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2018 Bubble Watch: New Hampshire
By Staff Report | Published: July 17, 2018 13
Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
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The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series visits New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend as the playoff race continues to take shape. With seven regular-season races remaining, here's a look at the bubble picture heading into Loudon.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
Jimmie Johnson
Points above cutoff: +66New Hampshire wins: 3
Average track start: 10.5 (Rank: 2 out of 10 among bubble drivers)
Average track finish: 10.6 (Rank: 2 out of 10)
Notable: Two of Johnson's three wins here came in 2003. The other? 2010. Still, this remains one of Johnson's most consistent -- if not his best -- tracks.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
Chase Elliott
Points above cutoff: +51New Hampshire wins: 0
Average track start: 10.5 (Rank: 2 out of 10)
Average track finish: 17.2 (Rank: 3 out of 10)
Notable: Elliott's last three races at Loudon produced finishes of 13th, 11th and 11th. A top-10 breakthrough would be ideal heading into Pocono.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
Alex Bowman
Points above cutoff: +9New Hampshire wins: 0
Average track start: 30.8 (Rank: 10 out of 10)
Average track finish: 30.5 (Rank: 10 out of 10)
Notable: Bowman's Loudon numbers are better when you factor in solely his two races in the No. 88. Last year in two races, his average start was 19.0 and his average finish was 20.0.
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Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
Points below cutoff: -9New Hampshire wins: 0
Average track start: 22.5 (Rank: 7 out of 10)
Average track finish: 19.9 (Rank: 6 out of 10)
Notable: This has developed into a sneaky-productive track for the Roush Fenway Racing driver. His last five starts have produced four top-15 finishes.
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Brian Lawdermilk | Getty Images
Paul Menard
Points below cutoff: -23New Hampshire wins: 0
Average track start: 20.6 (Rank: 6 out of 10)
Average track finish: 22.9 (Rank: 8 out of 10)
Notable: It will be difficult for Menard to cut into the deficit like he did last week at Kentucky. He has zero top 10s at Loudon in 22 starts.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Ryan Newman
Points below cutoff: -79New Hampshire wins: 3
Average track start: 10.3 (Rank: 1 out of 10)
Average track finish: 13.9 (Rank: 3 out of 10)
Notable: Newman tends to be either really on or really off at Loudon -- in both qualifying and the race.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
Daniel Suarez
Points below cutoff: -83New Hampshire wins: 0
Average track start: 19.5 (Rank: 5 out of 10)
Average track finish: 7.0 (Rank: 1 out of 10)
Notable: A sneaky upset pick, for sure. Suarez displayed excellent passing ability last year, and Loudon is a Joe Gibbs Racing stronghold.
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Jamie McMurray
Points below cutoff: -91New Hampshire wins: 0
Average track start: 18.2 (Rank: 4 out of 10)
Average track finish: 19.7 (Rank: 5 out of 10)
Notable: McMurray has finished worse than he's started in the past three NHMS races, a troubling trend for the veteran.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
William Byron
Points below cutoff: -92Notable: A rookie, Byron has never driven a Monster Energy Series race at New Hampshire. In one NASCAR Xfinity Series start he finished third.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
AJ Allmendinger
Points below cutoff: -113New Hampshire wins: 0
Average track start: 22.6 (Rank: 8 out of 10)
Average track finish: 21.9 (Rank: 7 out of 10)
Notable: Keep an eye on the No. 47 team. Allmendinger has improved dramatically on this track type over the past couple of years.
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Sarah Crabill | Getty Images
Chris Buescher
Points below cutoff: -120New Hampshire wins: 0
Average track start: 26.8 (Rank: 9 out of 10)
Average track finish: 26.2 (Rank: 9 out of 10)
Notable: Buescher has yet to finish on the lead lap in four New Hampshire starts.
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Sean Gardner | Getty Images
Bubba Wallace
Points below cutoff: -125Notable: Wallace doesn't have any New Hampshire statistics in the Monster Energy Series as he's yet to make a start there. He had an average finish of 10.0 in two NASCAR Xfinity Series races at the 'Magic Mile.'