Week 19 Preview

New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Summer Race

Ten straight races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway without having a repeat winner. That is a pretty good streak and I would guess that it will end this weekend. Drivers like Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, and Tony Stewart (to name 6 of them) have been winners in the last 10 in Loudon.

So who will win this week at NHMS? Two other guys who have won here in the last 10 races -Kurt Busch and Joey Logano- could really use there first wins of 2013 this week to help there Chase chances. Another guy, Mark Martin, would love to get one last win a his career dwindles down. This week in Loudon Nascar should have plenty of excitement. Take a look at last years Summer race which had Kasey Kahne finishing in Victory Lane.


The Good:

• Jeff Gordon- Gordon has been good at NH, actually what I mean to say is very good. His worst finish in the last 10 races here is 15th. Yet he doesn't have a victory here in those 10 races. He does however have 6 top 10's and 4 top 5's. (Finishes outside the top 10: 11th, 15th, 14th, and 11th). Best Chance Forecast: I would say he is almost a lock for the top 10 if he stays out of trouble.
• Denny Hamlin- The latest winner at NH (Fall Race), Denny has also come 2nd or 3rd 4 times in the last 10 races. That means he notched a post race interview (for a top 3 finish) 50% of the time. Best Chance Forecast: Well he is out of Chase contention, but I think he is a front runner this weekend to make sure no one forgets about him.
• Clint Bowyer- Bowyer hasn't been amazing here -5 top 10's in the last 10 races- but in his first year with MWR he finished 3rd and 4th. If you add that with the fact that he is running well again this year with MWR and you have the makings of a good finish. Best Chance Forecast: I think Clint can notch a top 10 this weekend and stay put in the standings.

The Middle

• Brad Keselowski- Well BK hasn't been amazing here so he ends up stuck in the middle. He is the guy I targeted this week though because his last 3 starts here have come to the tune of 6th, 5th, and 7th. Everything before that wasn't too hot.

The Bad

• Matt Kenseth- Well one of the best drivers and story's of 2013, Kenseth hasn't had much luck here in Loudon. In his last 10 starts at NH he has one, yes one, top 10.
• Jamie McMurray- Well McMurray has been getting on a mini roll as of late, but that could come to an end at NH. McMurray has the same story as Kenseth, one top 10 in his last 10 starts here. 
• Kyle Busch- Well Kyle lands here not because he only has 3 top 10's in his last 10 races here. The real reason behind it is that none of those 3 top 10's were in his last 4 starts in Loudon. He has been fast this year so he has a chance to break that slump.

I will take a few stabs at some questions this week again (Haven't got a Favorite or Dark Horse winner in two weeks, I'm due):

• Who I like to win this weekend?
• Denny Hamlin- DH has hit too many walls and pushed too far down not to make a triumphant return at some point.
• Dark horse I like for the win?
• Brad Keselowski or Ryan Newman- I have two and that's because I didn't want to pick Newman back to back weeks. Newman has a win at NH while with Stewart-Haas and 6 top 10's in 8 races. BK meanwhile has been good in his last 3 and at some point you would think he could put together a good run (then again, maybe not).
• Where do I have Danica finishing? (Because every article has to mention here right?)
• Had her 24th last week (finished 14th) but at least 7 guys like Gordon and Kenseth had troubles, I should have given her the benifit of it being Daytona. This week she has no luxury and has never driven Cup here, 27th place finish.

Well that's it for this weeks preview. Check back in later to Nascar Behind the Wall, their should be a Half Season Review posted with a look similar to the Quarter Season Review from earlier this season. Also if you missed it take a look at the latest Power Rankings after Daytona.