2015 Lakes Region 200 at New Hampshire

2015 Loudon I Nxs Denny Hamlin Burnout Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

Denny Hamlin was all over the place today. Literally. From practicing his Sprint Cup car in the morning, to spinning in front of the field early on in the Xfinity Series race in which he started from the pole. However, at the end of 200 laps, it was Hamlin who took the checkered flag and won the Lakes …

Read more