Race Weekend Central

Who’s Hot & Who’s Not in NASCAR: Pocono Edition

2016 Indianapolis Cup Kyle Busch Burnout Matthew T Thacker Nkp

(Photo: Matthew T. Thacker/NKP)

We know it was hot Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, with in-car temperatures regularly between 110 and 115, and track temperatures in the 130-degree range. But the temperature wasn’t the only indicator of who was hot, or not, at the famed 2.5-mile oval. HOT No matter what the temperature was, no driver was as hot …

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Daily NASCAR Fantasy: Drafting Your Indianapolis Lineup

Tony Stewart

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway Sunday, July 24th for the Combat Wounded Coalition 400. This Sunday, one of the greatest of all time returns to the world’s most famous racetrack. Jeff Gordon returns to action as he fills in for Dale Earnhardt Jr for the next two races. Junior is …

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Double Take: 22 Hendrick Drivers Played Part in Getting to 1,000 Top 5s

2016 Loudon I Cup Chase Elliott Jimmie Johnson Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

You may have heard that Hendrick Motorsports is just one top 5 away from 1,000 in the Sprint Cup. Just take a moment and let that sink in: Hendrick Motorsports has placed a driver in the top 12.5 percent of the field on 999 occasions. Its most-accomplished driver, Jeff Gordon, has only raced 797 races in …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Matt Kenseth New Hampshire Win Tainted By Failed Inspection?

2016 Loudon I Cup Mattkneseth Woohoo Matthew T Thacker Nkp

Who’s in the headline: The old adage of only having to lead one lap seems to be the way Matt Kenseth does business. It rang true again this weekend as Kenseth started 18th and took over 250 laps to get to the point. Once there, he endured three restarts over the final 31 circuits and strolled to victory in a …

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Did You Notice? … Hendrick Motorsports’ Rough Road?

2016 Charlotte All Star Cup Rick Hendrick Nigel Kinrade Nkp

How Did Hendrick Do in Comparison to Kyle Busch? (Photo: Nigel Kinrade/NKP)

Did You Notice? … The struggles of Hendrick Motorsports this season getting more pronounced? The team’s night at Kentucky Speedway ended with none of HMS’ four cars in serious contention; Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was the best of the bunch in 13th place. For the second straight week, the entire four-car fleet ran outside the top 10, the …

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Daily NASCAR Fantasy: Drafting Your Kentucky Lineup (Quaker State 400)

2016 Pocono I Cup Kyle Busch Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell Labounty/NKP)

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to Kentucky Speedway Saturday, July 9th for the Quaker State 400. The speedway underwent an extensive face lift following the 2015 race last July, which includes a newly paved surface, steeper corners and added SAFER barrier. Kentucky Speedway was added to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule back in …

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Did You Notice? … In NASCAR, Timing Is Everything

Yellow Flag: Caution

(Photo: Frontstretch.com)

Did You Notice? … Timing is everything these days? In the past two weeks, we’ve seen when officials throw the yellow flag make a difference. There was the debris caution at Sonoma, thrown at a point where Tony Stewart was able to catch a lucky break on track position. Then, there was the final lap …

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NASCAR Mailbox: Predicting the Future

2106 Sonoma Cup Tony Stewart Helmet Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

With a new aerodynamic package added to the mix in 2016, many things have remained the same. The same core of organizations are winning races, ultimately dominating the sport. Could there be a change in the near future? Familiar foes are near the Chase cutoff, and it’s something that those drivers and teams are accustomed to, …

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The Frontstretch 5: Winless Drivers Who Could Surprise at Daytona

2016 Phoenix I Cup Clint Bowyer Nigel Kinrade Nkp

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

For the second week in a row, the Sprint Cup Series is visiting a track where the usual suspects aren’t the only options as the equality of the cars puts a large percentage of the race in the drivers’ hands. There’s a good chance the series could see its 11th different winner of 2016 and, while Dale …

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Thinkin’ Out Loud: Inside Tony Stewart’s Stunning Sonoma Victory

2106 Sonoma Cup Tony Stewart Woohoo Close John Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John Harrelson/NKP)

Who’s in the headline – Friday, Tony Stewart said, “driving a Sprint Cup car does not make me happy right now.” Wonder how he feels after a trip to Victory Lane? Based on that winning look on his face my guess is “ecstatic” after a last-lap, last-turn re-pass of Denny Hamlin earned Smoke his first victory since Dover in June 2013. …

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Daily NASCAR Fantasy: Drafting Your Michigan Lineup (FireKeepers Casino 400)

2016 Nascar Sprint Cup Series, Pocono

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade / NKP)

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series returns to Michigan International Speedway on June 12th for the FireKeepers Casino 400. NASCAR has implemented a new low downforce package for this weekends’ race, which will test each and every driver’s skill around the fast two-mile track. Earlier in the week, the Sprint Cup Series saw its ninth different …

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Double Take: Michigan Success in June Doesn’t Lead to Cup Titles

Want to win the Sprint Cup championship this season? Don’t win this weekend at Michigan. That’s right – don’t win. Super counterintuitive, I know. Today’s NASCAR is all about winning. Win to make the Chase. Win to appease sponsors. Win to advance in the Chase. And win to take home the title. Winning is great, …

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