aytona Success Leads Into Stewart-Haas New Hampshire Stronghold

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

Daytona Success Leads Into Stewart-Haas New Hampshire Stronghold

Sunday’s LENOX Industrial Tools 301 couldn’t come at a better time for Stewart-Haas Racing and drivers Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman. Stewart won his fourth Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola last weekend with Newman finishing fifth – the latter’s first top five since his April 1 victory at Martinsville Speedway. The duo finished one-two (Newman first, Stewart second) in last year’s New Hampshire Motor Speedway summer race. Stewart won at Loudon in the fall, the second of five Chase victories that led to his third NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. Newman was the Coors Light Pole winner both times – including his most recent pole, his 49^th, in the September race at New Hampshire.

Stewart’s Third Victory Adds To Historic Summer Success

Tony Stewart’s third win of the 2012 campaign matches Brad Keselowski for the most victories by a driver in the top 10. Were the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ field to be set today, Stewart would be the No. 1 seed with Keselowski second holding matching 2009-points totals. Stewart’s pair of second-place finishes would break the tie if the season were to end today.

History suggests Stewart will get another win before the Chase field is set following Richmond International Raceway’s Sept. 8 Wonderful Pistachios 400. Summer is the season in which Indiana native thrives: 24 of Stewart’s 47 NASCAR Sprint Cup victories have come between June 1 and Richmond’s early September event. Stewart has won on all eight tracks remaining before the post season begins and 20 times overall.

Keselowski, however, has also been a summer sensation with four of seven wins – including three in 2011 when he qualified for the Chase as a "wild card" – during the June-August portion of the calendar.

Bowyer Looks To Regain Chase Momentum  

Things happen fast in the world of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition. Two weeks ago, Clint Bowyer was on top of the world having won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup road race in Sonoma, Calif., an event that moved him up to seventh in the points standings. Two finishes outside the top 15 later Bowyer is the "bubble boy" – 10^th and staring back at an oncoming Carl Edwards. Edwards, who finished sixth at Daytona, is ranked 11^th 31 points out of the top 10.

For Bowyer, the news has a positive side as well. He’s only a point behind ninth-place Brad Keselowski and could qualify for the Chase as a "wild card." Bowyer is returning to one of his best tracks on Sunday – New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Bowyer has won twice at NHMS, most recently in 2010 with a Driver Rating of 149.4. He is the only repeat winner at the track in the past nine races, winning the September 2007 event with a perfect Driver Rating after leading 222 laps.

Second ‘Wild Card’ To Former NHMS Winner Logano

Now it’s Joey Logano’s turn to grip the second of two Chase "wild card" qualifying slots. Logano escaped the late-race carnage that claimed Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin to finish fourth in the Coke Zero 400.

Logano’s hold on the "wild card" is tenuous. He’s a point ahead of defending race winner Ryan Newman; three ahead of Coca-Cola 600 winner Kasey Kahne.

Busch continues to hold the first "wild card" spot. He’s 12^th in the overall standings, two positions and 13 points ahead of Logano.

The Connecticut driver is one of eight consecutive different winners at NHMS collecting his first NASCAR Sprint Cup victory in the 2009 LENOX Industrial Tools 301.

Revived Burton Eyes Fifth New Hampshire Victory

That was a sigh of relief you heard from Jeff Burton following his second-place finish in the Coke Zero 400. Burton’s last top five came in February in the Daytona 500. The drought over, the Virginian heads to one of his favorite tracks. He’s New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s most prolific winner with four trips to Victory Lane, the most recent in 2000.

Kevin Harvick is the only current member of Richard Childress Racing to drive one of the organization’s cars to victory in New Hampshire. RCR, Joe Gibbs Racing and Penske Racing rank third in wins at the track with four apiece. Hendrick Motorsports (eight) and Roush Fenway Racing (seven) rank one-two.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Etc.

Matt Kenseth’s 25-point lead over Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the largest of the 2012 season. RFR teammate Greg Biffle, third in the standings, had a 19-point advantage after April’s race at Texas Motor Speedway. … Interestingly, neither Dale Earnhardt nor Dale Earnhardt Jr. appears on the list of New Hampshire Motor Speedway winners. … Tony Stewart is nominated for two ESPYS, for "Best Championship Performance" and "Best Driver." ESPN’s broadcast is Wednesday, July 11 at 7 p.m. EDT. … The eventual NASCAR Sprint Cup champion has won a race in New Hampshire in four different seasons since the Chase began including the past two years. … Thirteen former New Hampshire winners have entered Sunday’s race. Five – Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart - can join top winner Jeff Burton with a fourth victory. … Kevin and DeLana Harvick welcomed the couple’s first child, a son Keelan Paul Harvick on July 8.