SPRINT CUP SERIES AT NEW HAMPSHIRE

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

7/15/15

 Big Daddy: Busch Rolls To New Hampshire As NASCAR’s Hottest Driver

After missing the first 11 races of the season, Kyle Busch is beginning to hit his stride. He has won two of the last three races and is now 87 points out of the 30th in the driver points standings – the spot he needs in order to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. At the current rate, Busch would need to average a finish of roughly 17th in the remaining eight regular season races to earn a top-30 spot.

Busch led a race-high 163 laps at Kentucky and passed Joey Logano with 19 laps remaining to visit Victory Lane for the second time in his career at the 1.5-mile track.

This weekend, the No. 18 Toyota driver heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for Sunday’s 5-hour ENERGY 301 (1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN). Busch claims one win, seven top fives, 10 top 10s and two Coors Light Pole Awards at “The Magic Mile.”

Although he has only competed in seven races this season, Busch ranks tied for the second-most wins in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kurt Busch, all with two victories.

11 Different Drivers Have Won Last 11 Races At New Hampshire

If New Hampshire’s Victory Lane appeared in Zagat’s, it would read something like this: “A popular hot spot; champagne on ice; try the lobster; eclectic crowd … you’ll never see the same face twice.” Oh, hear that, Hank?

A different driver has won each of the last 11 races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway – the longest active streak at any track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The last 11 winners at the one-mile track are Mark Martin (Fall 2009), Jimmie Johnson (Summer 2010), Clint Bowyer (Fall 2010), Ryan Newman (Summer 2011), Tony Stewart (Fall 2011), Kasey Kahne (Summer 2012), Denny Hamlin (Fall 2012), Brian Vickers (Summer 2013), Matt Kenseth (Fall 2013), Brad Keselowski (Summer 2014) and Joey Logano (Fall 2014).

The all-time record for different winners at a track is 13, set by New Hampshire (2008-2014) and Texas Motor Speedway (1998-2007).

Just Joe With It: JGR Drivers Master Kentucky-Specific Rules Package

Joe Gibbs definitely found his “Happy Place” on Saturday when the four drivers on his Joe Gibbs Racing team all place in the top five – the first time a team accomplished the feat since 2008.

Competing under a new track-specific aerodynamics rule package, JGR driver Kyle Busch won Saturday’s Quaker State 400 and was followed closely by his teammates Denny Hamlin (third), Carl Edwards (fourth) and Matt Kenseth (fifth).

The last team to place four drivers in the top five in a NSCS race was Roush Fenway Racing (August 2008 at Michigan). Coincidentally, Kenseth and Edwards were members of RFR then.

JGR has won the last two races at 1.5-mile tracks. Edwards won at Charlotte in May after gambling on fuel.

Gibbs is hoping he can remain in his Happy Place and that the price isn’t wrong on Sunday.

Lobster Tale: Team Penske Tries To Build On 2014 New Hampshire Reign

Team Penske heads up north to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a track it swept last year with its driver tandem of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. Keselowski took the checkered flag in last year’s summer race, while Logano won the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup race there in the fall.

Logano and Keselowski will attempt to follow up on their strong showings at Kentucky where they finished second and sixth, respectively.

Logano has two victories, three top fives and five top 10s in 13 starts at the track that’s closest to his hometown of Middletown, Connecticut. The No. 22 Ford driver made his series debut at New Hampshire on Sept. 14, 2008, finishing 32nd. Logano is the youngest New Hampshire winner (06/28/2009 – 19 years, 1 month, 4 days).

Keselowski owns one win, four top fives, seven top 10s and three Coors Light Pole Awards at New Hampshire. He set the track qualifying record at the one-mile track last fall (140.598 mph). He is the only active driver to capture his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Award at New Hampshire (9/19/10).

Boston Three Party: 5 Drivers Tied For Active Lead With Three New Hampshire Wins

Five drivers rank tied for the active lead with three wins at New Hampshire: Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart. The five will try to tie Jeff Burton’s all-time record four victories at the track located 80 miles north of Boston.

Gordon (107.3) and Stewart (106.9) are first and second in driver rating at New Hampshire, while Jimmie Johnson (102.1) is fourth.

Johnson (2003) and Busch (2004) are the only drivers who have swept the track.

Newman holds the New Hampshire track record with seven Coors Light Pole Awards.

Larson Loves Loudon

At New Hampshire Motor Speedway, “you don’t mess with the Kyle Larson.” The driver of the red-hooded No. 42 Target Chevrolet finished third last July and second last September in his only two starts at “The Magic Mile.” Larson has not had a top-10 finish since placing eighth at Pocono more than a month ago. He has finished outside the top 30 the last two races. Larson needs a win in order to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. He is 88 points below the cutoff line with a mere eight races left until NASCAR’s playoffs.

8 Crazy Nights (and a few day races) Left: Time Running Out For Chase Spot

Only eight races remain before the 16-driver Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field is set.

Here’s what we know:

Kevin Harvick has checked off two of the three Chase criteria boxes. He has the multiple wins that guarantees a spot among the top 16 winners, and at Kentucky, he locked up a top 30 spot. All he needs to do now is start each of the remaining races in the regular season.

Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. can join Harvick this weekend in New Hampshire. Both Hendrick Motorsports drivers already have the multiple wins that guarantee them a spot among the top 16 winners (even if there’s a new winner in each of the remaining eight races). They can lock up a top 30 spot at New Hampshire this weekend.

Joey Logano could also join Harvick, but only with a victory.

With help in the form of poor finishes by drivers around the 30th place bubble, a victory for Martin Truex Jr. or Brad Keselowski would give either multiple wins and a possible top 30 place clinch.