There are seven races remaining before NASCAR begins the playoffs. That means the drivers and teams of the cup series not locked on the Chase Grid could take chances this weekend in the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is just over a mile in length and has earned the nickname the “Magic Mile.” Depending on which drivers you talk to, that “magic” could be good magic or black magic. The track is all but a flat track as the turns have just two to seven degrees of banking and the 1,500 feet front and back stretches have just one degree of banking.
The teams will need to have the cars set for good speed to get around the one-mile track quickly. However, they will have to counter the speed with great handling since there will be no assistance from the track with basically no banking through the turns.
Those drivers needing a win to get in the playoffs or a good points day to remain in (or get in) the top 16 to make the Chase Grid will have to be aggressively careful during the race. Push it too far and the result will be the exact opposite of what they need. Below is a look at the Chase Grid heading into the race weekend at New Hampshire.
Next we’ll look at the track and race specific data for this weekend’s race.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway Data
Track Size: 1.058-mile
Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 2 to 7 degrees
Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 2 to 7 degrees
Banking/Frontstretch: 1 degree
Banking/Backstretch: 1 degree
Frontstretch Length: 1,500 feet
Backstretch Length: 1,500 feet
Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 Data
Season Race #: 20 of 36 (07-22-18)
Race Length: 301 laps / 318.458 miles
Stages 1 & 2 Length: 75 laps (each)
Final Stage Length: 151 laps
Which active drivers have performed well at New Hampshire Motor Speedway during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series careers? Here’s a look at the top 10.
Top 10 Driver Rating at New Hampshire
Denny Hamlin………………………… 103.6
Kyle Busch…………………………….. 100.8
Jimmie Johnson……………………… 100.5
Brad Keselowski………………………. 99.1
Kevin Harvick…………………………… 96.5
Matt Kenseth……………………………. 93.7
Martin Truex Jr………………………… 93.5
Kyle Larson……………………………… 92.5
Chase Elliott…………………………….. 90.4
Kurt Busch………………………………. 88.5
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2017 races (26 total) among active drivers at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Denny Hamlin is the defending winner of this race from 2017 and has scored three New Hampshire wins in his career.
Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman and the winner of the 2017 fall race at the track Kyle Busch have all also scored three victories during the cup series careers at the Magic Mile.
Three drivers have two New Hampshire wins on their racing resumes. They are Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick.
Brand Keselowski and Kasey Kahne each has a single checkered flag from the Magic Mile on their cup series trophy shelf.
Many of the tracks on the NASCAR circuit give the winners a unique trophy and at New Hampshire Motor Speedway the winners get a massive lobster for their hard-earned win to go with the trophy for their shelf.
Who will find good magic and who will be a victim of black magic on the Magic Mile this weekend? Who will claim the lobster? We will find out when the green flag waives to start the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sunday, July 22nd at 1:00 PM central time (2:00 PM eastern time).
By: Buck Stevens
