Lenox Industrial Tools 301
Who Will Win?
Kurt Busch
Kurt Busch: Kurt Busch won last year, so he's gold, right? Well, it was a rainout win, so it doesn't really "count" for assessing ability, but if we can say anything about Kurt Busch, we can say that he's not the same driver today as he was a year ago. His car's better, his team's better, and while his attitude may be the same, he's won a race and running at the top of the standings again. – Jay Busbee
• As the only Dodge in the top 12, Kurt Busch is defying the odds. But now that we're 16 races into the season and Busch is still fourth in the standings, it's clear that it's not a fluke. He's a three-time winner at New Hampshire. Number four will come this weekend. – Jay Hart
Denny Hamlin: Anytime the Sprint Cup Series visits a flat track like New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Denny Hamlin comes to mind. Hamlin has a history of running strong at tracks like Martinsville, Richmond and Phoenix. A previous winner at New Hampshire, Hamlin has qualified and finished in the top 15 in all five races he has run at this track. Ricky Craven
Three thoughts, by Ricky Craven
Craven
1. Track position, track position, track position: The flat (only 7 degrees in the turns), one-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway has always been a difficult track for drivers to pass one another. Therefore, establishing track position and then preserving it is a priority. Crew chiefs may opt for two tires instead of four, or even gamble with a fuel-only stop in effort to save time and gain position.
2. Double-file restarts This new rule change has exceeded my expectations through the first three events. Drivers were particularly courteous at last weekend’s road course event in Sonoma, as few incidents were caused during restarts. New Hampshire will definitely test drivers, as those lined up inside will have a better position entering the turns.
Drivers lined up outside will need to maintain position through the middle of the turns to gain an advantage on the exit. Contact will be made, the question is how much?.
3. Take good care of your brakes and tires in order to charge hard at the end: Typical of any track with flat turns, New Hampshire Motor Speedway requires heavy braking on corner entry. The effects of running side by side early in the race could leave you with inferior brakes late. Abusing your right-side tires early in a fuel cycle leads to less grip sooner, also requiring heavier braking for the turns. Saving your best for the end of the race seems to always pay off at this difficult track.
Top story line
• What will Kyle Busch do? Once considered a lock to make the Chase, the younger Busch hasn't finished in the top 10 in over a month and as a result has slipped to ninth in the standings. For the first time in his life, dare we say it, Busch might actually consider points racing. – Jay Hart
• At least 12 teams will give extra consideration to this weekend’s event knowing that when they return in September it will be the start of the 2009 Chase for the Sprint Cup title. As a result, a greater emphasis may exist for those teams to not only run well, but complete the entire race in an effort to better understand their strengths and weaknesses before they return. Without the benefit of testing, this race and its 301 laps are the only real tune-up available for the first race of the Chase. – Ricky Craven
• Will the rich keep getting richer? Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson already run well at New Hampshire, and they've got the potential to stretch their lead on the field with a strong showing this weekend. Guys like Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are already effectively out of the Chase, and while the points reset will bring everybody back together (shootout style!), Stewart, Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch are clearly the class of the field this year. – Jay Busbee
From The Source
Kyle Busch: "[Inconsistent finishes] bother me a lot because it's not how we do things and it's not how we're supposed to run. I'm hoping this bad luck – or whatever it is that we're going through – that we're getting it all out of the way, now, instead of when it comes down to getting into and during the Chase, when we need all the good luck we can get. Right now, we need to get our cars a bit better, and we're focused on that, too."
