We now have nineteen races in the books which means we only have seven more to go before the playoffs start. Kurt Busch cemented his spot in those playoffs with his first victory of the season on Saturday night in Kentucky. There are only eight drivers in the series who have wins that has them qualified for the playoffs and that means there will be at least one driver who gets in on points, but I’m guessing it is going to be at least six and very likely eight. It is very tight for those last few spots, so these last seven races are really important to those drivers who are on the edge.
FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO 301
This week the series heads to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, also known as “The Magic Mile”, for the running of the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301. This track is just slightly longer than a one-mile oval with minimal banking in the corners. Some of the other interesting facts are that Ryan Newman has won the most poles here with seven, and Denny Hamlin has the best average finish of any driver at this track.
Kyle Busch: I am picking Kyle to win the race this week at New Hampshire. He won this race in the fall of 2017 and finished second here last July. In fact he has finished either first or second in six of his last eleven starts at this track and the way he has been running all season it is hard to see him not being a contender this weekend again.
Martin Truex Jr.: I really thought Martin would have a good car last weekend even after he didn’t practice well and that didn’t happen. I’m sure I’m not the only one disappointed in his results and this team will be chomping at the bit to get back on a track where he has been very good as of late. He has led more laps in the last three races here than any other driver and came away with top ten finishes in each of those races winning the first stage in each as well.
Kyle Larson: Kyle has looked much better lately and this is one of those tracks where he runs very well most of the time. In his nine starts here he has finished runner up three times including two of his last three starts here. This might be the week to take a shot with him on your roster if you need to make up some ground in your league or want to save some starts for some of your other drivers.
Kevin Harvick: Kevin is another driver who I’m sure is very disappointed in his finish last week at Kentucky and even though he will most likely make the playoffs on points he is probably pressing a little bit to get a win. This is a good track for him as he won this race last year and has won two of the last four run at this track. Look for him to contend if his pit crew can keep him track position for him this week.
Clint Bowyer: Clint has run much better this season and this is one of the tracks he really excels on. He scored points in each of the first two stages last season before having an accident later in the race which knocked him out of that race. I think he is someone to keep your eye on this weekend as he should run with the lead pack most of the day.
Kurt Busch: Last week’s winner has three career wins at this track and has momentum on his side. He struggled here a bit in his first bunch of seasons with Stewart-Haas Racing, but finished in the top ten in three of his last four starts with them. The question is will he struggle with his new team at this track, or will he be able to come away with another of those top ten finishes and try to make it two wins in a row?
Denny Hamlin: As I mentioned before, Denny has the best average finish at this track of all drivers. He has finished in the top fifteen in each of his last seven starts at this track and has run well on the short flat tracks once again this season. He is already qualified for the playoffs and is just looking to win stages and races to get playoff points and that means this team might try a different strategy to win this race which could cost him in the end.
Jimmie Johnson: Jimmie is one of the drivers who is sitting in a precarious spot right now when it comes to the playoffs. Right now he would be in, but one or two poor races could knock him out entirely. However, a win would ensure him a spot in the playoffs and this is the type of track where he can get that job done. Although he hasn’t won here since the 2010 season he has run with the leaders in his last three races here once again. This is another driver you might want to have on your roster this weekend.
Brad Keselowski: In his last fourteen starts here, Brad has only finished outside of the top fifteen once. He is another one of those drivers who really seems to excel on the short flat tracks and he is looking to gain some valuable playoff points over the next seven races. He is someone who is safe to have on your roster and then you can decide if you want to starts him after practice and qualifying.
Ryan Newman: Ryan is my dark horse this week. He has two wins at this track and even though he has only led two laps in his last thirteen starts at this track I think he has a small shot with Roush/Fenway Racing this year. With nineteen top ten finishes in thirty-three starts you can tell that he knows how to get around this track pretty well no matter whose team he is running on.
DRIVER GROUP GAME FANTASY NASCAR PICKS FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
Driver Group Game Group A
- Kyle Busch
- Martin Truex Jr.
Driver Group Game Group B
- Clint Bowyer
- Denny Hamlin
- Jimmie Johnson
- Ryan Newman
Driver Group Game Group C
- Ty Dillon
- Chris Buescher
MY TOP-5 OVERALL AT NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
- Kyle Busch
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Clint Bowyer
- Denny Hamlin
- Kevin Harvick
Dark Horse: Ryan Newman
Stay Away From: Alex Bowman
Big 18: Kyle Busch