Jeff Gordon

You just never know. After what seemed like the worst race of all time, a race broke out in Charlotte (actually Concord) over the last 23 laps. On the rather pleasant night, the race had been dominated by Hendrick Motorsports.

On Sunday, it will start with a great finish. According to six-time Talladega Superspeedway winner Jeff Gordon, the No. 24 Chevrolet SS does not need to end with it, though.

In the ‘home game’ for NASCAR in the heart of race country, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the 54th annual...

The last four qualifiers each held the pole position for a few minutes, but Jeff Gordon is the only one who gets to keep it. As the night’s final qualifier, Gordon knew the pole was up for grabs as speeds climbed higher as Bojangles’ Pole Night Qualifying Thursday at Charlotte Motor Speedway went on, and he answered with a blazing lap in 27.791 seconds (194.308 mph).

As we head into Charlotte, there is a birthday to note and a milestone to recognize. Dale Earnhardt Jr has celebrated his 39th birthday, and on Saturday night he will run in his 500th Cup start. It is a track he has yet to win on, a track that launched his Cup career back in 1999.

Kenseth finished 11th at Kansas and maintained the lead in the Sprint Cup points standings. He leads Jimmie Johnson by three.

Sometimes I like surprises. You tune in a race hoping to be entertained, but not always expecting it. Kansas turned out to be that kind of race.

From weather and tires to a fire off track that was smoky enough to cause a caution, here is what else was surprising and...

Kenseth finished 7th at Dover, failing in his quest to become the first driver to win the first three Chase For The Cup races. Kenseth leads Jimmie Johnson by eight points in the standings.

Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson seem unstoppable at the moment but no matter how fast they are and how dominate they can...