Race Weekend Central

Thinkin’ Out Loud – Kevin Harvick Destroys the Field in Las Vegas

2015 Las Vegas Cup Kevin Harvick Burnout Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

Who’s in the headline – The driver who was second on the board at the sports books in Vegas when the green flag flew was Kevin Harvick. After Jimmie Johnson had a loose wheel and then blew a tire it was Harvick’s race to lose and he never had a problem until his right rear …

Read more

The Frontstretch Five: Reasons for Optimism in 2015

Crown Royal Presents The John Wayne Walding 400 Practice

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

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 says there are some good reasons to be optimistic about …

Read more

NASCAR Mailbox: Reflecting on Atlanta and Hitting the Strip Without Kyle Busch

Nscs Jamie Mcmurray Denny Hamlin Crash Atlanta Motor Speedway Credit Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Well, the new early stop at Atlanta Motor Speedway is now behind us, and that’s a really good thing for most everybody in the sport, including this week’s winner, Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 bunch who have four wins at Las Vegas. This weekend, things will finally begin to heat up – and that’s both …

Read more

NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Atlanta

2015 Atlanta Cup Jimmie Johnson Wins Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Throughout the 2014 season, the question on everyone’s mind was, when will Jimmie Johnson win his first race of the year? Although Johnson went on to win four races in 2014, he was never a threat for the championship, opening the door for questions about the team and combination with crew chief Chad Knaus. The …

Read more

Who’s Hot and Who’s Not In Sprint Cup: Las Vegas Edition

2014 Homestead Nns Kyle Larson Racing Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Now that we are two races into the NASCAR season, we can’t say something is a trend, but what we can say is that it after two races the drivers who are off to good starts aren’t going to give them back. And the drivers who are off to slow starts don’t like where they …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2015 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta

2015 Atlanta Cup Jimmie Johnson Wins Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

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? There’s been a question about the performance, or lack thereof, …

Read more

MPM2Nite: Sliced Bread Redux

2014 Richmond Ii Cup Joey Logano Car Cia

Credit: CIA Stock Photography

There are few better ways to torpedo a young driver’s career than to make him ride into the big leagues aboard a wave of hype. Such was the case of one Joseph Thomas Logano out of Atlanta by way of Middletown Connecticut. Early success in some support series earned him some high profile endorsements labeling …

Read more

Joey Logano Takes Sprint Cup Pole After Chaotic Qualifying

2014 Martinsville Ii Cup Joey Logano Helmet Cia

(Credit: CIA Stock Photography)

Normally, the Daytona 500 winner taking the pole a week after his triumph would be the biggest story of qualifying. But Friday’s qualifying session at Atlanta Motor Speedway was anything but normal. Joey Logano used a blistering 194.683 mph lap to take the pole for Sunday’s Folds of Honor Quiktrip 500, the ninth of his …

Read more

Joey Logano Paces Both XFINITY Series Practices at Atlanta

Team Penske is back on top once again. Daytona 500 champion Joey Logano has momentum on his side following a week full of media appearances across the east coast, and he was able to drive his No. 22 Ford to the top of the charts during both of Friday’s practice sessions for the NASCAR XFINITY …

Read more

Happiness Is… Bargain Shopping, Good Times & Monkeying Around

2015 Daytona I Cup Joey Logano Woohoo Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

There was a time when some young hotshot got a sweet ride driving for top-tier organization, taking over from a former champion and stalwart of the sport.  That driver faced the challenge of carrying with him exaggerated expectations but also squinted eyes from fans.  That driver, however, found elements of success but eventually wore out …

Read more

NASCAR Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After Daytona

2015 Daytona I Cup Joey Logano Woohoo Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

After a Speedweeks that can be described as nothing else but crazy, Sunday saw a somewhat tame Daytona 500…if you can call multiple laps of three-wide racing for the lead at 200 mph tame. The race ended under yellow for a multi-car accident after the field took the white flag. Joey Logano, who led 31 …

Read more

NASCAR Mailbox: Daytona, Atlanta, and the Busch Brothers

2015 Daytona I Cup Joey Logano Trophy Credit Nascar Via Getty Images

(Credit: NASCAR via Getty Images)

What else can fans ask for out of the official start of our season? Daytona brought firsts in terms of victories for two young drivers; in the Camping World Truck Series for 19 year-old Tyler Reddick in the No. 19 Ford for Brad Keselowski, and in the XFINITY Series for 21 year-old Ryan Reed in …

Read more