Wednesday, July 15, 2015

Week 19 Preview: New Hampshire

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

5-Hour Energy 301

New Hampshire race sponsor is 5-hour ENERGY

By Richard Tix

After a 1.5 mile Kentucky track where NASCAR tested out a new aero package we now head to a short track to mix things up again. Short tracks are one of my favorite stops every season because it lets drivers get up on the wheel, mis it up with other drivers, and at the same time not ruin there chances because of aero after making contact with someone else.

These tracks sometimes bring high emotion with its close quarter racing, but they can also bring some underdog results that could play huge down the road in the Chase field. Could a guy like Newman, Larson, or Bowyer use NHMS to get into the Chase? Or will guys like Johnson, Keselowski, or Logano shut the door?






The Good
  • Kyle Larson- He has only two Cup starts at Loudon, but in both he finished top 3 (3rd and 2nd last year). He only lead any laps in the first of the two NHMS races, but he needs a win so look for him to be aggressive this weekend.
  • Brad Keselowski- In BK's last 7 starts at Loudon he has 6 top 10's (the other finish was 11th). Last year he won this race and in the Fall his Penske teammate Joey Logano won. He has lead at least 1 lap in 8 of his 11 starts here, look for him up front.
  • Jimmie Johnson- 18 top 10's in 26 career starts at Loudon, not a bad stat to be behind. He has 15 of those in the last 19 race's, however he hasn't won since 2010.
The Middle
  • Ryan Newman- Newman has 16 top 10's in 26 NHMS starts, but many of those came early in his career. Those days are long gone, but Newman does seem to be consistently near the top 15. He could be a sleeper this weekend, but it is safer to think he finishes 6th-15th.
The Bad
  • Ricky Stenhouse Jr- Ricky does have a top 10 in four starts here (this race last year), but everything else after that is downhill. His other three starts are all finishes outside the top 20 and 2 of the are outside the top 30.
  • Danica Patrick- I will start this off by saying Danica has gotten better every start here including her first top 20 last time around (19th). However, that is her only top 20 in four tries. I actually think she has learned a thing or two here, but might still end up with a result outside the top 20 again.
  • Casey Mears- 24 tries and only 2 top 10's...Casey has ten straight finishes outside the top 20 including 7 finishes of 36th or worse. Mears really hasn't run well here since joining Germain Racing.

About the Track: NHMS
Track Stats
  • Rusty Wallace won the first race at Loudon in 1993. He started 33rd
  • Most cautions was the second race at Loudon, 1994, 17 for 78 laps. Ricky Rudd won the race.
  • In 1999 Jeff Burton won after starting 38th (farthest back a winner has started).
  • A Cup race at Loudon has been won from the Pole position five times (Newman-2011, Clint Bowyer-2007, Kevin Harvick-2006, Newman-2002, and Jeff Gordon-1998).
  • Ryan Newman has won the Pole at Loudon an astounding 7 times in his 25 starts.
  • 5 current full time drivers have 3 total wins at Loudon (Gordon, Newman, Johnson, Stewart, and Ku Busch). 
  • In 2014 Team Penske swept Loudon (BK in the first race, JoLo the second). Both started 7th
  • A Chevy has not won a race at Loudon in 5 straight starts. 
Track Info
  • Surface
    • Asphalt and Granite
  • Length
    • 1.058 miles
  • Banking
    • Turns: variable at around 12% grade (2/7 degree)
    • Straight: 1 degree

New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Race
Date
Cars
Winner(s)
St
Make / Model
1993-16
7/11/1993
40
Rusty Wallace
33
Pontiac
1994-16
7/10/1994
42
Ricky Rudd
3
Ford
1995-16
7/9/1995
41
Jeff Gordon
21
Chevrolet
1996-16
7/14/1996
40
Ernie Irvan
6
Ford
1997-17
7/13/1997
42
Jeff Burton
15
Ford
1997-25
9/14/1997
43
Jeff Gordon
13
Chevrolet
1998-17
7/12/1998
43
Jeff Burton
5
Ford
1998-23
8/30/1998
43
Jeff Gordon
1
Chevrolet
1999-18
7/11/1999
43
Jeff Burton
38
Ford
1999-26
9/19/1999
43
Joe Nemechek
11
Chevrolet
2000-18
7/9/2000
43
Tony Stewart
6
Pontiac
2000-26
9/17/2000
43
Jeff Burton
2
Ford
2001-19
7/22/2001
43
Dale Jarrett
9
Ford
2001-36
11/23/2001
42
Robby Gordon
31
Chevrolet
2002-19
7/21/2002
43
Ward Burton
31
Dodge
2002-27
9/15/2002
43
Ryan Newman
1
Ford
2003-19
7/20/2003
43
Jimmie Johnson
6
Chevrolet
2003-27
9/14/2003
43
Jimmie Johnson
8
Chevrolet
2004-19
7/25/2004
43
Kurt Busch
32
Ford
2004-27
9/19/2004
43
Kurt Busch
7
Ford
2005-19
7/17/2005
43
Tony Stewart
13
Chevrolet
2005-27
9/18/2005
43
Ryan Newman
13
Dodge
2006-19
7/16/2006
43
Kyle Busch
4
Chevrolet
2006-27
9/17/2006
43
Kevin Harvick
1
Chevrolet
2007-17
7/1/2007
43
Denny Hamlin
11
Chevrolet
2007-27
9/16/2007
43
Clint Bowyer
1
Chevrolet
2008-17
6/29/2008
43
Kurt Busch
26
Dodge
2008-27
9/14/2008
43
Greg Biffle
9
Ford
2009-17
6/28/2009
43
Joey Logano
24
Toyota
2009-27
9/20/2009
43
Mark Martin
14
Chevrolet
2010-17
6/27/2010
43
Jimmie Johnson
10
Chevrolet
2010-27
9/19/2010
43
Clint Bowyer
2
Chevrolet
2011-19
7/17/2011
43
Ryan Newman
1
Chevrolet
2011-28
9/25/2011
43
Tony Stewart
20
Chevrolet
2012-19
7/15/2012
43
Kasey Kahne
2
Chevrolet
2012-28
9/23/2012
43
Denny Hamlin
32
Toyota
2013-19
7/14/2013
43
Brian Vickers
13
Toyota
2013-28
9/22/2013
43
Matt Kenseth
9
Toyota
2014-19
7/13/2014
43
Brad Keselowski
7
Ford
2014-28
9/21/2014
43
Joey Logano
7
Ford



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