No. 48 has finished out of the top 15 just once in New Hampshire
The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series moves to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the 17th race of the 2010 season, the Lenox Industrial Tools 301. NASCAR expert Brian Brown took a look at past performances and season trends and spoke to NASCAR contacts to provide you the most accurate fantasy preview of Sunday's race.
When
Sunday, June 27, 2010
1:15 p.m. ET
Weather
Isolated thunderstorms with high around 79; wind out of the NNW at 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
The Track
New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) is a 1.058 mile flat-oval. It has 12 degree banking on the corners with 2 degree banking on the straight-aways. Ryan Newman has been great at NHMS during his career. He earned his first career Nextel Cup victory at the track and passed Tony Stewart late in the 2006 September race for another win at NHMS. Mark Martin, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer, and Kurt Busch have won the past five races at the track.
Key to Race: That is one big paperclip
NHMS is basically a big version of Martinsville. It is a mile long paperclip configuration with two long straight-aways with tight corners at the ends. This race is always hard on brakes and tires. The team that can figure out a setup that allows them to keep the brakes and tires fresh will have a big advantage. Look for Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch to have strong runs in Sunday's race.
Qualifying Procedures
Forty-five cars will attempt to qualify for 43 spots. Cars not in the top 35 in the 2010 owner point standings will have to qualify based on speed. Starting positions 1-43 will be determined by qualifying runs on Friday, June 25 at 3:10 p.m. ET.
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
Top 5
No. 48 Jimmie Johnson: Johnson has finished in the top 15 in all but one of his 16 career Cup starts at NHMS. He is a great pick on Sunday.
No. 11 Denny Hamlin: Hamlin won the July 2007 race at NHMS and has finished in the top 10 in six of his last eight Cup races at the track. He is an excellent pick on Sunday.
No. 14 Tony Stewart: Stewart has 11 top five finishes, including two wins, in 22 career starts at NHMS. He has brought one of the best cars in the field the last few races in the Granite State and is a terrific option on Sunday.
No. 2 Kurt Busch: Busch has three career wins at NHMS including the July 2008 rain-shortened race. With his past success at the track and how well he has driven this year we like his chances to win.
No. 24 Jeff Gordon: Between 1997 and 2001 Gordon was easily the top driver at NHMS, but then the Rainbow Warrior went into a serious slump at the track. He has worked hard at his race setups at the Magic Mile and is once again a great option to take the checkers.
three races and he should be fast again this weekend.
No. 56 Martin Truex Jr.: Truex has four top seven finishes in the last six races at NHMS. This is the weekend to use the No. 56 driver.
No. 17 Matt Kenseth: Kenseth has finished inside the top 10 in nine of the last 15 NHMS races. He should finish around 10th on Sunday.
11 to 20
No. 29 Kevin Harvick: Harvick has nine top 10 finishes in 18 career starts at NHMS. He won the September 2006 race at track and with some luck could crack the top 10 on Sunday.
No. 99 Carl Edwards: Carl had one of the better cars at NHMS the past few years. He will flirt with another top 10 finish this weekend.
No. 20 Joey Logano: Logano won his first career Cup race at NHMS last July when the race was called due to rain. This is his home track and even if he wouldn't have won without the rain, he still has lots of speed at the Magic Mile.
No. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya: Montoya seems to get better with every trip he makes to New Hampshire. He is a fine choice this weekend.
No. 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior has finished in the top 10 in seven of the last 14 races at NHMS. He will finish near the top 10 again this weekend.
No. 31 Jeff Burton: Burton has an impressive history at NHMS. In 28 starts at the track he has won four races. He is a very safe pick to finish inside the top 15 on Sunday.
No. 33 Clint Bowyer: Bowyer dominated the September 2007 race at NHMS. If he can bring a similar setup to the track this weekend he will be tough to beat.
No. 39 Ryan Newman: In 15 Cup starts at the Magic Mile, Newman has nine top 10 finishes, including two wins. He is a solid pick as a third driver in most fantasy leagues.
No. 9 Kasey Kahne: Kahne hasn't been great in six of the last seven races at NHMS. He is normally a solid pick, but we think he will struggle this weekend.
No. 83 Reed Sorenson: Sorenson is the latest to take the helm of the No. 83 Toyota. NHMS is one of his best tracks and we highly recommend taking a chance on him.
21 to 30
No. 00 David Reutimann: Reutimann cracked the top 20 in the last four races at NHMS.
He should finish near the top 20 again this weekend.
No. 12 Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished sixth in his lone start at the Magic Mile. He is a good shoe to gamble on this weekend.
No. 7 Robby Gordon: Gordon, a past winner at NHMS, has cracked the top 30 in eight of his last nine starts at NHMS. He is worth taking a chance on in deep, deep leagues.
No. 6 David Ragan: Ragan has been very inconsistent at NHMS. He should miss making the top 20 again this weekend.
No. 47 Marcos Ambrose: Ambrose finished 20th and 23rd in his first visits to the Granite State. Based on how he has run this season, he should cross the finish line a little slower on Sunday.
No. 1 Jamie McMurray: McMurray usually struggles with the tricky configuration at NHMS. He isn't an option.
No. 19 Elliott Sadler: Sadler hasn't done much at NHMS in his career. We think he should finish right around 29th on Sunday.
No. 77 Sam Hornish Jr.: Hornish Jr. did a great job of playing the "rain game" at NHMS last summer. He won't match the eighth place finish he notched in his previous visit to the Granite State.
No. 82 Scott Speed: Speed has had no speed at NHMS during his career. We expect his luck to change this trip to Loudon.
No. 43 A.J. Allmendinger: A.J.'s average finish at NHMS is 34th. He should finish a little better than his average on Sunday.
31 to 34
No. 98 Paul Menard: NHMS has never been kind to Menard. He isn't a fantasy option this weekend.
No. 78 Regan Smith:
No. 71 Bobby Labonte: Labonte has driven very well at NHMS during his career. This is a good chance to use the No. 71 car for those of you in deep leagues.
No. 37 David Gilliland
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