The NASCAR Sprint Cup series is headed to the track called the “Magic Mile,” New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Sunday for the 5-Hour Energy 301.
The track is a 1.058-mile track that races a lot like a short track. The front and backstretches are 1,500 feet long which gives plenty of time to power past another car to gain a position. Drivers can also make a pass by dropping under another car heading into the turns. However, to make the pass through the turn the car dropping low better have good handling.
The turns at New Hampshire Motor Speedway have progressive banking of two to seven degrees. Many of the tracks on the Sprint Cup circuit have more banking than that on the straight-aways. If a car is not handling well and the driver attempts to pass low in the turns the result could be a spin that not only ruins the day of the car trying to pass, but also collecting the car that is being passed.
Handling will also be important for the drivers just to get around the track without trying to pass. An ill-handling car can cause a car that is not even trying to pass to slide into the outside wall and end the day prematurely.
Here are the top ten in driver rating at New Hampshire Motor Speedway over the past 20 Sprint Cup races to help you decide the potential favorites in the 5-Hour Energy 301.
#1 – Jeff Gordon – 107.3 driver rating with 3 wins
#2 – Tony Stewart – 106.9 driver rating with 3 wins
#3 – Denny Hamlin – 103.2 driver rating with 2 wins
#4 – Jimmie Johnson – 102.1 driver rating with 3 wins
#5 – Kyle Larson – 99.1 driver rating with 0 wins
#6 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 97.1 driver rating with 0 wins
#7 – Brad Keselowski – 95.6 driver rating with 1 win
#8 – Clint Bowyer – 95.0 driver rating with 2 wins
#9 – Kyle Busch – 94.7 driver rating with 1 win
#10 – Kevin Harvick – 93.1 driver rating with 1 win
Jeff Gordon is in his final full-time Sprint Cup season and has yet to score a win to help solidify his spot on the Chase Grid. He does have the chance to point his way into the Chase. However, one bad race could take that chance away. Jeff has as many wins as anybody on the “Magic Mile” and is at the top of the driver ratings. He has to be a favorite for the win and he NEEDS to get that win as well.
With his driver rating and three wins, you would think that Tony Stewart would be another favorite heading into the 5-Hour Energy 301. However, based on the season “Smoke” is having I hesitate to call him a favorite this week.
In contrast, Denny Hamlin is having a solid year. He already has a win and just last week at Kentucky Speedway was part of the Joe Gibbs Racing domination claiming first (Kyle Busch), second (Denny), fourth (Carl Edwards) and fifth (Matt Kenseth) places in the Quaker State 400. Denny should be considered a favorite this week to claim the win.
Clint Bowyer has been having a solid season and has been there to contend for the win near the end of a few races. He is currently the 16th driver on the Chase Grid. Being knock off the grid is more likely than not for Clint. His driver rating and two wins at New Hampshire will motivate him to get the win and I believe makes him another favorite heading into Sunday’s race.
I have two dark horse picks for this week. Both Ryan Newman (11th) and Kurt Busch (13th) are just outside the top ten in driver ratings and each has three wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Kurt has two wins and is all but locked on the Chase Grid. The third win would move Kurt up in the seeding for the start of the Chase.
Ryan on the other hand does not have a win in 2015 yet. He is currently on the Chase Grid based on points, but it is in spot # 15 out of 16. That makes him very vulnerable to being knocked out of the Chase. Ryan really needs to move up on his good season so far by claiming a win to secure his spot on the Chase Grid.
The outcome on the “Magic Mile” is never certain until the checkered flag waives with the chances of another driver’s mistake taking out a contender on a track that races like a short track, as I previously mentioned.
Things could get exciting and heated all at the same time when NASCAR waives the green flag on the 5-Hour Energy 301 Sunday, July 19th at 12:30pm central time at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
By: Buck Stevens
