Race Weekend Central

Did You Notice?: NASCAR Halfway Through Regular Season

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: John K Harrelson / NKP)

Did You Notice? … NASCAR is halfway through the 26-race regular season? Year one post-Dale Earnhardt Jr. has come with an expected ratings and attendance decline. But as the sport attempts to move forward, perhaps its biggest 2018 storyline is stagnancy at the top. Three of last year’s Championship 4: Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and reigning champion …

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The 10: NASCAR Cup Series Power Rankings After Charlotte

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series returned to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the 59th annual 600-mile event. When you look at the list of NASCAR Hall of Famers, most of them have at least one Coca-Cola 600 victory on their résumé. Darrell Waltrip, Richard Petty, David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace are just a few …

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The Frontstretch 5: Ingredients for a Great Driver

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Brickyard 400 Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Indianapolis, In Usa Saturday 22 July 2017 Kyle Busch, Joe Gibbs Racing, Skittles Toyota Camry And Kyle Larson, Chip Ganassi Racing, Target Chevrolet Ss World Copyright: Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

1. Kyle Busch’s tenacity Imagine, if you will, that you were starting a brand-new NASCAR race team, and you could not only choose, but create a driver with the best qualities of the sport’s top talent. What would you pick? Here’s a good place to start: Busch’s raw talent often spells trouble for the competition, …

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The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2018 Coca-Cola 600

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? It became apparent Sunday night reports of Jimmie Johnson’s decline may have been a bit exaggerated. For the first time this season, Johnson had a top-five car, and the seven-time champion responded with his best effort on an intermediate track since last October. It was a vintage performance …

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Jimmie Johnson Shows Speed in Top-5 Coca-Cola 600 Finish

2018 Cup Dover Zach Catanzareti Jimmie Johnson Chad Knaus

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

In the past, a fifth-place finish at Charlotte Motor Speedway would have been a disappointment for Jimmie Johnson. After all, he’s won at the track eight times. But in the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night (May 27), the top-five finish at Charlotte for Johnson was a vast improvement from the way the No. 48 Chevrolet has …

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Up to Speed: Jimmie Johnson Faces NASCAR Changes

2018 Las Vegas I Cup Jimmie Johnson Helmet Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

For most of his NASCAR career, Jimmie Johnson has been a picture of stability.  Going all the way back to his first Cup Series start, Johnson has piloted the No. 48 car for Hendrick Motorsports and Lowe’s has sponsored the majority of races for him each year.  Chad Knaus joined the No. 48 team as …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR FanDuel Forecast: Coca-Cola 600

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

NASCAR heads to Charlotte Motor Speedway this weekend for the Coca-Cola 600. Sunday night’s race (May 27) is the longest and one of the most prestigious on the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule. FanDuel debuted its new daily fantasy NASCAR contest at Talladega Superspeedway a few weeks ago and it will continue on throughout …

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Happiness Is: Connections & Technology

Mirrors

Ferrari's mirrors turned out to be a little too un-mirror-like (credit: Getty Images)

It’s that time of year again when NASCAR stays near its home and plays in the backyard.  It’s a metaphorical backyard cookout, complete with hot dogs, hamburgers, potato salad, probably someone who whines, and the unsatisfactory feeling that once it ends that you don’t feel either full or at peace with yourself.  The food tasted …

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2-Headed Monster: Could NASCAR-Related Betting Increase the Sport’s Exposure?

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Go Bowling 400 Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Ks Usa Saturday 13 May 2017 Martin Truex Jr, Furniture Row Racing, Auto Owners Insurance Toyota Camry, Kevin Harvick, Stewart Haas Racing, Busch Light Ford Fusion And Ryan Blaney, Wood Brothers Racing, Motorcraft/quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford Fusion Restart World Copyright: Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty/NKP)

Now that individual states have the ability to legalize sports betting, it is anticipated that most sporting leagues will want to get in on the action. Undoubtedly, NASCAR will be among them largely because the revenue involved is could be a serious boon for the sport. But would betting windows at the track lead to …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Dust In The Wind

Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series Pennzoil 400 Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Las Vegas, Nv Usa Friday 2 March 2018 Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, Ford Fusion Menards / Pennzoil World Copyright: Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular season is basically halfway over, as Saturday night’s KC Masterpiece 400 at Kansas Speedway was the 12th of 26 races before the playoffs. At any rate, the 2018 season is one-third complete, with the score by manufacturers sitting at Ford 7, Toyota 4, Chevy 1. Just before the …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Kevin Harvick Slathers Competition in Kansas

#4: Kevin Harvick, Stewart Haas Racing, Ford Fusion Busch Light Celebrates His Win Monster Energy Nascar Cup Series

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who’s in the headline Kevin Harvick continues to confirm the belief that Ford is the manufacturer to beat in 2018 in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. For the fifth time in 12 races, Harvick was in Victory Lane. He started the year with three wins in a row after the Daytona 500 and has now …

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Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: First 2018 Trip to the First State

2018 Las Vegas I Cup Kevin Harvick Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series went to Dover International Speedway this weekend as the closing act of a tripleheader of national series action, but rain dampened the mood as Kevin Harvick destroyed the field in the AAA 400 Drive for Autism as cars ticked away the laps single-file at the Monster Mile. The win …

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