Wow! The Chase for the Sprint Cup started off kind of soggy but ended up dry and I mean Fuel Tanks dry. Chicagoland was a [2] Perky Jerky Bag races for me and my friends as lead changes went back and forth and the excitement at the end with fuel mileage. Seeing ole Smoke, I mean #14 Tony Stewart get his first win not of just this season but a long time was good for him and his whole Stewart/Haas Team. Have you ever seen so many cars run out of gas on the last lap? Matt Kenseth got a push from behind on that last lap which NASCAR Officials ruled illegal and put him at the end where Chaser Denny Hamlin had landed which may have ended his chance for a Championship this year.
This Chase has the best of the best of NASCAR right up front and there are a handful of Drivers determined not to allow the #48 and Jimmie Johnson take a 6th Straight Championship. That brings us in Week #2 of the Chase to Loudon or better known as New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Sylvania 300. Let’s go over our Track Facts to see if we can better understand this “Martinsville on Steroids” as it’s known.
Track Facts:
New Hampshire INTERNATIONAL Speedway renamed after being bought by SMI in 2008 to New Hampshire MOTOR Speedway
Built: 1990, 1st Cup Race 1993- Rusty Wallace Race Winer
It’s a 1.058 Mile Flat Oval
Banking: Turns 2 degree/7 degree Variable
Straights 1 degree
Front/Back Stretches – 1,500 feet
Seating: 95,000 +/-
Clint Bowyer won the Fall Race in 2010 and Ryan Newman set Track Pole Record went on to Win the Duro Lube Spring Race. Will Newman Sweep the Season with a win and go onto a Championship like Kurt Busch did in 2004? Who knows but I bet he knows that race fact and will trying his best. Mark Martin is the Oldest NHMS winner as he is at most track and young Joey Logano is the Youngest. The guy who I think is the man to beat at NHMS is Jeff Burton. Why? He has the most wins with [4] of any other driver and not only that but he can win from anywhere. In 2000 he led all 300 laps from start to finish to win the race and has won from the 38th position back in 2009. The Team to watch and especially with [3] Drivers in the Chase is Hendricks Motor sports with a whopping [8] wins at NHMS.
So what to expect at NHMS? With out a doubt we will see some balls out racing from the Chaser and a few other Drivers racing for wins and pride. Will Kevin Harvick use this to push his points even higher as Points Leader or will Tony Stewart now fresh off a win go back to back and take his #2 spot to the lead? They better be keeping an eye in their Rear View Mirror at ole Cousin Carl with momentum come screaming from his 3rd spot. And who would have guessed at the beginning of the season Ole June Bug Dale Jr would be 5th in the Chase with a shot to win a Championship? Also don’t count the #48 out just because he is in the 8th spot but is it already time to count out the #11 after his 3 Laps Down/33rd finish in Chicagoland putting him already 42 points down? This is a tough track and these drivers are in tough positions so look for a great race of boys have at it the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway!
Kick it Pickle!
mike
No comments:
Post a Comment