Clint Bowyer

There are just three races left in the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season and heading into Sunday’s AAA Texas 500, none of the sport’s Big Three is guaranteed a shot at the championship. It was Joey Logano, not Martin Truex Jr., in Victory Lane at Martinsville last weekend after a last-lap bump-and-run secured him a spot.

The final race in the Round of 12 for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs starts this Sunday (Oct. 21) with the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway. The green flag flies at 2:30 p.m. EST on NBC. Championship contenders will be battling with those still seeking a ride in 2019 on this 1.5-mile oval in what's bound to be one of the more competitive playoff races of the season.

As a NASCAR writer for more than 10 years, I’m supposed to give some sort of expert opinion entering this weekend’s inaugural race on the new Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. Instead, I offer with a smile one word this sport needs to inject some genuine interest back into stock car racing.

Unpredictability.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads back to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend for the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race. Thunder Valley's annual August slugfest is one of three regular-season races left on the schedule.

The July Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway felt like a demolition derby. The Big One happened less then 60 laps into the race, turning half the field into a glorified junkyard.