Category: NASCAR Blogs

As every reader of this post surely already knows, sixteen drivers will qualify for the NASCAR Playoffs when the final cut is made following the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the Daytona International Speedway in late August. Any driver eligible for NASCAR Cup Series points who has won a race up to that point will be among those vying for a championship provided that there have been sixteen or fewer race winners. If there are fewer than sixteen winners, the remaining spots will be filled by the winless drivers who have accumulated the most points. After the first 10 races…

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*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. It seems pretty obvious over the past few years that the sport of NASCAR racing is in the midst of a major change. This season has marked the entry of a new car that seems to favor younger drivers as the under 30 crowd has won numerous races so far. With that said, it appears as if the bigger stars are being phased out. An example…

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When it was first announced that the Bristol Motor Speedway would be covered with dirt for the purpose of having the NASCAR Cup Series contest its first race on clay since 1970, there was a great deal of excitement as well as many questions on the parts of fans, media, and competitors. Ultimately, the 2021 version of the Food City Dirt Race played out to mixed reviews after being interrupted by heavy rain and then turning into a very dusty affair on a Monday afternoon. While some appreciated the move by the sanctioning body to make a return to dirt…

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*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. There have now been two NASCAR Cup Series and two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races held on the dirt surface at the Bristol Motor Speedway and none have been won by drivers with extensive dirt racing experience. Is having a dirt background really an advantage in these races? Richard: As the time approaches for the dirt races at Bristol to take place, I and probably…

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Darrell Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch have multiple things in common. Each either was or is immensely talented behind the wheel of a race car. Each of these fierce competitors is ranked among the winningest drivers in NASCAR Cup Series history. Each of these drivers have won multiple championships. But also, each of these drivers, at least among certain portions of the NASCAR fanbase, was or has been regarded as a villain at one time or another. Racing needs that character in the black hat whose actions not only deter or even intimidate competitors but also riles…

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*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. So far in the 2022 season there have been two NASCAR Cup Series short track races(Richmond & Martinsville) and both have been remarkably uneventful. While the Next Gen car seems to have improved the racing on the intermediate tracks, has it done so at the expense of the short tracks? Richard: The first two short track races of 2022 have been rather uneventful. There were a…

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The topic of what is and isn’t acceptable in terms of contact between race cars on the last lap or during green/white/checkered finishes has been a hot topic of debate over the last two weekends. The wild endings in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race as well as NASCAR Cup Series event at the Circuit of the Americas along with the battle coming to the checkered flag in the NASCAR Xfinity Series show at the Richmond Raceway have stirred a good deal of conversation. And as is usually the case, it seems as if fans are deciding what is…

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*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. The Toyota Owners 400 at the Richmond Raceway turned into a strategy race with Denny Hamlin ultimately claiming the win after his crew devised a way for the No. 11 car to have the best tires at the end of the race. Not all races have to come down to a last lap bumper car match to be interesting, do they? Richard: I generally don’t mind…

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Several years ago, the Richmond Raceway earned the nickname of of the ‘Action Track’ due to the fact that the NASCAR Cup Series races held there often featured a great deal of excitement and sometimes a little controversy. The 2008 run-in(or run-ins) between Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are forever etched into the memories of many fans. And those who are old enough likely remember the “yap-yap mouth” post-race situation involving Kevin Harvick and Ricky Rudd in 2003. However, it seems as if that reputation has slipped away from the track a bit over the past few seasons. In…

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*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. NASCAR’s Next Gen(or Gen 7) car just completed its first road course weekend. Thoughts? Richard: Many aspects of the Next Gen car appear to have been designed with road course racing in mind. The new machine’s independent rear suspension, rack-and-pinion steering and the sequential transaxle are all components used in road racing. With the NASCAR Cup Series employing more road courses than ever before on its…

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