Race Weekend Central

Happiness Is…Dominance, Owning It & “Fluky”

2016 Charlotte I Cup Martin Truex Jr Jimmie Johnson Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Well Sunday sure ended up being an interesting day. For being considered the best day in racing, however, there was something that felt slightly peculiar. Perhaps the rain falling over Monaco set the stage, as the Formula 1 race then began behind a safety car. That’s never a great way to get things started.   …

Read more

The Frontstretch 5: Things to Consider About the Racing in NASCAR

2016 Charlotte I Cup Pack Racing John Harrelson Nkp

(Photo: John Harrelson / NKP)

Dominant performances happen They just do. And there isn’t anything wrong with them—just like there’s nothing wrong with fuel mileage races, races that are won on rain strategy, long green-flag runs, or any of a dozen other things that happen over several hundred miles of competition that don’t result in a door-to-door finish.  It’s part …

Read more

The 10: Colorado Beatdown in Charlotte

2016 Charlotte I Cup Martin Truex Jr Confetti Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

Wow. What else can you say after a dominating performance like Martin Truex, Jr.’s record-breaking beatdown of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series field in the Coca-Cola 600? One year removed from a heartbreaking loss in NASCAR’s longest race to Carl Edwards on fuel mileage, Truex and his Furniture Row Racing team left no doubt who …

Read more

2016 Frontstretch Podcast – Episode 10: 2016 Memorial Day Weekend Edition

Alexander Rossi Indianapolis 2016 Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff)

Welcome to the Fronstretch Podcast! Racing expert Matt Stallknecht and his rotating panel of guests have you covered from now until the end of the season with all of the main storylines from the motorsports week that was. This week’s podcast covered the following topics… Stallknecht and Bearden share their thoughts on the atmosphere of the 2016 Indianapolis 500, along …

Read more

Red Hot Toyota Takes Center Stage In NASCAR

Nascar Sprint Cup Series Food City 500

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Oh, Toyota. What a difference a year makes. It was May 31, 2015 at Dover, and every Camry in the Sprint Cup race seemed plagued by bad luck. Only one driver running for the manufacturer, Clint Bowyer, posted a top-10 finish at the Monster Mile, running for a Michael Waltrip Racing team that in mere months …

Read more

Couch Potato Tuesday: Memorial Day Weekend Racing TV Overload

Truex

(Photo: Zach Catanzareti)

One of the biggest racing weekends of the year is now complete.  I don’t know about all of you reading this column, but I’m pretty exhausted.  I’ve still got you covered, though after what turned out to be the busiest racing TV Sunday we’ve seen in 2016. Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night brought a bit of …

Read more

Five Points to Ponder: Racing Legends New and Old

Alexander Rossi Indianapolis 2016 Mike Neff

(Photo: Mike Neff)

ONE: Truex Wins What a morale-boosting victory it was for Martin Truex, Jr. Sunday night. The driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevy eviscerated the field, leading a whopping 392 of 400 laps – the most one driver has ever led in a NASCAR race at Charlotte. Truex has led laps in seven races this season …

Read more

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

2016 Charlotte I Cup Martin Truex Jr Confetti Russell Labounty Nkp

(Photo: Russell LaBounty / NKP)

The best day in auto racing gave us two differently distinct types of races, but the final results brought about similar feelings. There was awe in how a rookie could save so much fuel, snookering several top-notch IndyCar teams and competitors down the stretch. The awe we felt with Martin Truex, Jr. reaching Victory Lane was connected to dominance; …

Read more

Up To Speed: Martin Truex, Jr., Sherry Pollex and the Long Road to the Coca-Cola 600 Victory

2016 Charlotte I Cup Martin Truex Jr Burnout Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

The story of Martin Truex, Jr. has been one of the most compelling in the NASCAR garage area over the past few seasons. This driver has had the highest of highs, the lowest of lows, and still has managed to maintain the hearts of this sports’ most die hard fan base. Truex’s entire career is …

Read more

Thinkin’ Out Loud – Martin Truex, Jr. Dominates to win the Coca-Cola 600

2016 Charlotte I Cup Martin Truex Jr Jimmie Johnson Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

The Key Moment – When that particular No. 78 car was completed, some mechanic grinned, slammed the hood and said, “Yeah, this one ought to run pretty good.” In a Nutshell – After a season fraught with frustration, Martin Truex, Jr. put on a clinic and finally sealed the deal with a dominant win. Truex led …

Read more

The Big 6: Questions Answered After the 2016 Coca-Cola 600

2016 Charlotte I Cup Martin Truex Jr Woohoo Nascar Via Getty Images

(Photo: NASCAR via Getty Images)

Who… gets my shoutout of the race? While Martin Truex, Jr. was busy stealing the show, there were a few drivers who put on quietly impressive performances.  Kurt Busch was impressive all weekend long, leading the way in two of three practice sessions and running inside the top 10 all night long after starting 13th.  …

Read more

Kurt Busch, Martin Truex, Jr. Pace Saturday Sprint Cup Practices

NASCAR Sprint Cup teams had two chances to get it right Saturday with a pair of practice sessions for Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest race of the season. Kurt Busch paced the morning edition with a top speed of 191.002 mph.  Jimmie Johnson, whose seven Charlotte wins rank as most by a driver in track history, …

Read more