The Bristol Motor Speedway — the World’s Fastest Half-Mile with 160,000 fans and three-wide racing — welcomes the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Denny Hamlin tells you why it’s his favorite track, and Juan Pablo Montoya talks about how racy it is. Plus, you’ll never guess who has the top Driver Rating in Thunder Valley.

By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Some Thursday Observations:
* The Sharpie 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway has a history of being a “can’t miss” event for NASCAR fans. But there are worries in some quarters that the emphasis on the making the Chase will have some of the top drivers points racing and trying to avoid [...]

Larry Woody | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
NASCAR’s Car of Tomorrow hasn’t been able to liven up the show but maybe a visit to the Track of Yesterday will do the trick.
There’s nothing like a hot Saturday night at Bristol to get the juices flowing and the sparks flying, and if this weekend’s race can’t get pulses pumping [...]

Larry Woody | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Let’s see if I’ve got this straight:
Hendrick Motorsports supplies Tony Stewart with the engines that Tony uses to beat Hendrick Motorsports’ drivers.
Stewart sits atop the Sprint Cup standings and is a lock for the Chase, which means he’ll be a major threat – maybe THE major threat — to Jimmie Johnson’s [...]

By Bill Fleischman | Senior Correspondent
RacinToday.com
Prior to a recent dinner with Kyle Busch and other mid-Atlantic-area auto racing writers, I wondered what kind of mood Busch would be in. After a few probing questions, would he blurt “Bleep you guys, I’m outta here”?
I’m happy to report that the evening with Busch was very pleasant. He [...]

RacinToday.com
Red Bull Racing announced Tuesday that Brian Vickers has signed a multi- year extension to his contract.
Vickers will continue to drive the No. 83 car under the leadership of crew chief Ryan Pemberton.
The announcement comes two days after Vickers and Red Bull won the Carfax 400 Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway.
Vickers started the [...]

By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
Let’s see what’s in the Tuesday Morning Memo today:
* Put me down for a yes vote on the fuel-mileage-races thing.
Is it racing at its finest? Is calculating supply vs. laps what auto-racing is supposed to be about? Does it result in the best car and driver winning the race? Does [...]

By Rick Minter | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
The Earnhardt Nation has reason to rejoice. Its driver is starting to act like an Earnhardt again. It was evident last week during an appearance in Atlanta and it showed again on Sunday during the Carfax 400 at Michigan International Speedway, where he put on a hard charge at the [...]

By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
Brian Vickers won the fuel-mileage sweepstakes at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday afternoon and in the process took a big step toward making the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship.
Vickers took the lead in the Carfax 400 when he passed an out-of-fuel Jimmie Johnson for the lead with just under [...]

By John Sturbin | Senior Writer
RacinToday.com
Watkins Glen, N.Y. – To label Max Papis a “journeyman driver” is to do a disservice to the human being with the perpetual grin, classic Italian accent and stallion-like passion for racing.
“I am a race car driver, and my job is to kick ass,” said Papis, famously defining his “Mad [...]