Race Weekend Central

Frontstretch 5: NASCAR Cup Drivers Who Can Rejuvenate Sluggish Seasons With Talladega Win

2020 Talladega playoff Cup Chase Elliott leads in pack racing Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Talladega Superspeedway race weekend is upon us at last, which means fast racing, daring passes, big crashes and exhilarating down-to-the-wire finishes. While most race fans are eager to see what will unfold this weekend (April 24-25), most NASCAR Cup Series drivers and teams will carry plenty of dread with them instead. Due to the high-risk …

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Keelan Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Among Talladega iRacing Pro Invitational Entries

Virtual Talladega 2020 Iracing Invitational Jeff Gordon Fence Chris Graythen Getty Images

(Photo: Chris Graythen | Getty Images)

When you think of a second-generation NASCAR driver, you probably don’t think of the name “Harvick”. That will change Wednesday, April 21. The entry list for the eNASCAR iRacing Pro Invitational Series race at virtual Talladega Superspeedway was revealed Tuesday evening (April 20) and featured several guest invites in addition to the chartered entries. Among …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: 2021 Toyota Owners 400

Kyle Busch's No. 18 M&Ms car at 2021 Spring Atlanta Cup race Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

The NASCAR Cup Series heads to another Virginia short track this weekend in Richmond Raceway. Let’s get your daily fantasy NASCAR DraftKings lineup ready for the Toyota Owners 400 on Sunday, April 18. Though it is a short track, Richmond is vastly different from Martinsville Speedway. It’s a three-quarters of a mile, D-shaped oval with …

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NASCAR Mailbox: Will a JTG Daugherty Car Make the Playoffs?

JTG Daugherty Racing drivers Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Ryan Preece talks, stands against Preece’s car at 2021 spring Las Vegas Cup race NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Coming off a second-place finish on Bristol Dirt, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is solidly inside the top 15 in points (with Ryan Preece 18th as an open car). Will either JTG Daugherty Racing driver make the playoffs? – Harold C., St. Louis, Missouri This is the million-dollar question (literally) for Tad and Jodi Geschickter, as well …

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Daily Fantasy NASCAR DraftKings Forecast: 2021 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

Brad Keselowski car with Dent Wizard paint scheme at Homestead 2021 Cup Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

After a couple of weeks out west, the NASCAR Cup Series travels to the Peach State for the 2021 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Get your fantasy NASCAR DraftKings rosters ready for this 325-lap event down in Georgia, televised by Fox beginning on Sunday, March 21 at 3 p.m. ET. Atlanta …

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Kevin Harvick, Ryan Preece Add Xfinity, Truck Races

Ryan Preece and Kevin Harvick talk before 2021 Homestead Cup race Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Kevin Harvick is the latest upper-series driver to throw his name into the ring at the Bristol Motor Speedway dirt track in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Harvick will drive the No. 17 for David Gilliland Racing at Bristol, KHI Management announced March 10. Additionally, Harvick has been announced for three Xfinity Series races …

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Did You Notice?: NASCAR Stage Points Keeping Big Names Afloat In 2021

Did You Notice?… The weird start to the 2021 NASCAR season, made even weirder by stage points? Let me explain. We’ve talked to death about four surprise winners in the first four races, only one of whom earned a victory in 2020. Michael McDowell is the sport’s Cinderella story, capturing the Daytona 500 while names like …

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The Frontstretch 5: Drivers Who Could Be the Next 1st-Time Winner

Tyler Reddick at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the 2021 Pennzoil 400 Photo: NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

1. Tyler Reddick Probably the only thing standing between Reddick and victory this year is equipment. Richard Childress Racing is just a tick behind the top big teams, and that tick means that Reddick will have to work that much harder for his win. But that will only make it sweeter. After his charging runner-up …

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The Underdog House: Erik Jones Rebounds for 1st Top 10 with Richard Petty

Ross Chastain and Erik Jones racing during the Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube, 3/7/2021 (Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Top Dog 2021 looks different in many ways for Richard Petty Motorsports. After a year where they ended up in the national spotlight with Bubba Wallace, the team faces an identity shift in 2021 with Erik Jones. While crew chief Jerry Baxter stayed with RPM following Wallace’s departure, the team was faced with a tough …

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Fire on Fridays: 7 NASCAR Cup Drivers Who Have to Win in 2021

Kyle Larson talks with Matt DiBenedetto 2021 Daytona 500 Photo NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Entering August 2020, if you’d asked me which drivers were on the hot seat and might lose their ride if they didn’t produce soon, William Byron would’ve been near the top of my list. Sure, Byron signed an extension with Hendrick Motorsports that month, but contracts aren’t always fulfilled in sports. Plus, Rick Hendrick doesn’t …

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Did You Notice?: A Cautionary Tale on NASCAR Road Courses

Yellow Flag: Caution

(Photo: Frontstretch.com)

Did You Notice? … This year’s NASCAR Cup Series race at the Daytona International Speedway road course ran 12 of its 70 laps under caution? It adds up to 17% of Sunday’s race (Feb. 21), with only one green-flag run lasting more than 10 laps. The eight cautions were more than any road race outside of …

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NASCAR Stat Sheet: Feels Like the First Time

Christopher Bell celebrates after winning the 2021 O'Reilly Auto Parts 253 Photo:NKP

(Photo: Nigel Kinrade Photography)

Here’s an interesting tidbit: For the first time since 1950, the first two races of the Cup Series schedule have been won by first-time visitors to victory lane. It’s almost happened a couple times before. In 2001, Michael Waltrip picked up his first win at Daytona International Speedway, but Rockingham Speedway winner Steve Park had …

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