Two fo NASCAR’s three national series are in action this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races next Wednesday (July 20) in its only dirt track race of the season at Eldora Speedway. Storylines for this weekend at New Hampshire follow… The Race: New Hampshire 301 The Place: New Hampshire Motor Speedway The Date: Sunday, July 17 The Time: 1:30 p.m. ET TV: NBCSN, 1 p.m. ET Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Distance: 318.46 miles (301 laps) Keselowski Goes For Third Consecutive Win Brad Keselowski has asserted himself as the hottest driver in NASCAR this summer after winning the last two consecutive races (Daytona and Kentucky). Dating back to his May 1 win at Talladega, the No. 2 Ford driver has recorded three wins, six top fives and eight top 10s in his last nine starts. His four wins this season lead the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Keselowski will attempt to become the fourth driver in the Chase era to win three consecutive races in Sunday’s New Hampshire 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN). Joey Logano and Kyle Busch both logged three straight wins last season, becoming the first pair of drivers to achieve the feat since Rusty Wallace and Mark Martin in 1993. Jimmie Johnson strung together four consecutive victories in the 2007 Chase on his way to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship and won three races in a row in the 2004 Chase. After his win Saturday, Keselowski became the first driver to officially clinch a berth in the Chase because he has multiple wins and is too far ahead in points (+378) to fall behind 31st-place Brian Scott. Keselowski claims one win, five top fives, eight top 10s and three Coors Light Poles in 13 starts at New Hampshire. Parity Abound At New Hampshire New Hampshire is not a track where a handful of drivers dominate and rack up all the wins. Dating back to July 2008, 14 different drivers have won in the last 16 races at New Hampshire: Matt Kenseth (2015-2), Kyle Busch (2015-1), Joey Logano (2014-2), Brad Keselowski (2014-1), Kenseth (2013-2), Brian Vickers (2013-1), Denny Hamlin (2012-2), Kasey Kahne (2012-1), Tony Stewart (2011-2), Ryan Newman (2011-1), Clint Bowyer (2010-2), Jimmie Johnson (2010-1), Mark Martin (2009-2), Logano (2009-1), Greg Biffle (2008-2), Kurt Busch (2008-1). Four drivers share the active lead at New Hampshire with three victors each: Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart. Logano Leads NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Youth Movement Only 26 years old, Joey Logano has already established himself as one of the superstars of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series with 15 career wins and a series-leading six victories last season. Experienced for his age (competing in his eighth full season), Logano virtually guaranteed himself a berth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with his victory at Michigan, and currently sits fifth in the points standings. The Middletown, Connecticut, native returns to his home track – New Hampshire Motor Speedway – in search of his second win of the season in Sunday’s New Hampshire 301. He became the youngest winner in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history when he visited Victory Lane in The Granite State on June 28, 2009 (19 years, 1 month, 4 days). Following Logano’s lead are a bevy of young stars adding excitement to series. These include Sunoco Rookie of the Year candidates Chase Elliott, 20, and Ryan Blaney, 22, who can become the first, and only, rookie drivers since Denny Hamlin (2006) to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. More experienced rising stars include Austin Dillon, 26, who’s on pace to make his first Chase, as well as Kyle Larson, 23, who has been tabbed the future of the sport by many of NASCAR’s best. Elliott, Blaney, Dillon and Larson are all still searching for their first win – a feat active drivers Logano, Ryan Newman and Clint Bowyer all achieved at New Hampshire. At Michigan in June, Logano (first), Elliott (second) and Larson (third) combined to form the youngest top 3 in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series history. Don’t forget about Kyle Busch, 31, and Brad Keselowski, 32. Both drivers likely haven’t reached their prime yet, but boast 37 and 21 career wins, respectively. * While Logano is in his home area, he’ll hold his third annual charity fundraiser for his Joey Logano Foundation Thursday, July 14, in Plantsville, Connecticut – the Joey Logano Driving Hope Home Golf Tournament, Dinner and Auction. Since 2013, The Joey Logano Foundation has distributed nearly $1 million in grant funding in 26 states supporting more than 100 organizations. Biffle Back On Track? Greg Biffle produced a season-high sixth-place finish at Kentucky for his second consecutive top 10. His pair of top 10s in the last two weeks are his only top 10s this season. The Roush Fenway Racing driver will attempt to continue his consistency in Sunday’s New Hampshire 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In 27 starts in The Granite State, Biffle owns one win (September 2008), seven top fives, 10 top 10s and an average finish of 15.7. Biffle will sport a NESN Fuel paint scheme this weekend which features the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins logos. Teams Hunt For Third New Hampshire Sweep The New Hampshire Motor Speedway races have been swept by a single organization the last two seasons. Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano won both races for Team Penske in 2014, while Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth won the events at The Magic Mile in 2014. Team Penske has won three of the last four races, while a Joe Gibbs Racing driver hasn’t visited Victory Lane since Kenseth triumphed at Dover six races ago. JGR’s eight New Hampshire wins rank second on the track’s all-time list to Hendrick Motorsports’ nine. Only Five Chase Berths Remain With Eight Races Left Until NASCAR’s Playoffs The pressure is mounting for drivers to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup with only five of the 16 playoff berths remaining with a mere eight races left in the regular season. A visit to Victory Lane gets a winless driver into the Chase as long as he/she is in the top 30 of the points standings. The drivers who would get into the Chase if the season ended today are: Brad Keselowski (4 wins), Kyle Busch (3), Carl Edwards (2), Jimmie Johnson (2), Kevin Harvick (1), Kurt Busch (1), Joey Logano (1), Martin Truex Jr. (1), Matt Kenseth (1), Denny Hamlin (1), Tony Stewart (1), Chase Elliott (69 points ahead of Trevor Bayne on the cutoff line), Ryan Newman (+34), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (+32), Austin Dillon (+31) and Jamie McMurray (+10). The first four out are Bayne (-10), Kasey Kahne (-16), Ryan Blaney (-24) and Kyle Larson (-27). No. 31 Chevrolet Driver Looks To Build On Season-Best Finish At Top Track The always consistent Ryan Newman logged a season-best third-place finish in last Saturday’s race at Kentucky, strengthening his position on the Chase Grid where he sits 13th – 34 points ahead of Trevor Bayne on the cutoff line. Newman will attempt to build on his performance from last week at New Hampshire where he has three wins – tied with Dover for his most at any track. He also holds the track record with seven Coors Light Pole Awards. The No. 31 Chevrolet driver will try to capture Richard Childress Racing its first win since he visited Victory Lane at Indianapolis on July 28, 2013 – 106 races ago. NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase Outlook Nine races remain until the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase. Since only three series regulars have wins, points are at a premium. The three drivers who have already clinched berths in the Chase via victories are Erik Jones (2 wins), Daniel Suárez (1) and Elliott Sadler (1). All three get three bonus points per win for the first round of the Chase. The winning trio is tailed by the 4 through 9 drivers, who have hefty leads above 13th-place Ross Chastain on the cutoff line: Ty Dillon (+164), Brendan Gaughan (+123), Justin Allgaier (+118), Brandon Jones (+105), Brennan Poole (+100) and Darrell Wallace Jr. (+76). In right now on the bubble are the 10 through 12 drivers: Ryan Reed (+24), Ryan Sieg (+17) and Blake Koch (+14). On the outside looking in are Ross Chastain (-14), Jeremy Clements (-37) and Dakoda Armstrong (-44). The NASCAR XFINITY Series takes the track next in Saturday’s AutoLotto 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (4 p.m. ET on NBCSN). Smooth Sailing For Suárez Daniel Suárez kept his standout sophomore season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series going with a third-place finish at Kentucky Speedway – the top showing among circuit regulars. He has upped his performance recently with three top-five finishes in the last four races. Currently, Suárez leads the series points standings where he sits nine markers ahead of second-place Elliott Sadler. Once the Chase starts though, regular season points will be eschewed except for the three bonus points for each win. The next closest driver to Suárez is third-place Ty Dillon (-19 points). On the season, Suárez has one win, seven top fives and 13 top 10s (tied with Sadler for the series lead) in 16 starts. Suárez finished fifth at his lone career start at New Hampshire last season. Jones Tries To Tally Another Win Following Kentucky Disappointment Erik Jones finished a “disappointing” fourth at Kentucky after losing the lead late in the race because he failed to maintain speed on a caution. The 18-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver will try to turn his luck around at New Hampshire where he’s never made a NASCAR XFINITY Series start. Jones finished seventh in both of his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts at The Magic Mile. A threat to win every race, Jones leads NASCAR XFINITY Series regulars with two victories, nine top 10s, 207 laps led and a 107.5 driver rating. Wallace On The Move Darrell Wallace Jr. started the season off slow, but he is gaining momentum after registering a fifth-place finish at Kentucky for his third top 10 in the last four races. He now sits ninth on the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase Grid – a hefty 76 points ahead of 13th-place Ross Chastain on the cutoff line. In his only series start at New Hampshire last season, Wallace finished eighth. He placed runner-up in his lone NASCAR Camping World Truck Series appearance at the 1.058-mile track in 2014. No. 48 Chip Ganassi Racing Driver Continues Consistent Season Brennan Poole is quietly putting together a strong first full-time season in the NASCAR XFINITY Series. The No. 48 Chip Ganassi Racing driver ranks eighth on the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase Grid – a comfortable 100 points ahead of 13th-place Ross Chastain on the cutoff line. In 16 starts, Poole claims one top five, seven top 10s and an average finish of 12.8. He placed 10th at New Hampshire in his lone series start there last year. NASCAR XFINITY Series, Etc. Bruins Forward Schaller To Serve As Honorary Pace Car Driver – Boston Bruins forward Tim Schaller will serve as the honorary pace car driver for Saturday’s AutoLotto 200 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. A native of the Granite State, Schaller has two goals and three assists in 35 games at the NHL level. The Providence College Hockey alumnus played for the Buffalo Sabres last year before signing with the Bruins in the offseason. Off until July 20 at Eldora Speedway. source – NASCAR communications
