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TNT’s NASCAR Summer Series takes the air for final time on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET

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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 10, 2014) — For more than three decades, NASCAR and Turner Sports have partnered to tell the stories of stock car racing — longer than many of the drivers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series have been alive. On Sunday when the checkered flag flies at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, it will mark the conclusion of a long and prosperous partnership between NASCAR and Turner Sports.
 
"There is no question that the folks at Turner have been fantastic partners for the past 32 years, and we can’t thank them enough for everything they’ve done to grow the sport during that time frame," said Brian France, NASCAR chairman and chief executive officer. "Their dedication to producing first-class, innovative NASCAR broadcasts has never wavered, and this weekend’s race from New Hampshire should bring an exciting yet bittersweet conclusion to TNT’s NASCAR Summer Series."

Turner has been instrumental in helping grow the sport through innovative and creative NASCAR coverage and promotions. Some highlights in the history of the partnership include:

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–    1983 – 2001: TBS was the longtime home for select races in all three national series, including events from Richmond, Atlanta, Rockingham, Riverside, Charlotte and Pocono; Ken Squier, Buddy Baker and Dick Berggren made up the broadcast team for the majority of races.

–    July 2001: The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was aired on TNT from New Hampshire Motor Speedway; Allen Bestwick, Benny Parsons and Wally Dallenbach manned the broadcast booth.

–    September 2004: TNT presented its first race in HDTV, the Rock and Roll 400 from Richmond International Raceway.

–    December 2004: TNT announced it would carry their entire portion of the 2005 season in 1080i high definition.

–    May 2011: Turner implemented new "directional audio" marketing technology in public areas of Charlotte, North Carolina, allowing visitors to hear engines revving and race tune-in information when stepping on TNT logos.

–    June 2012: NASCAR and Twitter launched a first-of-its-kind editorial partnership for the first TNT race from Pocono Raceway, creating a unique complementary second screen experience to enhance TNT’s broadcast of the race.

–    June 2013: TNT introduced "all-access coverage" during the Countdown to Green prerace show, a feature where the network follows a different driver throughout the week to document how they prepare for the race.

Finally, there are countless memorable moments on the track that Turner has covered over the last three-plus decades. But most notably, TBS will always be known as the network that carried the first-ever race in which Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. competed against each other. In a 300-mile exhibition race at Twin Ring Motegi in Motegi, Japan in 1998, Earnhardt Jr. ran the No. 1 car while his father was in the iconic No. 3. What was the result? Son bested Dad by two positions, as the pair finished sixth and eighth, respectively.

Turner Sports will continue to oversee advertising sales and sponsorships across NASCAR-branded digital platforms.

The 2014 NASCAR Summer Series on TNT officially concludes with the Camping World RV Sales 301 live from New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 13. The race will air at 1 p.m. ET on TNT, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, with additional coverage on NASCAR.com.

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NASCAR.com writers discuss NASCAR’s race-ending call, if the winner’s streak will continue at New Hampshire and the big names that are left out of the Chase

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Editor’s Note: Track Smack is a weekly feature that will showcase a panel of NASCAR.com experts providing their analysis from the previous week, while also looking ahead. 

1. Although the No. 43 car was a popular winner Sunday, did NASCAR act prematurely in ending this past weekend’s event at Daytona International Speedway due to rain?

David Caraviello: As someone who was in the garage when the monsoon hit, and even with an umbrella got pretty much soaked from the waist down, I really don’t think there was any other choice. When it came down, it came down in torrents. It was still raining when I left the media center at around 8 that evening. I know drivers want to compete, and those in the running wanted to keep going, but really the call was an obvious one.

Alan Cavanna: I think the right call was made. NASCAR made many efforts to get the race in. They waited as long as possible Saturday, and fought the rain multiple times on Sunday.

Kenny Bruce: Easy to say they made the right call when the rain continued for most of the remainder of the day. How many times have we seen them call a race, only to leave later with the track dry and no rain in the area? It’s hit or miss. But Alan’s right, given that the race was already being run a day later than scheduled, just getting it in at all on Sunday was a bonus.

Cavanna: I feel for Kurt Busch and Brian Vickers. There’s no convincing them the right call was made. But there was no window that was solid enough to say "we’ll have no rain." After already delaying a day, there was no need to keep on going.

Caraviello: So, where were you guys when the rain hit? Oh, wait …. But Kenny is right, we’ve seen instances when they’ve called it, and the rain has stopped a few hours later. This was not one of those times. It was a really arduous weekend from a weather perspective — I’ve never seen it raining on one part of the track, and not another, as many times as it did this past week. NASCAR worked around the weather the best they could all day. Sunday afternoon, Mother Nature made the call for them.

Bruce: And if there are any questions about using rain tires on big tracks, see Nationwide Series qualifying video from Friday. 

Cavanna: Good call, Kenny. The rain was so odd last weekend that it seemed like pop-up monsoons. The last thing NASCAR needed was that happening again in the Cup race.

Caraviello: That Nationwide qualifying deal was downright bizarre. I was in the Cup garage when it happened, and the place was bone dry. Same thing in the run-up to Sunday’s call — pouring on the backstretch, while only a light drizzle on pit road. Made things very tough to judge, until the animals started showing up two by two.

Bruce: Winners are always going to say the right call was made; everyone else will think otherwise. The biggest consideration seems to be toward how extending a delay will impact fans on site. And in this case, I think NASCAR didn’t have much of a choice. Keep ’em late on Saturday? Possibly. Sunday? Not likely.

Caraviello: I understand that some drivers (Vickers particularly) had rather strong feelings about the race being stopped when it was. But these guys get to take a private aircraft home. Had they waited until the rain stopped at around 9 or 10 that night, then dried the track, then went back at it — that’s a slog, man. And suddenly you’re asking fans to drive home overnight. Lot of things to consider here.

Cavanna: I think what really puts NASCAR in a bind is, what if this scenario happens in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup? Do they wait longer?

Caraviello: I think each week is different. You judge everything on the situation presented to you. That, or start work on the Ark of Tomorrow.

Bruce: Did that come to rest on Mount Daytona, DC?

Caraviello: Atop the Tropical Seas hotel, actually.

 

2. It’s on to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, where the past 12 Sprint Cup Series races have been won by 12 different drivers. Does that streak continue Sunday, and if so, who extends it?

Bruce: Wow. From a 2.5-mile track where guys are going 200 mph to a flat 1-miler that tests your temper. 

Cavanna: The one reason I’ll say yes is because one of those drivers is not Jeff Gordon. And Gordon is great at that track.

Caraviello: OK, this thing has to end eventually, right? Amazing that it’s kept going for this long — although it’s a testament to a New Hampshire track that might be one of the tougher ones on the circuit from a setup perspective. That said, plenty of A-list guys still out there who haven’t won recently on the Magic Mile.

Cavanna: That said, I picked Kurt Busch on the NASCAR.com Preview Show. So officially, I think the streak does not continue.

Caraviello: Not so fast, Mr. Cavanna! One of those not included in this recent flurry of New Hampshire winners is Kevin Harvick, whose team has been perhaps the best off the truck every weekend. And in Loudon, you’ve got to hit the setup. For whatever reason, it seems a tough place to adjust on the fly, and those who start out strong there usually finish strong there. The No. 4 car starts out strong everywhere.

Bruce: I think one of those teams with at least one win in the bank, or more, will wind up in the winner’s circle. Not really a lot of opportunity to gamble here. Short race, tough to pass. 

Caraviello: A lot is made of all the recent winners in New Hampshire. But who hasn’t won during this 12-race streak? Gordon and Harvick, as we mentioned. And Dale Earnhardt Jr., who’s having a great year. And Brad Keselowski, who’s completely capable on this kind of layout. And Carl Edwards, who might be helped by a race that often comes down to strategy and fuel mileage.

Cavanna: We saw a surprise winner last year with Vickers, and then something of a surprise when Kenseth grabbed the checkered flag in the Chase race. I like your list of names, David.

Bruce: Didn’t the Hendrick teams test there earlier this year? Along with the Ganassi folks? Seems like they’re putting a lot of stock into this stop. And with the track hosting a Chase race later this year, it makes sense.

Caraviello: Dale Jr.’s average finish at Loudon isn’t great — 15.7, to be exact — but it is a track where fuel mileage so often comes into play, and crew chief Steve Letarte is a master strategist. Junior broke through at Pocono earlier in the year, had a career-best run at Sonoma — could New Hampshire be next? And hey, four-time Loudon winner Jeff Burton is in this race for a Michael Waltrip Racing team that won there last year. Easy fantasy dark horse pick if there ever was one.

Cavanna: Let’s not get crazy. Too much Sam Adams with your lobster on that pick, David.

Bruce: I thought he was going to mention Morgan Shepherd.

Caraviello: Hey, if this streak of different winners at New Hampshire keeps on going, never know who you’ll be left with.

Bruce: Just remembered. New Hampshire winner’s circle — where they trot out the world’s largest lobster for a photo op.

Caraviello: And the world’s largest pot of boiling water is just out of sight of the cameras! Necessities at Loudon: Fuel strategy, tire management, and plenty of drawn butter.

Cavanna: Everyone wins in Loudon. Except the lobster.

 

3. Another likely Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berth was claimed last weekend with Aric Almirola‘s victory. With just five spots left and eight weeks left in the regular season, which big names are most vulnerable to being left out?

Caraviello: The interesting thing about this streak of different New Hampshire winners is, it’s full of guys who really could use a victory — Matt Kenseth, Brian Vickers, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer. So if there is going to be a repeat winner at Loudon for the first time in seven years, it could very well come at the perfect time for somebody.

Cavanna: If I’m a driver without a win, I’m terrified until the checkered flag falls in Richmond. Everyone figured on maybe a plate-track surprise, and we could easily get another in Watkins Glen. A first-time winner in New Hampshire would make me even more nervous.

Caraviello: Yeah, but Alan, the next three tracks on the schedule — Loudon, Indy and Pocono — aren’t really prone to producing upset winners, barring a fuel-mileage scenario. They all require the kind of well-rounded arsenal that the power teams traditionally do best.

Bruce: Where to start? With Greg Biffle, who’s on the fence with zero wins and is 15th in points? Tony Stewart, sitting 20th? Kasey Kahne (18th)? They’re slipping into that "must win" category, simply because of their points, or lack of. But with those non-winners a bit further up the standings, a win by either, or someone like Almirola at Daytona, and suddenly the ground is a bit less stable for guys like Austin Dillon and Clint Bowyer.

Caraviello: I keep coming back to Stewart. Daytona in July is where he is often at his best, and he never really had the opportunity to show that in last week’s wreck-fest. He’s finished in the single digits just once since Darlington, back in April. We’re just not seeing that kind of warm-weather uptick from Smoke that we’re accustomed to, at least not to this point. He’s in it, but he’s not really able to build any positive momentum. And at this point in the season, it’s not really realistic to expect a team to flip the switch. Even when it concerns a guy who did just that in the 2011 Chase en route to his third championship.

Cavanna: If it comes down to consistency, the drivers outside the Chase right now should be the most worried. At some point you’d have to think Kahne and Stewart would get every Hendrick resource imaginable. That leaves me really thinking about Biffle. No wins and a lack on consistency won’t get you in the Chase

Bruce: Resources are what you make of them. "This is what we run" doesn’t often apply across the board. Sometimes, perhaps, but not often enough to put a guy that’s been "off" in the winner’s circle.

Cavanna: How about we give a shout-out to RCR, which currently has all three cars in Chase position. Can they stay there? Who knows. Some wins would help.

Caraviello: Even if a team throws every resource they have at a team that’s struggling to get into this thing, can we really expect a miracle turnaround at this point? Seems the best some of these guys can hope for is to limp in on points, assuming we don’t get five winners in the next eight weeks. Which I so hope happens, because that would be so much fun to watch.

Bruce: If we get five more winners, all bets are off, DC. But you’re right as far as a quick turnaround for a team that’s not contending on a regular basis. Unlikely, but not impossible. Which probably makes someone like Matt Kenseth more of a threat than a Biffle or a Kyle Larson, Stewart or Kahne.

Caraviello: I’m trying to envision the scenario: Kenseth ends the streak at New Hampshire, Smoke returns to form at Indy, Bowyer wins on fuel mileage at Pocono, Marcos Ambrose does his thing at Watkins Glen, Kahne wins at Michigan or Bristol — and we’re there! Sixteen winners! The impossible becomes reality! So close you can taste it!

Cavanna: The winning lobster also come with a potential Chase bid. I can taste the excitement from here.

Caraviello: If we get to 16 winners, the drinks at the Tropical Seas are on me!

Bruce: I’m starting to worry about you fellas. 

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Bowling event allows driver to unwind, but pressure is picking up

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MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Kasey Kahne stood at the far end of the lane, cradling the ball in front of him. The Hendrick Motorsports driver hunched slightly, took two long strides, and with a whip of the arm unleashed his second consecutive perfect strike.

"I came here a lot over the winter," Kahne said, referring to a bowling center in an area north of Charlotte where many NASCAR drivers live. And indeed, despite being a relative newcomer to the game, he already seems to have his form down pat — as he showed Wednesday in a media outing in advance of the Aug. 3 GoBowling.com 400 at Pocono Raceway. If only things were as effortless on the race track, where the driver of Hendrick’s No. 5 car is in the midst of a fight for his playoff life.

That’s certainly the case after Sunday’s rain-delayed event at Daytona International Speedway, where Kahne’s hopes for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup suffered a double blow — not only was he spun by Greg Biffle to trigger the monster 26-car wreck that marred the end of the race, but Aric Almirola scored an upset victory to ostensibly secure a Chase bid for his Richard Petty Motorsports organization, and take one of those golden tickets off the table in the process.

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The end result made Almirola the 11th race winner to likely wrap up a spot in the 16-driver playoff, with eight weeks remaining in NASCAR’s regular season. And the wreck not only totaled a contending No. 5 car, it dropped Kahne three spots to 18th in Sprint Cup points, and outside of Chase position for the time being. In the projected Chase outlook he’s 20th, behind eight other drivers who are also winless but own a better standing in points.

"As soon as (Almirola) won, I was like, ‘Dang it, that’s one more spot it takes away.’ But I also got his cell number the next day and texted him and said, ‘Awesome job, man, way to go.’ Because that’s a huge win for him and his team as well," Kahne said. "So I wasn’t upset by any means about him winning. I thought it was really cool for them, and they’re in the same position I’m in. That’s neat for them. But yeah, I thought about it as, that’s one less spot, we better get rolling here."

Joey Logano can relate. The Team Penske driver may have two race victories and a secure Chase berth this season, but a year ago under the previous format he was just like Kahne, and one of those drivers on the outside of Chase position trying to claw his way back in.

"We’ve all been in that position before, feeling that pressure going up," Logano said. "It’s not fun, believe me. I’m very fortunate to be in the position we’re in with those two wins. And as you have new winners, like with Aric getting that win this week, that takes up one of those spots. And it gets tight. I don’t think there will be 16 winners, but I think there will be maybe two guys who make it on points. If you’re not in position to do that, you’ve got to start racing for wins at this point. You throw caution to the wind."

Kahne can sense it. He went to Daytona feeling fairly positive about his points position and his team’s performance in recent weeks. He left knowing he’s in a more precarious position. "It’s narrowing up," he said. "There’s still definitely some wild cards coming, where guys who haven’t won yet can absolutely win some of these races. So the points deal, it’s getting less and less where guys are going to make it in by points, I think."

Is he worried? "I’m not worried yet," he said. "I think about it, but I’m not worried. I haven’t lost any sleep over it yet."

Understandable, given the improved results Kahne has shown on average since his season-best third-place finish at Kansas in May. This weekend brings New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a track where Kahne tested earlier this season and has won before. And the road to the Chase runs through several layouts — like Pocono, Indianapolis, Michigan, Bristol and Atlanta — where Kahne has historically been strong. "I think this stretch is pretty good," he said.

Still, Daytona was a setback. Kahne was running right behind the leaders on the backstretch when he was hit from behind from Biffle, igniting the biggest "Big One" many have seen in a long time. Although Kahne wasn’t happy with the outcome — not to mention the accompanying 27th-place finish — he chalked the incident up to the nature of restrictor-plate competition.

"You go to Daytona and Talladega and you leave disappointed most of the time. Just the way those races play out, not much you can do," he said. "Me and Greg talked, and he’s getting pushed from behind. I can’t go any further because (Casey) Mears is coming down, and I don’t want to wreck Mears. So Greg hits me because he can’t slow up, and hits me the right-corner, which you can’t do, and sends me spinning. It’s just that style of racing. You can’t really be mad at anyone, I don’t think. Just kind of the way those races go, and I think all the teams and the drivers go into that place and know that."

Logano was also caught in the 26-car crash, but his two race wins enabled him to leave Daytona in a much more positive frame of mind.

"We weren’t walking out like, ‘Oh my god, this kills our chances.’ That’s what it was last year for us," said Logano, also at the Pocono bowling event. "… That’s that pressure those guys are going through right now. I don’t want to go through that at all. It’s terrible. But it’s part of our sport. It’s part of any sport, trying to make the playoffs."

No wonder, then, Kahne was still stewing over the incident when he got home. "And then I got to my house and my sister and her three kids were swimming in my pool," he said. "So that changed everything. I grabbed a beer and was good to go."

And with that, the 16-time winner on NASCAR’s top series went out to roll a few more frames. Kahne’s game really picked up when he figured out how to spin the ball. In bowling as with the run-up to the Chase, so much is in the follow through.

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Logano among the best, but is he No. 1?

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Lobstah. Chowdah. Race Cahs.

Yes, once again it’s time to venture to the northernmost outpost of NASCAR’s national division, and a New Hampshire Motor Speedway that’s been drawing strong crowds to the Granite State ever since it first opened its doors to the sport’s premier series over two decades ago. There’s a good reason why — get past the accents and the crustaceans, and you discover a racing culture in New England that’s as strong as that in any other region of the country.

It’s reflected in the schedule this weekend at New Hampshire, which features not just the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series, but also a K&N Pro Series East race, the Whelen Modified Tour and a Whelen Modified All-Star Shootout — a 25-lapper bringing together drivers from both the Whelen Modified and Southern Modified tours. The 1.058-mile New Hampshire track has emerged as a mecca for racing not just in the state but in the region, and twice a year gearheads from Bangor to Bridgeport descend upon it in droves.

So naturally, drivers come with the territory. And New England — for the more geographically-challenged, that encompasses Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut — has produced a bunch of them throughout all of NASCAR’s divisions. They’ll be there again this weekend in force, some competing for race wins and championships. Drivers from New England have been as much a constant in NASCAR as tires and fuel, and as we once again head back to their home region, here are the top 10.

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10. Reggie Ruggiero

He may never have won a series championship, but "The Reg" was always among the men to beat on NASCAR’s Modified Tour. A native of Rocky Hill, Connecticut, Ruggiero won 44 events, good enough to rank him second all-time in the victory column. Ruggiero won a number of track championships, and finished in the top 10 in the final standings 13 times in 16 seasons between 1986 and 2001. Ruggiero started four races in what is now the Nationwide Series and recorded a best finish of 10th at Martinsville Speedway in 1987, but he made his name on shorts tracks in New Hampshire and Connecticut before becoming a legend in the Modified ranks.

9. Jerry Nadeau

One of the more star-crossed drivers in recent NASCAR history, Nadeau fought his way up from touring cars to break through with Melling Racing in 1998. Two years later, he was driving for powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports. Although that union lasted less than three seasons, it produced the crowning moment of Nadeau’s career — a victory in the 2000 finale at Atlanta. While it would prove his lone career victory, the native of Danbury, Connecticut, compiled 19 top-10s and was on pace to win a race at Sonoma before a gear failure intervened. He was 10 races into the 2003 season with MB2 Motorsports when he crashed in practice at Richmond, suffering the head injury that would end his career.

8. Ted Christopher

Want somebody who’s done it all? That would be Christopher, a hotshoe who’s competed in almost every NASCAR series there is, and won in many of them along the way. The native of Plainville, Connecticut, claimed NASCAR’s Whelen All-American championship for weekly track racers in 2001, by winning 15 of the 18 events he started at Thompson (Connecticut) Speedway. In 2008, he added the Modified crown, by winning the title and the final race in one fell swoop. His 42 victories on that circuit rank third all-time. Christopher has also competed in all three of NASCAR’s national series, earning top-10 finishes in both the Camping World Truck and Nationwide ranks.  

7. Bugs Stevens

OK, so it’s not his real name. When Carl Bergman of Rehoboth, Massachusetts, wanted to pursue a racing career while still serving in the military, he knew his superiors might object — and with that, the legend goes, Bugs Stevens was born. At the track, though, it didn’t matter — all opponents knew was, this Stevens guy was fast. He won four track titles at Stafford (Connecticut) Speedway, one on dirt and three on asphalt. When he moved into the Modified ranks, Stevens won three straight series championships from 1967-69. He also made three starts in what is now the Sprint Cup Series, and finished sixth at Charlotte in 1970.

6. Rob Moroso

He never had the chance to realize the promise so many saw in him, perishing in a traffic accident near Charlotte in 1990, when he was just 22. But it was clear that Moroso was bound for big things, particularly after a Nationwide Series career where he won six times — including three times at Charlotte — and claimed the 1989 championship for a team owned by his father, Dick. The native of Madison, Connecticut, moved into the Sprint Cup ranks when he was 21, in cars owned by his father and overseen by legendary crew chief Jake Elder. Moroso’s best finish was ninth at Daytona in July of 1990, and he was driving home from a 21st-place result at North Wilkesboro when he lost his life.

5. Pete Hamilton

One of the best big-track specialists of his or any age, Hamilton made his name on the sport’s largest speedways. The native of Dedham, Massachusetts, won the title in NASCAR’s former Sportsman division in 1967, and then moved south to race in the big time. Hamilton’s big break came in 1970 when he hooked up with juggernaut Petty Enterprises — and driving that iconic winged Plymouth, there was no looking back. Hamilton that season won the Daytona 500 and swept both Talladega events, and added a Daytona qualifier (then a points event) for Cotton Owens the next year. Hamilton retired early due to a neck injury, but as New England’s only Daytona 500 champion, his legacy was secure.

4. Andy Santerre

In more recent years Santerre has been known as a crew chief who won seven races in the K&N Pro Series ranks. But make no mistake — the dude could wheel it. The native of Cherryfield, Maine, is generally regarded as the greatest driver in the history of the K&N Pro Series East, winning four straight championships on the circuit from 2002-05. Santerre won Rookie of the Year his first season in 1993, finished in the top four in points the next three seasons, and then left to compete in the Nationwide tour, where he won at Pike’s Peak in 1999. He later returned to collect his four Pro Series crowns, solidifying a legacy on the circuit that includes 23 race wins, good enough for third all-time.

3. Ricky Craven

The pride of Newburgh, Maine, made an impact on NASCAR from the beginning, winning Rookie of the Year in what’s now K&N Pro Series East in 1990. The next year he started winning big and didn’t stop, claiming 10 victories — including four in a row — en route to the title. That same season he added two victories in the Nationwide Series, and the next year was at the national level full-time. Although his career would be interrupted by the aftereffects of a concussion, Craven still won in all three of NASCAR’s national series. He claimed a Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville in 2005, and won twice at the Sprint Cup level — most famously in that photo finish with Kurt Busch at Darlington in 2003.

2. Joey Logano

It may have taken a little longer than some expected, but the can’t-miss kid has made it, and in a big way. As a 16-year-old Logano dominated his one K&N Pro Series East season, winning his debut from the pole and adding four more victories. He was an immediate contender in the Nationwide Series, scoring eight wins before he was old enough to drink. Now with Team Penske, the native of Middletown, Connecticut, has broken through as a premier level championship contender, making the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup for the first time last season, and owning two victories already this year. Logano has five career Sprint Cup wins, and at just 24, he’s only getting started.

1. Mike Stefanik

It’s enough of a feat to win a single NASCAR championship. Stefanik has won two in one season — and done it twice. He’s the only driver ever to do that, claiming dual titles in both Whelen Modified and K&N Pro Series East in 1997 and 1998. It’s part of an unparalleled resume that includes nine total NASCAR crowns, seven of them coming on a Modified tour where the native of Wilbraham, Massachusetts, still competes. His 74 wins are the most all-time in that series. The 56-year-old Stefanik remains one tough customer, as his famous sound byte from the Battle at the Beach a few years ago will attest. Ranked the second-best Modified driver of all time behind immortal Richie Evans, and the sixth-best ever in the Pro Series, his legacy is ironclad. But he’ll be there in his No. 1 car at New Hampshire, ready to build on it all the same.

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Third-place finish at Daytona earns driver even more respect from Dale Jr., others

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Ryan Sieg was the first driver to the Daytona International Speedway media center following Friday night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series Subway Firecracker 250. Initially, he stood off to the side, looking a little overwhelmed, not exactly sure where to go.

This was the 27-year-old’s first post-race news conference as a top-three finisher in one of NASCAR’s national events. As the night’s third-place finisher, he took his seat on stage behind the microphone, wide-eyed, wide-smiled.

Dressed in a mostly plain, nearly all-black fire suit Sieg stood next to race runner-up and points leader Regan Smith, whose custom-made JR Motorsports drivers suit was crowded with colorful patches and who looked much more comfortable on stage — although not nearly as excited or awestruck.

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"It was a win for our team," a grinning Sieg declared in his first sentence to the press. "This is really a big deal. Awesome to come to Daytona and get a career-best finish."

As for his team, "they were extremely excited," Sieg said, recalling the final feet to the checkered flag. "They were all yelling on the radio. It was great … just as excited as I was. It was awesome."

One race doesn’t make a career. But Sieg’s effort, essentially pushing Smith’s JRM teammate Kasey Kahne to a thrilling photo-finish victory, is perhaps a beginning for him. His previous best NNS showing was ninth place in the season-opener here.

Some NASCAR fans may not be familiar with Sieg, whose crew chief’s first name is "Cowboy" (Starland) and whose one-high school hometown of Tucker (Georgia) is known for being the headquarters of "The Big Green Egg" barbecue.

But he’s gotten the attention of some pretty important people in the garage, especially after Friday night.

The winning team owner, Dale Earnhardt Jr. — without even being asked — spoke about how impressed he was with Sieg, not just because his driver was the benefactor Friday night, but in Sieg’s efforts all season.

"I’m real proud of Ryan," Earnhardt said. "I watched him at Dover when I was on top of Regan’s pit box and he impressed the hell out of me. I hadn’t really paid a ton of attention to him prior to that, but I know those guys were just kind of running on a shoestring (budget).

"He had a couple runs during the race at Dover that were better than anybody outside the top five for sure. He kind of hung around and raced with guys in some equipment far better than his. It’s great to see him run well. He does a lot with very little. It’s good to see."

Kahne also acknowledged Sieg’s role in his victory, even pausing in the middle of his winner’s interview on stage to stand up, shake Sieg’s hand and thank the younger driver as he walked by.

"Every move I made worked out because he was there and pushing as hard as he was," Kahne said. "It was great to have him there. I’ve watched him and he does a nice job for where he is in the series.

"It’s tough to run with the Junior teams, the Gibbs, Penske, Roush and Turner Motorsports all those teams out there. He does a good job with what they have. If he keeps it up he’ll definitely get more opportunity. He’s a good driver for sure."

Not only did the performance earn respect from his competitors, but it also netted Sieg the biggest paycheck of his life. Plus, it put Sieg in the Nationwide Series Dash4Cash competition with three other first-time qualifiers: Smith, Ryan Reed and Jeremy Clements. The top finisher among those drivers on Saturday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will earn a $100,000 bonus from Nationwide Insurance.

And that’s a hugely tangible reward for a driver like Sieg, who doesn’t have the mega-bucks backing of JRM (Smith) or Roush Fenway Racing (Reed).

"Hopefully, it’ll bring some more sponsors," Sieg said. "We have them come on here and there and it would be nice to have a full-time one since we run full-time in the Nationwide Series.

"Hopefully, this got some eyes."

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Posted on by Staff Report

Duo recalls fond memories about track during ‘The Business of NASCAR’ panel

NASCAR President Mike Helton and team owner Richard Childress were part of a panel to discuss the business in NASCAR, Talladega Superspeedway‘s role in the sport and more.

The summit, called "The Business of NASCAR — Put Your Business in the Fast Lane" was co-hosted by the 2.66-mile track and the Birmingham Business Alliance. Talladega Superspeedway Chairman Grant Lynch, Coca-Cola Refreshments Brenda Staton, PepsiCo, Gatorade and Quaker Brands’ Carrie Walker and America’s First Federal Credit Union’s Phil Boozer joined Helton and Childress as panelists in a discussion moderated by Rick Harrow.

Helton discussed the impact of Talladega on NASCAR, which was something he has great knowledge of given his role as the former president of the track from 1988 to 1993.

"Over the last 45 years Talladega Superspeedway has produced some of the most memorable moments in our sport’s history," Helton said. "Great competition is at the heart of NASCAR, and Talladega constantly showcaes three- and four-wide, side-by-side racing. For me, it’s great coming to Talladega twice a year because I know how important the track is to the state of Alabama and the NASCAR industry worldwide."

The track hosts two Sprint Cup Series weekends a year, one in early May and the other in late October.

"The location of our world-class facility in Talladega, Alabama was handpicked by NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., who saw potential for tremendous success in the area," Lynch, who has served as the track’s president or chairman since 1993, said.

The track has spent over $434 million on upgrades over the past decade.

Richard Childress, the owner of the Richard Childress Racing team, shared how much Talladega means to him during the discussion. His first career NASCAR start as a driver came in 1969 at Talladega. He also has had many great moments at the venue as a team owner with nine of Dale Earnhardt’s 10 wins at the track coming as a driver for Childress.

"Talladega Superspeedway has always been special to me since I started my NASCAR career there. I still love driving through the tunnel twice a year because I know what the place is all about. It’s fun for the fans and the competitors, and just a great place to be. My grandsons, Ty and Austin, and I love going out on Talladega Blvd., in the infield to mingle with the fans — something NASCAR was founded on.

"It’s just an amazing destination for everyone."

NASCAR action returns to Talladega from Oct. 17-19. The GEICO 500 will be the sixth race in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup and upon its completion, four drivers will be eliminated from the playoff field.

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Posted on by Staff Report

At home or on the go, keep tabs on Cup, Nationwide and Truck Series action this weekend

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This weekend brings the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Nationwide Series to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, while the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series takes the track at Iowa Speedway.

The Sprint Cup Series Camping World RV Sales 301 is on Sunday, July 13, at 1 p.m. ET with coverage on TNT.

The Nationwide Series Sta-Green 200 is on Saturday, July 12, at 3:30 p.m. ET with coverage on ESPN2.

The Camping World Truck Series American Ethanol 200 is on Friday, July 11, at 8:30 p.m. ET with coverage on FOX Sports 1.

For more information on track times, press conferences and GarageCam, you can check out this weekend’s schedule. For TV times see this week’s TV schedule.

We know you may not have the time to watch the race action without any interruptions, so if you’re on the go, here’s how to keep up at New Hampshire and Iowa.

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NASCAR.com’s live Cup leaderboard, Nationwide leaderboard and Truck leaderboard update in real-time and offer constant text updates of lead changes, cautions, strategies, strong runs and everything in between. On the go? Download the NASCAR Mobile app to follow the leaderboards live from your device.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series RaceBuddy is back on NASCAR.com and NASCAR Mobile. Get 10 live high-definition feeds, including views of pit road and battle cams. Plus, ride along with in-car camera feeds for Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano.

The NASCAR Nationwide Series will also be using the RaceBuddy feature with ride along cameras for Ty Dillon, Regan Smith, Chase Elliott, Elliott Sadler, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch. 

Lap-by-Lap will keep you caught up even if you can only take a peek here and there. Check in now and then to read back through all the laps you’ve missed, or keep an eye on the feed for real-time race updates.

We’ll also be sending race updates via Twitter through the official @NASCAR and @NASCARStats handles.

Haven’t tried RaceView yet? If you sign up, you’ll get virtualized video of cars on the track from various angles and hear what your favorite team is saying over the radio. Use it as a second screen or as your only screen. Just want to scan the radios? You can have that, too, with RaceView Audio. On a mobile device? Get RaceView Mobile here.

If you want to be more involved in the on-track action, you can manage your own fantasy team on NASCAR.com and follow your team’s performance in NASCAR Fantasy Live. Mobile users can also download NASCAR Connect, a game from OneUp Sports that allows users to play other fans with race predictions, for some off-track competition while drivers battle it out on the track.

Live Press Pass streams will keep the NASCAR action rolling even after the winner rolls in and out of Victory Lane. Catch interviews with the top finishers immediately following the checkered flag for both the Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series, and stay tuned to NASCAR.com throughout the week for the latest news.

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Posted on by Zack Albert

Camping World Truck Series points leader craving first victory of 2014

NEWTON, Iowa — Being a short-track racer at heart, there’s a handful of qualities about Iowa Speedway that appeal to Johnny Sauter. Prime among them is the location, just southwest of his neighboring home state of Wisconsin.
 
"I’m a Midwest guy so I love the atmosphere," Sauter said Thursday during opening-day inspections at the .875-mile track. "When you come here, it’s just like being back home. With it racing the way it does and me liking the surroundings, I think that just bodes well for us. We’ve been very, very consistent here — six top-fives in seven starts, but no wins, but that’s something I’d like to change."
 
Sauter will get his chance Friday night when the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series runs the American Ethanol 200 (8:30 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1), the ninth of 22 races for the circuit this season. The 36-year-old veteran will take the green flag as the truck tour’s points leader, thanks to his status as the only driver with five consecutive top-10 finishes heading into the event.

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Even with his team parked in the No. 1 garage stall afforded to the standings leader, Sauter still sees room for improvement, even as his ThorSport Racing team continues to scratch out top-10s.
 
"We’ve actually kind of struggled a lot of places until the race, where we’ve been able to just ultimately work on it all day and get ourselves in position toward the end of the race to come away with a decent finish," Sauter said. "We’ve just been lacking initial speed and we find a way to get it. We’ve just got to find a way to unload faster. …
 
"We’ve been pretty solid every week, but to reach up there and win a race, a lot of things have to go right and we just haven’t had things bounce our way yet."
 
Crew chief Dennis Connor worked with Sauter for half of last season and was reunited with him after spending the first two races of 2014 atop the pit box for ThorSport teammate Jeb Burton. The communication has picked up where it left off, but Connor is devoted to weeding the gremlins out of the No. 98 team.
 
"That’s kind of how our year has gone so far," Connor said. "We’ve focused on finishing races and not doing anything foolish and making the best out of the situation we’re dealt on that particular day. We’re working on all these things to get better and logically, the more you do something, the better you get at it."
 
Sauter’s rate of success has been near constant since joining the truck series full-time in 2009. Since then, he’s made a formidable pairing with teammate Matt Crafton, the defending series champion, winning at least one race in each of his five full seasons with the Duke and Rhonda Thorson-owned operation, based in Sandusky, Ohio.

Long-running driver-owner combinations are hard to come by in most forms of motorsports, but ThorSport boasts two — Sauter’s long-term commitment and Crafton’s participation for 13 of the last 14 seasons.
 
"(It’s) not only just the support they’ve given us, but the truck series itself," Sauter said, taking the dedication theme a step further. "Duke and Rhonda have been here for 19 years and it’s a huge commitment on their part. … They’ve obviously been very loyal to me, and that means something. It’s something you don’t see every day. That’s cool — it makes you want to go out there and dig a little harder. I couldn’t be happier to have this opportunity."
 
Sauter also counts himself as fortunate in the sponsorship department with Nextant Aerospace and Smokey Mountain Herbal Snuff sharing the backing of the No. 98 Toyota. The livery of the latter, a tobacco-free smokeless brand, will be on his truck this weekend.
 
Sauter not only endorses but uses the product, which has come into sharper focus as Major League Baseball players have made public campaigns to kick the habit or find tobacco-free alternatives in the weeks since June 16, when oral cancer claimed the life of Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn.
 
"Obviously, it’s a good alternative to tobacco. To me, that’s what it’s all about," Sauter said. "Obviously we all know the horror stories from people we know or people we see or talk to or see on TV. It’s good to be able to have an alternative that gives you the same effect."

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Posted on by Nascar

Bruce: Some of the best drivers in NASCAR history have won shortened races

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Pardon Aric Almirola for stinking up Sunday’s rain-shortened Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, but don’t expect an apology from the Richard Petty Motorsports driver. 

All the kid did was race his way to the front with rain on the way and manage to stay there until it arrived.

Which is pretty much the same way it’s been done for 60-plus years. Get to the front and be there when it ends. Rain or shine.

Almirola’s win doesn’t sit well with some folks, who claim rain-shortened wins aren’t wins at all.

Let’s see, he was leading when the race was stopped. He made it to Victory Lane. He got the trophy. 

That’s pretty much a win in my book.

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Petty, the man they’ve been calling The King for decades, won 200 races and more than one of those was cut short due to rain.

You want to know who else has won rain-shortened races in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series?

Six-time series champion Jimmie Johnson. Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon. Three-time series champion Tony Stewart. Matt Kenseth. Kurt Busch. 

Just to drop a few names you might recognize. 

Think any of them didn’t deserve those victories? 

Kenseth is a two-time winner of the Daytona 500. He isn’t known as the driver who won one Daytona 500 and a rain-shortened one as well. 

The "depleted field" complaint is almost as laughable as the "rain-shortened" one.

How soon we forget. 

I guess Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn’t deserve his win in this year’s Daytona 500, where an early crash collected 13 cars. Or the 10-car crash less than 20 laps later. Or the two others that followed, sweeping up six or more cars in each.

Sorry, Junior, you beat a less-than-competitive field. 

How about Stewart’s 2012 win at Daytona in the Coke Zero 400, after late incidents involving 19 and 14 cars whittled down the field of contenders inside the final 10 laps.

Chin up, Tony. Maybe next time you win, it’ll be against a more successful group of drivers.

That’s to say nothing of the multicar incidents that have unfolded at Talladega Superspeedway, the only other Sprint Cup Series track where restrictor plates are required and pile-ups are the norm.

Guess we need to take another look at those results, too, and adjust the record book accordingly. 

Maybe it bothers some folks that Almirola won his first Sprint Cup race in an event that was cut short by rain and against a field trimmed by accidents. Maybe it bothers them that he had never won before Sunday. 

One person it didn’t bother was Almirola. 

He had the team over for a victory celebration Sunday night after returning from not-so-sunny Daytona Beach. 

"When it was all said and done and the only ones left were me and my wife, the kids were asleep, and I had the Coke Zero 400 trophy on my kitchen table — that’s all I care about," Almirola said. "Nobody can take that away from me. For the rest of my life, I’ll be a Sprint Cup winner. I’ll be able to tell my kids that I won a Sprint Cup race. I’ll have that trophy forever." 

Come rain or shine.

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Posted on by Brad Norman

Can another first-time winner cause Chase chaos?

Editor’s note: Driver Reports includes the 16 drivers currently in the Chase field, ranked in order of the current points standings.

1. Jeff Gordon (No. 24)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet 

Standing: Gordon leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings with 651 points.
Current Chase seed: 7
Past five races: 12th at Daytona, 6th at Kentucky, 2nd at Sonoma, 6th at Michigan, 8th at Pocono.
Season stats: 1 win, 6 top-fives, 13 top-10s.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Gordon’s average finish is 9.0 and his average running position is 7.4 over the past nine years. In 38 career starts at New Hampshire, he has three wins, 16 top-five, 22 top-10s and four poles.
Quick hit: Gordon’s lead atop the Sprint Cup Series standings should be safe for another week. He hasn’t finished outside the top 20 at New Hampshire since 2005, and his average running position during that same span is first in the series.

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Standing: Earnhardt Jr. is second in the standings with 624 points.
Current Chase seed: 2
Past five races: 14th at Daytona, 5th at Kentucky, 3rd at Sonoma, 7th at Michigan, 1st at Pocono.
Season stats: 2 wins, 9 top-fives, 12 top-10s.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Earnhardt Jr.’s average finish is 13.8 and his average running position is 11.7 over the past nine years. In 29 career starts at New Hampshire, he has seven top-fives and 12 top-10s.
Quick hit: It’s a little puzzling that Junior does not have a win here, because this is statistically one of his best tracks. A look at the numbers reveals a driver who is more consistent than dynamic, though. His average running position is fifth in the series, but he has trouble closing it out — he’s never finished second at this track, and of his seven top-fives, only one is third-place finish.

3. Jimmie Johnson (No. 48)

Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet

Standing: Johnson is third in the standings with 596 points.
Current Chase seed: 1
Past five races: 42nd at Daytona, 10th at Kentucky, 6th at Sonoma, 1st at Michigan, 6th at Pocono.
Season stats: 3 wins, 6 top-fives, 12 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Johnson’s average finish is 9.6 and his average running position is 9.7 over the past nine years. In 24 career starts at New Hampshire, he has three wins, nine top-five and 17 top-10s.
Quick hit: Johnson has been exceptional at New Hampshire since 2007, with only two blips during that stretch. The numbers: 14 races, one win, seven top-fives and 12 top-10s. His average finish last year was 5.0 in two races, so a top-five run is practically the expectation at this point.

4. Brad Keselowski (No. 2)

Team Penske, Ford 

Standing: Keselowski is fourth in the standings with 586 points.
Current Chase seed: 3
Past five races: 18th at Daytona, 1st at Kentucky, 22nd at Sonoma, 3rd at Michigan, 2nd at Pocono.
Season stats: 2 wins, 8 top-fives, 9 top-10s, 3 poles.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Keselowski’s average finish is 12.6 and his average running position is 14.8 over the past nine years. In nine career starts at New Hampshire, he has three top-fives, five top-10s and two poles.
Quick hit: This has become one of the best tracks for the No. 2 team, which has a worst finish of 11th over the past five races at the 1.058-mile venue. It’s even more impressive when you consider Keselowski has not qualified well over the same stretch, where his average start is 14.8 (and that includes one pole). Given Team Penske’s 2014 dominance during qualifying, expect both a good start and finish to the weekend.

5. Matt Kenseth (No. 20)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Standing: Kenseth is fifth in the standings with 580 points.
Current Chase seed: 12
Past five races: 20th at Daytona, 4th at Kentucky, 42nd at Sonoma, 14th at Michigan, 25th at Pocono.
Season stats: 6 top-fives, 11 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Kenseth’s average finish is 14.4 and his average running position is 16.0 over the past nine years. In 28 career starts at New Hampshire, he has one win, six top-fives and14 top-10s.
Quick hit: New Hampshire is a track where Toyota as a manufacturer can get back on … well, track. It’s been a down year so far, as Toyota ranks third in the manufacturer standings and has two wins in 18 races — at this point last year, it had seven. Kenseth is the most recent winner at the 1.058-mile track and performed almost flawlessly last year, his first with Joe Gibbs Racing.

6. Joey Logano (No. 22)

Team Penske, Ford 

Standing: Logano is sixth in the standings with 546 points.
Current Chase seed: 4
Past five races: 17th at Daytona, 9th at Kentucky, 16th at Sonoma, 9th at Michigan, 40th at Pocono.
Season stats: 2 wins, 6 top-fives, 9 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Logano’s average finish is 17.5 and his average running position is 21.7 over the past nine years. In 11 career starts at New Hampshire, he has one win, two top-fives and four top-10s.
Quick hit: This is one of just five tracks on tour in which Logano has a win, but he’s long said that he doesn’t hold New Hampshire in special regard despite it producing his first career Cup victory in 2009. Logano kind of has a point, as he has more finishes outside the top 30 (three) than inside the top five (two). An interesting note: in the past five races here, Logano has three finishes of 14th.

7. Carl Edwards (No. 99)

Roush Fenway Racing, Ford 

Standing: Edwards is seventh in the standings with 543 points.
Current Chase seed: 5
Past five races: 37th at Daytona, 17th at Kentucky, 1st at Sonoma, 23rd at Michigan, 41st at Pocono.
Season stats: 2 wins, 4 top-fives, 8 top-10s.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Edwards’ average finish is 13.5 and his average running position is 14.4 over the past nine years. In 19 career starts at New Hampshire, he has two top-fives and five top-10s.
Quick hit: Edwards turned a corner last year at Loudon, notching two top-10s in the season’s two races, something he had never done before. He’s a sleeper pick to win this weekend and extend Ford’s winning streak to four in a row. It would be the first time that happened in the same season for Ford since 2001.

8. Ryan Newman (No. 31)

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet 

Standing: Newman is eighth in the standings with 534 points.
Current Chase seed: 13
Past five races: 24th at Daytona, 3rd at Kentucky, 11th at Sonoma, 15th at Michigan, 7th at Pocono.
Season stats: 1 top-five, 6 top-10s.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Newman’s average finish is 15.6 and his average running position is 13.0 over the past nine years. In 24 career starts at New Hampshire, he has three wins, six top-fives, 15 top-10s and seven poles.
Quick hit: Newman’s last win at Loudon was the summer race in 2011, and he hasn’t recorded a top-five in the five races since. He won the pole in last year’s fall race, but could only produce a 16th-place finish. If he gets back into the groove at the 1.058-mile track, though, he’d be the first Richard Childress Racing driver to win here since 2010.

9. Kyle Busch (No. 18)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Standing: Busch is ninth in the standings with 524 points.
Current Chase seed: 8
Past five races: 28th at Daytona, 2nd at Kentucky, 25th at Sonoma, 41st at Michigan, 12th at Pocono.
Season stats: 1 win, 4 top-fives, 7 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Busch’s average finish is 15.1 and his average running position is 14.0 over the past nine years. In 18 career starts at New Hampshire, he has one win, six top-fives, eight top-10s and one pole.
Quick hit: Twelve different drivers have won the past 12 races at New Hampshire, and Busch has to be the favorite to keep that streak going — his lone win here came in 2006. He finished second in both races last year, and the Joe Gibbs Racing program at Loudon is perhaps the best in the business.

10. Paul Menard (No. 27)

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet 

Standing: Menard is 10th in the standings with 516 points.
Current Chase seed: 14
Past five races: 16th at Daytona, 15th at Kentucky, 5th at Sonoma, 4th at Michigan, 26th at Pocono.
Season stats: 3 top-fives, 9 top-10s.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Menard’s average finish is 24.6 and his average running position is 24.4 over the past nine years. In 14 career starts at New Hampshire, his best finish is 12th in 2012.
Quick hit: Having a first-time 2014 winner at Daytona should give the No. 27 team pause. Menard has worked his way to 10th place in the standings, and he needs all the breathing room he can get if someone duplicates that feat on Sunday. Not only does Menard have zero top-10s at New Hampshire, he’s finished outside the top 20 in 10 of his 14 career starts.

11. Kevin Harvick (No. 4)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet 

Standing: Harvick is 11th in the standings with 514 points.
Current Chase seed: 6
Past five races: 39th at Daytona, 7th at Kentucky, 20th at Sonoma, 2nd at Michigan, 14th at Pocono.
Season stats: 2 wins, 5 top-fives, 8 top-10s, 3 poles.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Harvick’s average finish is 13.4 and his average running position is 13.0 over the past nine years. In 26 career starts at New Hampshire, he has one win, five top-fives, 13 top-10s and one pole.
Quick hit: Harvick’s numbers at New Hampshire aren’t the best, but consider this: The 1.058-mile track is, in many ways, comparable to the 1-mile oval at Phoenix, where Harvick was dominant earlier this year. Sure, it’s a little flatter in Loudon, but the No. 4 will have plenty of speed.

12. Clint Bowyer (No. 15)

Michael Waltrip Racing, Toyota

Standing: Bowyer is 12th in the standings with 509 points.
Current Chase seed: 15
Past five races: 9th at Daytona, 23rd at Kentucky, 10th at Sonoma, 10th at Michigan, 11th at Pocono.
Season stats: 2 top-fives, 7 top-10s.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Bowyer’s average finish is 15.1 and his average running position is 12.4 over the past nine years. In 16 career starts at New Hampshire, he has two wins, four top-fives, six top-10s and one pole.
Quick hit: New Hampshire is one of three tracks on the circuit where Bowyer has won twice. Those wins have come while starting first in 2007 and second in 2010, so keep an eye on the No. 15 on Friday during qualifying as much as Sunday during the race.

13. Austin Dillon (No. 3)

Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet  

Standing: Dillon is 13th in the standings with 494 points.
Current Chase seed: 16
Past five races: 5th at Daytona, 16th at Kentucky, 17th at Sonoma, 30th at Michigan, 17th at Pocono.
Season stats: 1 top-five, 2 top-10s, 1 pole.
Track history: Dillon does not have a Sprint Cup Series start at New Hampshire. In three Nationwide Series starts, he has two top-fives and two top-10s.
Quick hit: Dillon was the biggest gainer in the standings following Daytona (up five spots), and he’s the last driver currently in the Chase field. That’s an accomplishment, although he’s just four points ahead of Greg Biffle, so there remains no room for error. The No. 3 has never won at Loudon, and Dillon spent two days testing there earlier this month.

14. Denny Hamlin (No. 11)

Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota 

Standing: Hamlin is 14th in the standings with 493 points.
Current Chase seed: 9
Past five races: 6th at Daytona, 42nd at Kentucky, 26th at Sonoma, 29th at Michigan, 4th at Pocono.
Season stats: 1 win, 4 top-fives, 6 top-10s, 2 poles.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Hamlin’s average finish is 9.0 and his average running position is 10.8 over the past nine years. In 16 career starts at New Hampshire, he has two wins, seven top-fives and 10 top-10s.
Quick hit: Hamlin’s success at New Hampshire has come with brief periods of malaise mixed in. So considering he finished 21st and 12th last season, the trend would be for Hamlin to return to form at one of his better tracks.

21. Aric Almirola (No. 43)

Richard Petty Motorsports, Ford

Standing: Almirola is 21st in the standings with 452 points.
Current Chase seed: 10
Past five races: 1st at Daytona, 39th at Kentucky, 23rd at Sonoma, 31st at Michigan, 22nd at Pocono.
Season stats: 1 win, 2 top-fives, 4 top-10s.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Almirola’s average finish is 21.0 and his average running position is 24.6 over the past nine years. In seven career starts at New Hampshire, he has one top-five and one top-10.
Quick hit: Almirola’s history at New Hampshire is, well, bad. The upside though is that he’s qualified well the past three races and started a career-best 13th in last year’s Chase event. His fifth-place run in this race last year was the best of his career.

26. Kurt Busch (No. 41)

Stewart-Haas Racing, Chevrolet

Standing: Busch is 26th in the standings with 412 points.
Current Chase seed: 11
Past five races: 3rd at Daytona, 12th at Kentucky, 12th at Sonoma, 13th at Michigan, 3rd at Pocono.
Season stats: 1 win, 4 top-fives, 4 top-10s.
Track history: At New Hampshire, Busch’s average finish is 16.5 and his average running position is 13.7 over the past nine years. In 26 career starts at New Hampshire, he has three wins, seven top-fives and 11 top-10s.
Quick hit: Busch’s last seven appearances at Loudon have resulted in just one top-10. He’s only cracked the top 20 once in the past five races, but his win at flat Martinsville earlier this year means that his No. 41 car will probably be good Sunday.

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