Turn 2 Blog: Hamlin vs Larson & Did NASCAR make the right call?

*Turn 2 Blog is a regular feature on InsideCircleTrack.com. Here, site operators Michael Moats and Richard Allen take turns offering their thoughts on the NASCAR and pavement short track racing topics of the day. What are your thoughts on the late race battle at Pocono between Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson? Richard: First, hard racing is good for the sport and it’s what fans want to see. And hard racing is what was taking place late in the race at Pocono. Hamlin put Larson in a position in which he had to decide whether he wanted to lift or run…

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People make too much of Kyle Busch winning in the lower series

When Kyle Busch executed a last lap pass on Corey Heim to win Saturday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at Pocono Raceway it secured the 64th win for the driver and the 100th win for Kyle Busch Motorsports on that tour. The Las Vegas native is the all-time winningest driver on both the Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series while at the same time ranking 9th among past victors in the NASCAR Cup Series. Busch has amassed a total of 229 wins across NASCAR’s top-three divisions over the course of his career. Throughout most of his career, detractors have…

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Maybe Justin Haley knows something the rest of us don’t know

When the news came out earlier this week that NASCAR driver Justin Haley had signed a contract with Rick Ware Racing to drive for that organization beginning in 2024 the question many might have been left asking was ‘Why would someone who has a ride with Kaulig Racing sign a multi-year deal with Rick Ware Racing?’ Perhaps the answer is as simple as maybe he knows more about the situation than we do. On the surface, this seems like a step back for Haley. In his current No. 31 Chevrolet he sits 21st in the NASCAR Cup Series standings scoring…

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Christopher Bell’s focus this season the same as last … except that it’s different

About this time last season, Christopher Bell’s focus was on the drivers he was battling to earn a spot in the NASCAR Playoffs. Even with his win in New Hampshire, nothing was certain as the cutoff race in Daytona approached because so many different drivers had won a race that there seemed to be very few guarantees until the sixteen driver lineup who would compete for the championship was officially set. Bell spent much of his time in 2022 hovering around the Playoff bubble on the verge of not making it onto the list of contenders. His New Hampshire win…

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Turn 2 Blog: Running mid-pack in the top series vs running up front in a lower series

*Turn 2 Blog is a regular feature on InsideCircleTrack.com. Here, site operators Michael Moats and Richard Allen take turns offering their thoughts on the NASCAR and pavement short track racing topics of the day. Would you rather run mid-pack in the top series or compete for wins in a lower series? Richard: This past Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race highlighted two drivers who are in the middle of answering that question. Both John Hunter Nemechek and Cole Custer have been in the NASCAR Cup Series and experienced little or no success. However. both have done well and are doing well…

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Turn 2 Blog: Sunday night racing & What city should be the next to host a street race?

*Turn 2 Blog is a regular feature on InsideCircleTrack.com. Here, site operators Michael Moats and Richard Allen take turns offering their thoughts on the NASCAR and pavement short track racing topics of the day. What are your thoughts on Sunday night racing? Richard: Recent races in Nashville and Atlanta have been held on NASCAR’s traditional day of the week, but rather than in the afternoon, they were contested on Sunday nights. My initial thought when I saw the timing was that it would hurt attendance. That, however, did not appear to be the case as the grandstand was full in…

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NASCAR fan experience like no other major sport

Imagine fans on the field just meandering around literally minutes before the start of an NFL game. Or, excited patrons on the court posing for photos with and seeking autographs from NBA players right up until the time for the national anthem to be played. Well, neither of those things is going to happen prior to an official game. In NASCAR,  however,  fans interacting with the stars of the sport prior to an event is a common occurrence every week. Fans have unprecedented access to their favorites in the garage areas of the different tracks and even on pit roads…

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Detailed Breakdown of a NASCAR Pit Stop

These photos were taken during a pit stop by the Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet team for Kyle Larson during the Ally 400 at the Nashville Super Speedway. This was their second pit stop of the day and it occurred during the first stage break of the race. Everything demonstrated in the photos below takes place in 12 seconds or less. The No. 5 team had the last stall on pit road, or the first stall from the driver’s perspective. Larson turns into the pit stall slowing from the pit road speed of 45mph. Only five crew members are allowed across the…

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NASCAR Headshot Photos

Here are some headshot photos of numerous NASCAR personalities taken during the Ally 400 weekend at Nashville Super Speedway:   Please consider watching: Respond to this post on Twitter by following @RichardAllenIDR and @MichaelRMoats or by liking the InsideCircleTrack.com Facebook page.  Also, dirt racing fans can check out InsideDirtRacing.com for more racing content.

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