Race Weekend Central

Bowles-Eye View: Jeff Gordon’s NASCAR Retirement – Planning It Right

2015 Pocono Cup Jeff Gordon Autograph Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

It’s hard to believe the rainbow scheme Jeff Gordon will run at Bristol Saturday night is officially 22 years old. It’s the age Gordon was himself when running as a Cup Series rookie, taking the No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet to 14th in the series standings en route to Rookie of the Year. Since then, Gordon …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2015 Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan

Matt Kenseth poses with the trophy after winning the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway

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

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? Starting from the back after an engine change, Austin Dillon and his No. 3 team knew they had to try something to gain track position, so they went with a pit strategy that put Dillon off-sequence from the rest of the field but gained him the track position …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2015 Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan

2015 Michigan Ii Cup Matt Kenseth Team Trophy Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Who’s in the headline – Joe Gibbs Racing established their dominance early in the weekend and threw down the gauntlet in qualifying by putting their cars first through third, and all four in the top six. When the race started, Matt Kenseth took advantage of his 16th career pole and a very strong car to race off …

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4 Burning Questions at Michigan: With New Package, Will Race Be a Stinker?

2014 Michigan Ii Cup Joey Logano Jeff Gordon Racing Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads back to Michigan International Speedway this weekend, and all everybody can talk about is the high-drag package – but the race will be remembered for so much more than that. It’s one of a final few chances for drivers not already locked into the Chase to punch their ticket. …

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Happiness Is… TV, Ohio & Bills

2015 Pocono Ii Cup Jeff Gordon Pack Racing Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

The nightmare season continues.   With another lackluster finish at Watkins Glen, Jeff Gordon continues his magical mystery tour, with the mystery being how far back in the field he’ll finish each race. Even the race before, at Pocono, Gordon and co. appeared lost, hanging out midpack for much of the event before their fuel-mileage …

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Frontstretch NASCAR Power Rankings: Top 15 After the 2015 Cheez-It 355 at the Glen

2015 Watkins Glen Cup Joey Logano Woohoo Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Another race determined by fuel strategy in the closing laps. Unlike last week in Pocono, Joey Logano had enough fuel to get to the checkered flag first and sweep the weekend at Watkins Glen. It looked like Kevin Harvick was going to finally pick up his third win of the season but lost fuel pressure …

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Entry List: 2015 Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan

2015 Michigan I Cup Justin Allgaier Pack Racing Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photography)

One week removed from their final road course of 2015, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is returning to their fastest oval with a new high-drag package. NASCAR released the entry list for the Aug. 16 Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. The list includes 44 teams, meaning one will fail to make Sunday’s race. …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2015 Cheez-It 355 at the Glen

Joey Logano poses with the trophy after winning the Cheez-It 355 at the Glen at Watkins Glen International

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

Who’s in the headline – Weekend sweeps seem to happen quite frequently these days, with some of the winning drivers from the Cup Series running the companion races that are scheduled on many race weekends. Surprisingly, this weekend featured the first time such a sweep took place at Watkins Glen. Joey Logano had never run a …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2015 Cheez-It 355 at the Glen

AJ Allmendinger races theorugh the esses during the Cheez-It 355 at the Glen at Watkins Glen International

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)­

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? The unsung performer of the week was tough this time …

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Pace Laps: Missing Expectations, Flying Fists, and Surprise Contenders

2015 Watkins Glen Cup Jeff Gordon Car Cia

Photo Credit: CIA Stock Photography

Sprint Cup Series: Oh, What Might Have Been… Watkins Glen is sold every year as the last regular season “wild card” race, the last place an underdog can work his way into the Chase under the right circumstances. There were high hopes entering the weekend for defending winner AJ Allmendinger, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and …

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Road King Jeff Gordon Paces Final 2015 Cheez-It 355 at the Glen Practice

2015 Loudon I Cup Jeff Gordon Vertical Cia

(Photo: CIA Stock Photo, Inc. ©2015)

The second Sprint Cup practice for Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 went to Jeff Gordon. Gordon, with nine NASCAR Sprint Cup victories between Watkins Glen and Sonoma, put down a fast lap of 127.333 mph to lead the final road course practice session of his career. Kyle Larson (127.049), Greg Biffle (126.987), Kyle Busch (126.837) and Joey …

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NASCAR 101: Where Did All the Ringers Go?

2014 Watkins Glen Cup Aj Allmendinger Trophy Cia

Will AJ Allmendinger be a legitimate threat in the Chase?

There was a point in time in NASCAR’s not-so-distant past when the road-course races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series were quite the ambiguous affair – and not just because they’re among the few races in which the drivers actually have to turn right at a high speed. Then, the entry lists were dotted with …

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