The second race in the Chase happens on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire. Denny Hamlin won the first race of the season here, when he still needed to clinch his spot in the playoffs, having not previously won on the year. It is one of the flattest tracks on the schedule, aside from Martinsville and Phoenix, and at 1-mile in distance matches the length of PIR and Dover. With the flatness and distance at play, the laps leader will likely come from a driver near the front of the field and positional differential will play less of a role with just five drivers with a +6 mark in the category over the past five races.
Track Data
Avg. | Avg. | Laps | High | Low | Avg. | Difference | Laps Led | Laps Led | ||||||||
Driver | Start | Finish | Races | Wins | Top 5s | Top 10s | Top 20s | Led | Poles | Finish | Finish | DNF | Rating | Pts. | Pts. | Pts./race |
Matt Kenseth | 10 | 2.8 | 5 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 174 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 121.1 | 7.2 | 43.5 | 8.70 |
Kevin Harvick | 10.6 | 6.8 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 283 | 0 | 1 | 21 | 0 | 117.7 | 3.8 | 70.75 | 14.15 |
Denny Hamlin | 6 | 8.2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 80 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 106.6 | -2.2 | 20 | 4.00 |
Kyle Busch | 8.4 | 12.2 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 327 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 0 | 115.5 | -3.8 | 81.75 | 16.35 |
Joey Logano | 8.8 | 11.6 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 3 | 37 | 0 | 90.3 | -2.8 | 3 | 0.60 |
Brad Keselowski | 8.8 | 8.4 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 107 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 0 | 105.5 | 0.4 | 26.75 | 5.35 |
Martin Truex Jr. | 8.4 | 9.2 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 401 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 114.6 | -0.8 | 100.25 | 20.05 |
Kurt Busch | 7 | 12.8 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 22 | 0 | 97.4 | -5.8 | 0 | 0.00 |
Kyle Larson | 17 | 15.4 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 0 | 84 | 1.6 | 0.25 | 0.05 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 16 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 25 | 0 | 91.5 | 0 | 2.5 | 0.83 |
Jimmie Johnson | 3.8 | 11.6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 22 | 0 | 95.3 | -7.8 | 0.25 | 0.05 |
Ryan Newman | 17.4 | 15 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 27 | 0 | 77.4 | 2.4 | 0 | 0.00 |
Kasey Kahne | 9.2 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 28 | 0 | 81.4 | -8.8 | 0 | 0.00 |
Austin Dillon | 22 | 14.8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 22 | 0 | 69.8 | 7.2 | 0 | 0.00 |
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 21.2 | 15.6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 24 | 0 | 71.3 | 5.6 | 0 | 0.00 |
Jamie McMurray | 12.8 | 16.4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 26 | 0 | 84.2 | -3.6 | 0 | 0.00 |
Daniel Suarez | 14 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 86.1 | 8 | 0 | 0.00 |
Clint Bowyer | 26.4 | 22.6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 34 | 0 | 62.2 | 3.8 | 0 | 0.00 |
Danica Patrick | 25 | 21.8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 0 | 13 | 40 | 1 | 66 | 3.2 | 2.25 | 0.45 |
Ryan Blaney | 15.3 | 16.25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 23 | 0 | 78.2 | -0.95 | 0 | 0.00 |
Aric Almirola | 23.4 | 23.6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 43 | 1 | 61.7 | -0.2 | 0 | 0.00 |
Chase Elliott | 9.3 | 19.33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 34 | 0 | 92.7 | -10.03 | 0.25 | 0.08 |
Paul Menard | 23 | 21 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 25 | 0 | 62.5 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 |
Trevor Bayne | 29.8 | 25.8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 38 | 1 | 53.9 | 4 | 0 | 0.00 |
A.J. Allmendinger | 20.4 | 19.8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 | 23 | 0 | 68.6 | 0.6 | 3.25 | 0.65 |
Ty Dillon | 25 | 16 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 68.7 | 9 | 0 | 0.00 |
David Ragan | 19.8 | 30 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 41 | 1 | 51 | -10.2 | 0 | 0.00 |
Cole Whitt | 32.5 | 31.25 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 24 | 38 | 1 | 40.1 | 1.25 | 0.25 | 0.06 |
David Gilliland | 35.5 | 24.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 21 | 28 | 0 | 48.9 | 11 | 0 | 0.00 |
Chris Buescher | 28.3 | 28 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 25 | 30 | 0 | 47.4 | 0.3 | 0 | 0.00 |
Landon Cassill | 27.4 | 29.6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 38 | 0 | 45.3 | -2.2 | 0 | 0.00 |
Brett Moffitt | 32.5 | 30 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 33 | 0 | 46.8 | 2.5 | 0 | 0.00 |
Michael McDowell | 22.3 | 30.33 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 39 | 1 | 46.1 | -8.03 | 0 | 0.00 |
Matt DiBenedetto | 27 | 30.8 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 35 | 0 | 41.8 | -3.8 | 0 | 0.00 |
Corey LaJoie | 31 | 31 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 37.8 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Jeffrey Earnhardt | 39.7 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 37 | 0 | 28.2 | 4.7 | 0 | 0.00 |
Reed Sorenson | 36.3 | 35 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 36 | 0 | 31.2 | 1.3 | 0 | 0.00 |
Gray Gaulding | 34 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 35 | 35 | 0 | 28.8 | -1 | 0 | 0.00 |
Erik Jones | 6 | 39 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 39 | 1 | 39.7 | -33 | 0 | 0.00 |
Top-15 Drivers at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Historically
Avg. | Avg. | Laps | High | Low | Difference | Laps Led | Laps Led | ||||||||
Driver | Start | Finish | Races | Wins | Top 5s | Top 10s | Top 20s | Led | Poles | Finish | Finish | DNF | Pts. | Pts. | Pts./race |
Matt Kenseth | 18.6 | 11.8 | 35 | 3 | 11 | 20 | 29 | 414 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 1 | 6.8 | 103.5 | 2.96 |
Jimmie Johnson | 10.5 | 10.48 | 31 | 3 | 10 | 21 | 27 | 323 | 1 | 1 | 42 | 1 | 0.02 | 80.75 | 2.60 |
Denny Hamlin | 10.8 | 10 | 23 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 20 | 549 | 0 | 1 | 37 | 0 | 0.8 | 137.25 | 5.97 |
Kurt Busch | 11.7 | 15.61 | 33 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 21 | 541 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 1 | -3.91 | 135.25 | 4.10 |
Ryan Newman | 10.1 | 13.97 | 31 | 3 | 7 | 18 | 24 | 722 | 7 | 1 | 39 | 3 | -3.87 | 180.5 | 5.82 |
Kevin Harvick | 13.1 | 12.82 | 33 | 2 | 10 | 18 | 25 | 706 | 1 | 1 | 34 | 0 | 0.28 | 176.5 | 5.35 |
Kyle Busch | 10.3 | 13.68 | 25 | 2 | 9 | 13 | 18 | 787 | 2 | 1 | 38 | 0 | -3.38 | 196.75 | 7.87 |
Joey Logano | 16.7 | 16.17 | 18 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 104 | 0 | 1 | 40 | 2 | 0.53 | 26 | 1.44 |
Clint Bowyer | 16 | 16.26 | 23 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 14 | 516 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 1 | -0.26 | 129 | 5.61 |
Brad Keselowski | 11.4 | 10.19 | 16 | 1 | 6 | 10 | 14 | 349 | 3 | 1 | 35 | 0 | 1.21 | 87.25 | 5.45 |
Kasey Kahne | 11.7 | 17.15 | 27 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 18 | 305 | 0 | 1 | 38 | 3 | -5.45 | 76.25 | 2.82 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 16.2 | 15.35 | 34 | 0 | 8 | 15 | 24 | 378 | 0 | 3 | 43 | 4 | 0.85 | 94.5 | 2.78 |
Martin Truex Jr. | 11.7 | 13.26 | 23 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 20 | 549 | 1 | 3 | 37 | 1 | -1.56 | 137.25 | 5.97 |
Jamie McMurray | 18.5 | 19.79 | 29 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 18 | 32 | 0 | 3 | 41 | 3 | -1.29 | 8 | 0.28 |
Kyle Larson | 15.4 | 11.71 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 0 | 3.69 | 3.75 | 0.54 |
Top-15 Drivers at 1-mile Tracks (since February 2015)
Avg. | Avg. | Laps | High | Low | Difference | Laps Led | Laps Led | |||||||||
Driver | Start | Finish | Races | Wins | Top 5s | Top 10s | Top 20s | Led | Poles | Finish | Finish | DNF | Rating | Pts. | Pts. | Pts./race |
Kevin Harvick | 10.3 | 7.47 | 15 | 4 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 1,352 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 0 | 118.1 | 2.83 | 338 | 22.53 |
Matt Kenseth | 7.5 | 11.36 | 14 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 303 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 2 | 107.5 | -3.86 | 75.75 | 5.41 |
Jimmie Johnson | 9.2 | 13.8 | 15 | 2 | 3 | 8 | 11 | 182 | 2 | 1 | 41 | 0 | 99 | -4.6 | 45.5 | 3.03 |
Kyle Busch | 7.9 | 11.43 | 14 | 1 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 664 | 2 | 1 | 37 | 2 | 111.4 | -3.53 | 166 | 11.86 |
Joey Logano | 9.1 | 12.87 | 15 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 11 | 189 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 1 | 96.7 | -3.77 | 47.25 | 3.15 |
Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 12.5 | 15.55 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 69 | 0 | 1 | 43 | 2 | 92.1 | -3.05 | 17.25 | 1.57 |
Denny Hamlin | 8.1 | 10.33 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 217 | 1 | 1 | 23 | 0 | 96.3 | -2.23 | 54.25 | 3.62 |
Martin Truex Jr. | 9.9 | 10.8 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 868 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 1 | 107.6 | -0.9 | 217 | 14.47 |
Ryan Newman | 15.6 | 14.33 | 15 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 39 | 1 | 78.9 | 1.27 | 1.75 | 0.12 |
Kyle Larson | 11.9 | 11.07 | 15 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 12 | 330 | 0 | 2 | 31 | 0 | 93.7 | 0.83 | 82.5 | 5.50 |
Brad Keselowski | 10.5 | 12.07 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 13 | 247 | 0 | 2 | 38 | 1 | 96.4 | -1.57 | 61.75 | 4.12 |
Kurt Busch | 7.9 | 14.47 | 15 | 0 | 4 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 37 | 1 | 92.2 | -6.57 | 0.25 | 0.02 |
Kasey Kahne | 13.4 | 14.53 | 15 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 28 | 1 | 84.9 | -1.13 | 0 | 0.00 |
Chase Elliott | 10.3 | 10.89 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 107 | 0 | 3 | 34 | 0 | 100.2 | -0.59 | 26.75 | 2.97 |
Jamie McMurray | 12.1 | 14.67 | 15 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 40 | 1 | 84.7 | -2.57 | 0.75 | 0.05 |
Drivers to watch this week
Matt Kenseth: Kenseth is the first driver that comes to mind when thinking of NHMS. He has two wins in the last five races and four top-fives and the worst finish from him is sixth. Kenseth has the highest driver rating at 121.l in the field as well. The only downside to him is the 174 laps led in that span, but that still places him fourth in the field. To finish it off, he has 20 top-10s in 35 career races here.
Kevin Harvick: Aside from Kenseth, Harvick is the only other driver to have four top-fives in the last five races and is one of three in the field with 10-career top-10s. He also has a win in this most recent five-race span along with 283 laps led. Harvick’s 706 career laps led are second only to another driver on this list, Kyle Busch. He is looking to add to his win total on the year, after just one win at Sonoma and he could very well win for the third team here on Sunday given his recent record at 1-mile tracks.
Martin Truex Jr.: MTJ has never won a short track race; he came close at Richmond two weeks ago, but fell short on the final lap. Having said that, he still makes the list this week for his three top-10s in the last five races here and being the laps led leader with 401. A sterling 114.6 driver rating puts him fourth in the field as does his 9.2 average finish in the last five races. He has proven all year that he has a car that can perform anywhere, any weekend, as has sat on the pole already here. Truex Jr. should have the speed again this weekend as well.
Jimmie Johnson: JJ hasn’t been heard from much since his summer hot streak, which netted him three wins. The 48-car now comes to Loudon where they have notched three top-10s in the last five and have a very good history. In 31 career races, Johnson has three wins, 10 top-fives, 21 top-10s and 323 laps led at NHMS. Also there’s his eight top-10s in 15 1-mile races since February 2015. With three wins already in the bank it isn’t imperative that he gets one Sunday, but it would surely help his chase for eight.
Kyle Busch:Busch has the worst average finish of anyone on this list, 12.2, in the last five races. However like Kenseth and Harvick, he does have a win and three top-10 finishes in that span. He is second, to Truex, with 327 laps run up front, but does have the most overall in his career here with 787. Kyle was dominant until a couple of pit stop errors had him a lap down and in the middle of the pack for the second and third stages last week at Chicago. That speed should be back again this week.