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NASCAR Features Archive by category "Cup" (Page 3)

How long will the ‘Kyle Larson Effect’ be felt in dirt racing?

There is little doubt that all forms of dirt racing have, over the past two years, received more attention within the world of motorsports than at any other time in history. Mentions of dirt races have been made during NASCAR television and radio broadcasts as well as in racing related news shows and various other types of programing. And more, social media posts by the sport’s biggest stars and most followed accounts have brought racing on clay to the forefront. Whether it be Late Models, Sprint Cars or Modifieds, there has probably never been a time when the names of…

Penske crew chief Jeremy Bullins having fun in the dirt while prepping new car, driver

Being a NASCAR Cup Series crew chief is one of the most demanding and stressful jobs in sports. A long 36-race schedule, endless travel, and the constant pressure of trying to get ahead of the competition can be exhausting both mentally and physically. Almost certainly, each of those who hold that title have to find some sort of release from the grind of leading a team in the most high-profile form of American motorsports. Team Penske crew chief Jeremy Bullins has indeed found a way to leave the day-to-day worries of having to prepare cars capable of competing for race…

Brad Keselowski making moves to reassert Roush organization as “top-tier team”

The organization led by Jack Roush was a perennial contender for NASCAR Cup Series race wins and championships earlier in its history. Drivers such as Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards were frequently seen at the front of the field and near the top of the standings just over a decade ago. However, the company that was long the standard bearer for Ford Motor Company’s stock racing efforts has over the past few years fallen to the level of a mid-pack runner. The organization’s last wins came in 2017 when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. scored victories at the…

Stewart Friesen looking forward to testing NextGen car at Wythe Raceway

With the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series campaign winding down and the first season with the NextGen car fast approaching, the testing of that new machine has ramped up. Well documented practice sessions on the Charlotte Roval and the quarter-mile paved oval of Bowman-Gray Stadium have recently taken place. But those are not the only types of tracks the NASCAR’s top division will compete on in 2022. As was the case in 2021, there will be one race for the sport’s premier series on a dirt surface. Once more, the Bristol Motor Speedway will be covered in clay for its spring…

Aric Almirola shakes up NASCAR Cup Playoffs with unexpected win at New Hampshire

July 18, 2021 By Reid Spencer NASCAR Wire Service With a stunning victory in Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Aric Almirola sent shock waves through the NASCAR Cup Series’ Playoff standings. With hard-charging Christopher Bell closing behind him, Almirola crossed the finish line at the 1.058-mile track .657 seconds ahead of the Joe Gibbs Racing driver to win the third race of his career and give Stewart-Haas Racing its first ostensible Playoff berth of the 2021 campaign. After battling Team Penske teammates Brad Keselowski and Ryan Blaney—who waged their own internecine war shortly after the…

Matt DiBenedetto relies on faith to deal with the stress of racing, life

One might think a NASCAR Cup Series driver who is working in the last year of his contract and who is essentially in a must-win situation in terms of making the NASCAR Playoffs would be under a tremendous amount of stress. Add to that, the same driver is in the midst of putting the finishing touches on and moving into a new home which, as anyone who has ever taken on that task knows, is not an easy chore. Those circumstances describe the current life situation of Matt DiBenedetto. But even with all of those things going on, the 29-year-old driver…

Christopher Bell points out the uniqueness of Road America

In the world of oval track racing, there isn’t always the greatest amount of variety. While the lengths of the tracks and the degree of banking may vary, the shape from one to another is relatively simple as there are basically four left turns and two straightaways. While yes, one of those “straights” may sometimes be bent to form a D-shape or a tri-oval, the differences among them are only slightly greater than subtle. Fans, media, and the competitors themselves have acknowledged the sameness of oval tracks by sometimes applying the term “cookie cutter” to them as a descriptor. However,…

Pre-race Information for the NASCAR All-Star Race

The Race: NASCAR All-Star Race The Track: Texas Motor Speedway is a 1.5-mile quad-oval with banked turns. Race Distance: 100 laps Race Format: The race is broken into a total of six segments. Round 1– This will be a 15-lap segment. At the end, there will be an invert to set the starting order for the next round. Somewhere between the first 8 and 12 positions will be inverted based on a random draw. Round 2- This will be a 15-lap segment with the entire field inverted to set the starting order for the next round. Round 3- This will…

With momentum on his side, Kyle Larson looking forward to Eldora

Kyle Larson has won the last two NASCAR Cup Series races by claiming every stage victory in each of those events along the way. Now the Elk Grove, CA native will carry that momentum to the Eldora Speedway for this week’s twin Dirt Late Model Dream races that will begin at the famed Rossburg, OH dirt track on Wednesday. The 28-year-old racer has also won in Sprint Car races during the time span around his Coca-Cola 600 win on Memorial Day weekend and his most recent win on the road course this Sunday at Sonoma Raceway. With the next race…

Rick Hendrick and HMS drivers pushing to continue dominant run

To say that Hendrick Motorsports has things going their way right now on the NASCAR Cup Series would be a massive understatement. The organization based only a short distance from the Charlotte Motor Speedway has won six of the first fifteen races on the 2021 schedule, including the last three. All four of their drivers have essentially locked themselves into the NASCAR Playoffs by winning at least one race and the company’s total of laps led to this point is nothing short of impressive. Sunday night that dominance by the team that employs Chevrolet Camaros as its racers was clearly…