Inside Circle Track

Tyler Reddick hoping to use Homestead to pile up points

Over the past few years, when fans and media of NASCAR have thought about the Homestead-Miami Speedway the name of Tyler Reddick is one of the first to come up. The Corning, CA native twice used that south Florida track to secure a NASCAR Xfinity Series championship when he won there in 2018 and 2019. And his trend of success continued in the Sunshine State in 2020 during his rookie campaign on the NASCAR Cup Series when he finished fourth on the 1.5-mile oval. The move by the series to one of his better tracks could not be coming at…

Who picked Michael McDowell and Ryan Preece to have two top-10s at this point?

There are currently four NASCAR Cup Series drivers who have scored a top-10 finish in each of the two races held on the grounds of the Daytona International Speedway so far in 2021. Two of those four are named Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick, which should not surprise anyone. But the fact that the other two top finishers are named Michael McDowell and Ryan Preece ought to come as a surprise to many fans and followers of the sport. Even though the two tracks located inside the racing facility at DIS are very different, the equipment prepared by Hamlin’s Joe…

Homestead will provide Kyle Larson with realistic shot at an early win

When it was announced that Kyle Larson would return to the NASCAR Cup Series with powerful Hendrick Motorsports following a suspension of several months, there were high expectations. After a season in which the Elk Grove, CA driver tore through the dirt racing ranks piling up scores of feature wins, the status of the 28-year-old racer reached almost legendary proportions. Many expect weekly contention, multiple race wins, and a deep run into the NASCAR Playoffs from the No. 5 Chevrolet team this season, in part, because of the dominance he demonstrated in 2020. This driver’s prowess on dirt has caused…

Hailie Deegan relying on experienced mentors for guidance

Hailie Deegan comes from a racing background and always had someone to look up to as she began to mold her own career in the sport. Her father, Brian Deegan, is a professional freestyle motocross competitor who is consider the most successful rider in X Games history. Having so much success already within the family has almost certainly taught this up-and-coming 19-year-old racer the importance of leaning on those who have experience in the field as she looks to carve her own path. As Deegan embarks on her first full season as a driver on the NASCAR Camping World Truck…

Super Speedway races should be renamed the Manufacturer 500

Over the past several seasons it has become abundantly clear that the three auto manufacturers involved in the NASCAR Cup Series intend for their drivers to work to together to produce the best possible result at the sport’s two super speedway tracks. And this most recent Daytona 500 provided a clear example that nothing has changed in that regard. Virtually every time a race is aired from either the Daytona International Speedway or the Talladega Super Speedway, we are told by the media present at the track that each manufacturer held a meeting with its drivers and team owners prior…

Michael McDowell’s victory increases NASCAR Playoffs pressure

Any NASCAR Cup Series team will tell you that it’s never too early to start thinking about making the NASCAR Playoffs. For that matter, doing so becomes the primary focus in race shops throughout North Carolina almost immediately after the previous season ends. So this year coming out of the season-opening Daytona 500, an extra bit of pressure has been added to the mix for those teams who typically consider themselves to be in the hunt for a championship. Joe Gibbs Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Stewart-Haas Racing, Team Penske, Richard Childress Racing, and Chip Ganassi Racing all placed at least one…

Daytona 500 Race Day Live Updates

During today’s race I will be offering a ‘Live Updates’ sort of blog presentation on this page that will feature updates of the significant moments within the Daytona 500, driver quotes from those moments, scanner chatter, and running orders throughout the day as well as the final finishing order. These updates will be in addition to posts from @RichardAllenIDR & @ICTwebsite on Twitter. Scroll through the page regularly as information will be added frequently. The 63rd annual Daytona 500 will be aired live on Fox with ‘NASCAR Race Day’ beginning at 1:00pm(eastern). Actual race coverage begins at 2:30pm. Engines will…

Despite ARCA disappointment, Derek Griffith garners second World Series of Asphalt crown

Derek Griffith may not live in Florida but he has certainly made himself right at home over the last two winters in the Sunshine State. For the second consecutive year, the Hudson, NH native earned the World Series of Asphalt championship in the David Rogers Super Late Model division at New Smyrna Speedway. The 24-year-old driver won three of the seven feature races contested over the course of the nine-day racing event. While Griffith’s 9th place result in the Orange Blossom 100 finale at the track located not far from the Daytona International Speedway was his worst effort of the…

Stephen Nasse claims World Series of Asphalt finale at New Smyrna

The World Series of Asphalt wound to its conclusion on Saturday evening after nine nights of racing action. The David Rogers Super Late Model division took center stage on this final night at New Smyrna Speedway to contest the Orange Blossom 100. In the end, it was Pinellas Park, FL driver Stephen Nasse who would claim his first ever win in this event and his eighth overall career triumph in SLM competition at the World Series. It was Nasse’s second win of the weekend after having taken the Pro Late Model feature at New Smyrna on Friday night. Derek Griffith…

The Daytona Duels have outlived their original purpose

To be clear, having racing to watch is far better than not having racing to watch. That said, however, the Daytona Duel races traditionally held on the Thursday prior to the Daytona 500 and used to set the starting lineup for the ‘Great American Race’ don’t hold the significance they were originally intended to hold. So in terms of being an important part of the SpeedWeeks program, these races have really outlived their original purpose. Years ago, the top-14 or top-15 finishers(depending on the finishing position of the two drivers who earned front row starting positions in time-trials) in each…