Race Weekend Central

Frontstretch 5: Best Clutch Performances in NASCAR Playoff History

Martinsville Jeff Gordon Team Victory 2015 Cup Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff, Frontstretch)

Four unlucky drivers’ fates will be sealed after this coming Saturday’s (Sept. 18) Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway, as the NASCAR Cup Series playoff field will be reduced from 16 to 12 competitors. Alex Bowman, Tyler Reddick, William Byron and Michael McDowell all enter Bristol underneath the cutoff line, and …

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Dropping The Hammer: NASCAR Cup Drivers React to Largest Next Gen Car Test Yet

NASCAR Next Gen Car at Daytona

(Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Five months before its official debut, the club of NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have gotten a crack at the Next Gen car grew last week. For two days at Daytona International Speedway, eight drivers took part in what was primarily a Goodyear Tire test at the 2.5-mile superspeedway. The group was a combination of …

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NASCAR Stat Sheet: Truex Back on the Radar After Richmond Win

Martin Truex Jr. is often a NASCAR DraftKings pick on road courses, seen here at Circuit of the Americas. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Much of the championship talk has centered around Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson, the most dominant duo in the Cup Series this season. Larson has been a winning machine and Hamlin mind-bogglingly consistent. But while those two are at the forefront of most minds as they pursue their first Cup crown, a former champion reminded …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond

Martin Truex Jr at Richmond Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

What happened? Martin Truex Jr. won the Federated Auto Parts Salute to First Responders 400 at Richmond Raceway on Saturday night (Sept. 11) after leading the final 51 laps. Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott and Joey Logano rounded out the top-five finishers. RETWEET to congratulate @MartinTruex_Jr on his WIN at @RichmondRaceway! His fourth win …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: 2021 Federated Auto Parts 400

Joey Logano, a frequent fantasy NASCAR DraftKings pick, walks through the Indianapolis Motor Speedway garage in 2021. (Photo: NKP)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The NASCAR Cup Series Round of 16 holds its second race Saturday night (Sept. 11) at Richmond Raceway. Let’s get your daily fantasy NASCAR DraftKings rosters ready for the 2021 Federated Auto Parts 400! This race marks the second time drivers will face the 0.75-mile racetrack this season. Back in April, Alex Bowman snagged his …

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NASCAR Nuggets: Cup Drivers Talk Playoffs, New Packages & New Teams

Kyle busch smiling at NASCAR Cup Michigan race, NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Hours before the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 28, 20 drivers of the NASCAR Cup Series stopped by the media bullpen to answer a few questions. One by one, Cup drivers stopped by the gates and spoke about the past, present and future of their careers. There were plenty …

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4 Burning Questions: Who’ll Be Eliminated in Each Cup Playoff Round?

2021 regular season Cup champion Kyle Larson with trophy

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Who will be eliminated in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs’ Round of 16? Michael McDowell has been disappointing in the second half of the regular season. He had a strong start to the season in addition to his Daytona 500 win, but he’s 28th in total points in the past 10 races among all Cup …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona

Ryan Blaney Celebrating in victory lane after winning 2021 Coke Zero Sugar 400 NASCAR Cup race at Daytona, Jared C Tilton/Getty Images

(Photo: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images via NASCAR Media)

Ryan Blaney won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona on Saturday night (Aug. 28) in overtime under caution after a last-lap wreck on the backstretch.

Up to Speed: Why This Year’s Cup Series Playoffs Will Be Different for Ryan Blaney

Ryan Blaney walks around Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Tex. (Photo: NKP)

#12: Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, Ford Mustang BodyArmor

Has anybody in NASCAR had a better two weeks than Ryan Blaney?  For the first time in his career, Blaney has won back-to-back Cup Series races.  The first win came at Michigan International Speedway on Aug. 22.  Then, he and the No. 12 team followed up that victory with a win at Daytona International Speedway …

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Couch Potato Tuesday: The Curbs Ruin NBC’s Day In Indianapolis

Kyle Busch races in the NASCAR Cup Sereies at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, August 2021. Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

In recent years, races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway have been a mixed affair. The Indianapolis 500 has generally been very competitive in recent years.  I’ve enjoyed the races, recent television coverage from NBC and I think most race fans would agree. For NASCAR, it’s been a downward trajectory since the repave in 2008. The 2008 …

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Indianapolis Road Course Turn 6 Curbs Cause 2 Wrecks

2021 Indy road Indianapolis Cup Joey Logano pack racing NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

SPEEDWAY, Ind. — As the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course hit less than 10 laps to go in its scheduled distance, a debris caution wiped away Hendrick Motorsports’ dominance up front. Who knew it was also about to wipe away half the field, causing millions in sheet metal …

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AJ Allmendinger Scores 2nd Triumph, Maiden Cup Win for Kaulig Amid Indy Road Course Chaos

2021 Indy road Indianapolis Cup AJ Allmendinger burnout NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Four hours, multiple issues with curbing, several big crashes and an overtime penalty for Chase Briscoe later, AJ Allmendinger emerged from the smoke, bent fenders and crumpled sheet metal as the winner of the NASCAR Cup Series’ Verizon 200 at the Brickyard Sunday (Aug. 15). Sunday marked the first time the NASCAR Cup Series had …

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