Fast Forward ~ The Camping World RV Sales 301 At New Hampshire 2014 Fantasy Race Picks And Preview
“The future is like a corridor into which we can see only by the light coming from behind.”
–Edward Weyer, Jr.
The Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Location: Loudon, New Hampshire
Length: 1.058 Mile oval
Banking: Turn 1-4, 12 degrees
Frontstretch, 2 degrees
Backstretch, 2
degrees
Pit Road Speed: 35 MPH
The Race: The Camping World RV Sales 301
301 Laps, 318.4 Miles
Defending Champion: Brian Vickers, 98.735 MPH
Most recent winner: Matt Kenseth, 107.573MPH
Track Record: Jeff Burton, 117.134 MPH, July 1997
Race Record: Jeff Burton, 117.134 MPH, July 1997
Qualifying record: Ryan Newman, 136.497mph, September 2013
2013 Purse: $5,367,865
TV: TNT, 1:00PM EST
7/13/2014
Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN) Sirius XM 90;
www.goprn.com
The History:
August 13, 1989- Ground breaking. The track was originally called New Hampshire
International Speedway.
July 11, 1993- First Sprint Cup Series race was run, won by
Rusty Wallace.
July 1, 2007-Closest Margin Of Victory:
Denny Hamlin over Jeff Gordon by 0.068 seconds.
January 11th, 2008-Bob and Gary Bahre,
original track owners, agreed to sell it to Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
June 28th, 2009-Joey Logano becomes the youngest winner at
19 years, 1 month, 4 days.
September 20, 2009- Mark Martin becomes the oldest winner at
50 years, 8 months, 10 days
The Contenders:
Top 10 Driver Rating at New
Hampshire
Tony Stewart............................. 111.0
Jeff Gordon.............................. 109.2
Jimmie Johnson........................ 105.8
Denny Hamlin............................ 102.9
Dale Earnhardt Jr........................ 97.3
Clint Bowyer............................... 95.0
Kyle Busch................................. 93.1
Ryan Newman............................. 92.5
Kasey Kahne.............................. 92.4
Kevin Harvick.............................. 91.1
Note: Driver Ratings
compiled from 2005-2013 races (18 total) among active
drivers at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
The Picks!
Before we get into this week’s picks, here’s how we all did at Daytona…
Player |
Selection |
Race Pts |
Previous Pts |
Total Pts |
Behind |
Wins |
DNFs |
|
Mr. Seven |
98 |
37 |
712 |
749 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Mr. Pole |
38 |
10 |
738 |
748 |
-1 |
4 |
2 |
|
Mr. Winner |
48 |
2 |
693 |
695 |
-54 |
1 |
2 |
|
Vivian |
88 |
30 |
664 |
694 |
-55 |
2 |
2 |
|
Jim Fitzgerald |
11 |
38 |
651 |
689 |
-60 |
0 |
1 |
|
Darrell |
11 |
38 |
640 |
678 |
-71 |
2 |
2 |
|
Nate |
88 |
30 |
645 |
675 |
-74 |
0 |
1 |
|
PattyKay Lilley |
2 |
26 |
639 |
665 |
-84 |
1 |
0 |
|
Brian Marchetti |
20 |
25 |
609 |
634 |
-115 |
0 |
1 |
|
Barbara |
88 |
30 |
602 |
632 |
-117 |
1 |
2 |
|
Alabama Fitz |
48 |
2 |
562 |
564 |
-185 |
1 |
4 |
|
Kevin Abraham |
38 |
10 |
552 |
562 |
-187 |
1 |
4 |
|
If Playoff Started Today |
|
|||||||
Player |
Selection |
Race Pts |
Previous Pts |
Total Pts |
Behind |
Wins |
DNFs |
Chase Pts |
Mr. Pole |
38 |
10 |
738 |
748 |
-1 |
4 |
2 |
2012 |
Vivian |
88 |
30 |
664 |
694 |
-55 |
2 |
2 |
2006 |
Darrell |
11 |
38 |
640 |
678 |
-71 |
2 |
2 |
2006 |
Mr. Winner |
48 |
2 |
693 |
695 |
-54 |
1 |
2 |
2003 |
PattyKay Lilley |
2 |
26 |
639 |
665 |
-84 |
1 |
0 |
2003 |
Barbara |
88 |
30 |
602 |
632 |
-117 |
1 |
2 |
2003 |
Alabama Fitz |
48 |
2 |
562 |
564 |
-185 |
1 |
4 |
2003 |
Kevin Abraham |
38 |
10 |
552 |
562 |
-187 |
1 |
4 |
2003 |
Mr. Seven |
98 |
37 |
712 |
749 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
2000 |
Jim Fitzgerald |
11 |
38 |
651 |
689 |
-60 |
0 |
1 |
2000 |
Nate |
88 |
30 |
645 |
675 |
-74 |
0 |
1 |
2000 |
Brian Marchetti |
20 |
25 |
609 |
634 |
-115 |
0 |
1 |
2000 |
ALABAMA FITZ: It will be team mates at Loudon. If they are still around at the end, Kenseth takes the checkers with Kyle right behind, just like last year.
JIM FIZGERALD: I’d like to say you’re right, but there’s something off, still, and I think it is all of the Toyotas this year, not just the Gibbs cars. Only two wins for Toyota so far?
KEVIN ABRAHAM: I’m taking a Toyota. I’m picking Clint Bowyer to win.
PATTYKAY LILLEY: Well, looks as though you boys decided early on this one. This has always been a hard track for me to pick at because I really... and I mean REALLY do not like this track, on several levels. However, I do not suffer from impaired memory, and I read quite well. This is a flat track, and though others have excelled on that type of track in the past, in current day, they have all fallen victim to the kid in the Fed-Ex car. Name your flat track... here, Martinsville, Pocono, Phoenix... Denny Hamlin runs well there. Sooner or later, he's going to recover from where that snake bit him and start winning again. You were right Jim; it's going to be a Joe Gibbs Toyota in Victory Lane, but it's going to be Denny Hamlin in the driver's seat, with Mama riding shot-gun!
KEVIN ABRAHAM: I thought of Hamlin but he has a win. Thinking at this point those without a win will be hungrier to win. Bowyer and Vickers were my thoughts but think Bowyer has more to prove.
PATTYKAY LILLEY: See Kevin, I think that's looking at it backwards. Guys that race, generally race to win, and they're not gonna lay back and let someone win just because he doesn't have one yet this year. That's the time when a real racer will grind you under his heel like a used cigarette butt. Brian Vickers will be on my Yahoo card and one MWR driver is all I need.
ALABAMA FITZ: Bowyer does have 2 wins here, but not since 2010. It was a toss-up as to which "K" guy to pick: Kasey, Kyle or Kenseth.
JIM FIZGERALD: You might be sitting here on Monday wondering
why you didn’t choose Kurt, or Kevin.
Now, as far as this weekend goes, I hate to steal Mama's thunder by using her
way of thinking, but great minds do think alike...just not exactly alike. While I can't really argue with that Hamlin pick,
PK, I'm not going to mirror it. Instead,
I'm going to go with the guy at the top who has more Grandfather Clock Trophies
than anyone else out there right now. If
New Hampshire acts like a big Martinsville, give me Jimmie Johnson.
BRIAN MARCHETTI: I guess that leaves me.
KEVIN ABRAHAM: Sure does.
BRIAN MARCHETTI: There was a time when if someone asked me who would win at New Hampshire, I would have replied with "don't you mean who will finish second behind Denny Hamlin?" His recent record doesn't reflect this kind of a response, but it goes to prove I'm arrogant. I just read about Kurt Busch and his organization getting fined....I often wonder if those kinds of infractions are truly an oversight, or an intended violation. Considering how technical they are, and how advanced, I guess we all believe the latter. The numbers tell me, as usual, that Hendrick owns this track now. With minor exception, all 4 drivers are consistently Top 15 finishers, if not better. So which one do I pick? Gordon, Johnson, and Earnhardt, Jr. all sit 1, 2, 3 in the Standings, all three have wins, all three will be in the Chase. So who wants it more? Kenseth still doesn't have a win, but is in double digit Top 10s, leaving him 5th in points. 11 different drivers have wins, and with the new Chase rules, I'm not even so sure what that means to Kenseth. Brad is focused, and surely will have a Top 10 run. The odd part to me, is that Tony Stewart has the best Driver Rating, and didn't even run here the last race, and isn't setting the world on fire this year. So, who's numbers are second best? Jeff Gordon is the answer, and that takes me back to which Hendrick driver wants it more. Johnson was cut short last week, and that hurts his ego I'm sure. He will bounce back strong, and I'm gonna gamble he's slightly stronger than Jeff this week. JJ for the win.
JIM FIZGERALD: Now let’s hear what our fans have to say!
Barbara: I’m going to take Martin Truex, Jr. this week.
Nate: Ya know...Logano has a win here and the kid has had some good spurts here an there. I'm going to with #22 this week.
Vivian: New Hampshire is flat and it will take someone who can handle that type of track. I am thinking Brad Keselowski will be able to do that and win so he is my pick to hold up that big lobster up in Victory Lane.
Darrell: Well this year is a toss-up between Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch. Jeff does consistently well their but Kyle is due and this is also one of his better tracks. Gonna have to go with Kyle for the win.
Well, kids, there it is. One for Kenseth, one for Bowyer, two for Johnson, one for Hamlin, one for Logano, one for Truex, one for Kyle Busch and one for Keselowski. This could be an interesting week…we’ll see how it all plays out on Sunday at New Hampshire. Until then, keep the shiny side up!
Our Picks For This Week!
Kevin AbrahamTotal Wins: 3 This Year: 1
|
Alabama FitzTotal Wins: 2 This Year: 1
|
Jim FitzgeraldTotal Wins: 7 This Year: 0
|
PattyKay LilleyTotal Wins: 5 This Year: 1
|
Brian MarchettiTotal Wins: 3 This Year: 0
|
DarrellTotal Wins: 2 This Year: 2
|
NateTotal Wins: 0 This Year: 0
|
Who is YOUR pick to win this week?
Correctly choose the winner before the green flag drops on Saturday, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win some racing stuff!