NASCAR National Series News And Notes: New Hampshire Motor Speedway Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 Weekend

(Press Release from New Hampshire Motor Speedway)

NASCAR Cup Series

Next Race: Foxwoods Resort Casino 301

The Place: New Hampshire Motor Speedway

The Date: Sunday, July 18

The Time: 3 p.m. ET

TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m. ET

Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Distance: 318.46 miles (301 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 75),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 185), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 301)

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Next Race: Ambetter Get Vaccinated 200

The Place: New Hampshire Motor Speedway

The Date: Saturday, July 17

The Time: 3 p.m. ET

TV: NBCSN, 2:30 p.m. ET

Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

Distance: 211.6 miles (200 Laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),

Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)

NASCAR Cup Series

“The Magic Mile” to host 50th running of NASCAR Cup Series race

The NASCAR Cup Series 2021 regular season schedule is winding down with just races to go and this weekend the best side-by-side racing in sports heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the 50th running of the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 on July 18 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Channel 90). 

Groundbreaking for New Hampshire International Speedway, as New Hampshire Motor Speedway was originally named, was August 13, 1989. The 1.058-mile paved oval is located on approximately 1,200 acres; the multi-use complex is the largest sports facility in New England. Speedway Motorsports, Inc. agreed to purchase New Hampshire International Speedway from Bob and Gary Bahre on January 11, 2008, and then renamed the track New Hampshire Motor Speedway. 

The first NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was on July 11, 1993 and won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Rusty Wallace driving a Team Penske Pontiac (105.947 mph, 02:59:45).

There have been 49 NASCAR Cup Series races held at New Hampshire Motor Speedway; one per year from 1993 through 1996 and two per year from 1997-2017. In 2018, the track reverted back to just one event per season. The 49 NASCAR Cup Series races at New Hampshire have produced 22 different pole winners and 24 different race winners. 

Roush Fenway Racing’s Ryan Newman leads the series in poles at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with seven (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2011 sweep, 2013). This weekend’s starting lineups were determined by Metric Qualifying and as a result Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch will start on the pole. Busch will be joined by JGR teammate Martin Truex Jr. on the front row. 

Among the 24 NASCAR Cup Series winners at New Hampshire, seven are active this weekend. 

NBC Sports TV Analyst and former driver Jeff Burton (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000) and Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick (2006, 2016, 2018, 2019) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway with four victories each. Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski is the most recent Cup winner at New Hampshire taking home the trophy last season after putting on a dominant performance of leading 184 of the scheduled 301 laps.     

Clinch Scenarios in the Granite State 

With just five races remaining in the regular season in the NASCAR Cup Series time is running thin for drivers to ensure their spot in the Playoffs. Gazing ahead to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, five drivers have already clinched their spots on wins and points with several others having the opportunity to do the same this weekend.  

Already Clinched

The following five drivers have clinched a spot in the 16-driver postseason field: Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr. and Alex Bowman.

Can Clinch Via Previous Wins

The following drivers could clinch if they build up enough points to ensure they will not be left out of the Playoffs due to not all winning drivers having a slot available: 

William Byron: Would clinch with 15 points

Joey Logano: Would clinch with 48 points

Ryan Blaney: Could only clinch with help

Brad Keselowski: Could only clinch with help

Can Clinch Via Win

The following drivers would clinch on their win alone: William Byron, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Christopher Bell, Michael McDowell, Denny Hamlin. 

Playoff Bubble: Five races remain in regular season

Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kurt Busch not only grabbed his first win of the season last weekend, but also secured himself a spot in the Playoffs with the victory leap frogging several winless drivers in the postseason outlook standings. With chances to win starting to run out, tensions are rising for those outside the Playoff cutline without a win. 

NASCAR Cup Series Winless Drivers Vying For A Playoff Spot

Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon (15th) and Tyler Reddick (16th) in the last two spots inside the Playoff cutline can rest assured it will be difficult to catch them on points with five races to go. But what should worry them, is if the series sees another new winner or two that is below them in the driver standings, they could be bounced out of Playoffs. Currently, Reddick is in the last postseason transfer spot in the standings – 96 points above Roush Fenway Racing’s Chris Buescher. 

Of the drivers below the Playoff cutline, Roush Fenway Racing’s Ryan Newman has achieved the most success at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Newman is tied with Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch for the second-most wins at the 1.058-mile track with three each. In total, Newman has made 35 series starts at New Hampshire posting a series leading seven poles, three wins (2002, 2005, 2011), seven top fives and 20 top 10s (second-only to Harvick).  

Plus, don’t forget New Hampshire has been home to first-time winners in the series. Five NASCAR Cup Series drivers have posted their first career win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski is looking for back-to-back wins at New Hampshire

Four drivers have posted consecutive wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Jimmie Johnson (2003 sweep), Kurt Busch (2004 sweep), Matt Kenseth (2015 fall, 2016 spring) and Kevin Harvick (2018, 2019). This weekend, Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski will look to become the fifth different driver to win consecutive NASCAR Cup Series races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.  

If he accomplishes the feat this weekend at New Hampshire, it would be just the second-time in Brad Keselowski’s career he has won back-to-back races at the same track joining Bristol Motor Speedway (8/27/11 and 3/18/12). Last season, Keselowski took home the trophy at New Hampshire after putting on a dominant performance leading 184 of the scheduled 301 laps.  

“Loudon is a track that takes a lot of finesse to get around,” Keselowski said. “You have to be really smooth with your inputs, take care of your car in some ways, but also know when to push it. We’ve got a lot of top-fives – only two wins – but I feel like we could have won there a half dozen times.”   

This season, Brad Keselowski is currently 10th in points and has secured a spot in the Playoffs on wins. In 21 starts this year, he has posted one win (Talladega), six top fives and eight top 10s. The Michigan native has also made 20 series starts at New Hampshire posting two wins (2014, 2020), eight top fives and 13 top 10s. 

Last season’s wins leaders Harvick, Hamlin head to New Hampshire still winless in 2021

Last season’s NASCAR Cup Series winningest drivers, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin, head into this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway riding long winless streaks they are hoping to snap.  

Harvick is coming off a career-year in wins in the NASCAR Cup Series putting up nine victories in 2020, but this season he hasn’t been able to capture a checkered flag. Harvick’s winless streak has now reached 28 races, dating back to Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 19, 2020. 

Despite the slow start to the season, Harvick should carry some optimism with him into this weekend as he leads all active Cup drivers almost every traditional statistical category at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In 37 starts at the 1.058-mile track he has posted four wins (2006, 2016, 2018, 2019), 13 top fives and 21 top 10s. He finished fifth in this event last season. 

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin currently holds the points standings lead over Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson by a mere 10 markers after Atlanta. As Hamlin looks to hold on to the coveted points lead, he also is searching for his first win of the 2021 season, and much like Harvick, his streak dates back to last year at Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 4, 2020 – 26 races ago. 

Hamlin should feel positive about his chances this weekend at New Hampshire though. In 27 starts he has put up three wins (2007, 2012, 2017), 11 top fives and 16 top 10s. Plus, he has finished runner-up in the last two races at the 1.058-mile facility. 

Another feather in Hamlin’s cap this weekend is Joe Gibbs Racing leads the series in wins at New Hampshire in the NASCAR Cup Series with 11 victories – Tony Stewart (2000, 2005), Denny Hamlin (2007, 2012, 2017), Joey Logano (2009), Matt Kenseth (2013, 2015, 2016), Kyle Busch (2015, 2017). 

NASCAR’s history in New England

Among the six states that make up New England in the United States (Maine, Massachusetts, Vermont, Rhode Island, Connecticut and New Hampshire), the NASCAR Cup Series has competed at tracks in four of them. 

The first NASCAR Cup Series race held in the New England states was at Thompson Speedway, now known as Thompson Speedway Motorsports Park, a half-mile paved oval located in Thompson, Connecticut on Oct. 12, 1951. The first race was won by Neil Cole driving a 1950 Oldsmobile. It was Cole’s lone career win in the series. 

A total of 102 NASCAR national series races have been held in the state of New Hampshire, all at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway – the most of any of the tracks in New England. 

NASCAR Cup Series, Etc.

New England Patriots Wide Receiver Gunner Olszewski to drive Pace Car – On Sunday, July 18, Gunner Olszewski, all-pro punt returner and wide receiver for the New England Patriots, will trade the pigskin for the keys to the official Toyota Camry TRD pace car as he leads 40 of NASCAR’s best to the green flag for the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 – the 50th NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS). Born in Alvin, Texas, six-foot Olszewski will enter his third season with the New England Patriots this year. 

“This is a dream come true,” said 24-year-old Olszewski. “My brother and I grew up watching NASCAR with our dad, and I’m still a huge fan today. I can’t believe I get to lead the field to the green flag at ‘The Magic Mile!’”

Patriots’ safety Patrick Chung (July 2018), offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels (July 2017), offensive tackle Matt Light (September 2016), linebacker Rob Ninkovich (July 2015) and wide receiver Julian Edelman (July 2014) have all served as pace car drivers, making Olszewski the sixth member of the New England Patriots to get behind the wheel of the official Toyota Camry pace car at NHMS. 

Other notable pace car drivers include Boston Bruins forward Chris Wagner (July 2019), Richard Rawlings of Discovery Channel’s “Fast N’ Loud” (September 2017), Dave Matthews Band bassist Stefan Lessard (July 2016), Olympic triathlete Sarah True (September 2015) and Boston Bruins legend Brad Park (September 2014).

Cruisin’ for a Cause – Fans in search of the ultimate thrill have the opportunity to experience “The Magic Mile” from the driver’s perspective as part of Speedway Children’s Charities’ (SCC) Laps for Charity event. For just a $40 donation to the New Hampshire Chapter of SCC, fans can drive three laps in their personal vehicle or ride in the NHMS pace car on Thursday, before NASCAR’s best try to tame the track at Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301. For more information visit NHMS.com. 

Larson extends contract with Hendrick Motorsports to 2023 – Hendrick Automotive Group, via its HendrickCars.com brand, will become the 35-race majority sponsor of Kyle Larson and the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team in both the 2022 and 2023 NASCAR Cup Series seasons. In addition, Hendrick Motorsports has extended the driver’s contract for one year through 2023.

As part of the agreement, HendrickCars.com will also sponsor Larson in all non-NASCAR events in which he competes, including branding on the driver’s helmets, gloves and firesuits. The 28-year-old native of Elk Grove, California, is a prolific dirt racer who has won 56 times since January 2020 in a variety of cars and series outside of NASCAR. In addition to Larson, HendrickCars.com is the primary sponsor of four-time NHRA champion Greg Anderson.

“The chance to extend my contract with Hendrick Motorsports and have such an awesome sponsor in HendrickCars.com are things I don’t take for granted,” Larson said. “I feel like I’m driving for the best team and the best sponsors in the sport. To know that our on-track performance is having positive business influence off the track is very important because I want to return the incredible support they’ve given me. Everyone at Hendrick Automotive Group has made me feel like part of their team, and it’s exciting to be able to represent a company that loves racing like I do. I feel like we’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible.”

Kyle Larson is currently leading the NASCAR Cup Series in wins this season with four victories. 

NASCAR Xfinity Series

Up Next: NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to the Granite State

The NASCAR Xfinity Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend for the Ambetter Get Vaccinated 200 at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio the 19th race of the year. 

With only eight races left in the regular season, time is of the essence for competitors vying for a spot in the 12-driver Playoff field. 

Last weekend the NASCAR Xfinity Series visited Atlanta Motor Speedway for the second time of the season and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch made it a perfect five-for-five this year, grabbing his fifth win in as many starts. 

Looking ahead to this weekend, New Hampshire Motor Speedway will host the 34^th NASCAR Xfinity Series race at the 1.058-mile track. The Xfinity Series didn’t visit the Loudon, New Hampshire track last season due to COVID-19 protocols so this will be the first race back since 2019.

The previous 33 Xfinity races at New Hampshire have produced 26 different race winners and 19 pole winners. 

Only nine races have been won from the pole position and that was most recently done by Kyle Busch in 2017. 

The last time the series competed at New Hampshire in 2019, Christopher Bell won the race from the second starting position. There were five cautions for 28 laps and five lead changes. The average speed was 104.365 and the race was two hours, one minute and 39 seconds long. There were 1,059 green flag passes and the margin of victory was 4.068 seconds.

The last five Xfinity Series winners at New Hampshire are all from the Joe Gibbs Racing camp and are no longer in the Xfinity Series fulltime. Denny Hamlin won in 2015, Busch won in 2016 and 2017 and Bell won in 2018 and 2019. Bell is the only one of the three that will come back to the series and run this weekend.

This weekend’s Ambetter Get Vaccinated 200 will be 211.6 miles and 200 laps. Stage 1 will end on Lap 45 and Stage 2 will end on Lap 90.

This weekend, Kaulig Racing teammates Jeb Burton will start on the pole and Justin Haley will join him on the front row. The starting lineup for the weekend was based on metric qualifying from the previous race. Gragson will start third, Cindric fourth and Allgaier will start fifth.

There are 40 cars in the field, 28 Chevrolets, three Fords and nine Toyotas. Chad Finchum in the No. 13 is the only car that did not qualify.

5 for 5: Kyle Busch wraps Xfinity Series career with win

Kyle Busch just keeps on winning, five times in the Xfinity Series this season to be exact. In his five starts this season – at Circuit of the Americas, Texas Motor Speedway, Nashville Superspeedway, Road America and Atlanta Motor Speedway – he took home the win each time, making it a perfect 5-for-5. 

Busch, who said that was his final Xfinity Series race on Saturday, is the winningest driver in Xfinity Series history with 102 wins. In 362 starts over 19 years, he has 225 top fives, 263 top 10s and 70 poles. He has led 20,088 laps and has an average start of 7.6 and an average finish of 8.9.

Playoff Bubble: NASCAR Xfinity Series chances dwindling down
With eight races left in the regular season, it is time to take a look at the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoff clinch scenarios heading into this weekend’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the Ambetter Get Vaccinated 200 on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. A win gets you in, but drivers must still clinch their spot on points by accumulating enough points that even with a win they do not fall out of the top 30 and become ineligible for the Playoffs.  

Already Clinched:

The following three drivers have clinched a spot in the 12-driver Xfinity postseason field: Austin Cindric, AJ Allmendinger and Justin Allgaier. No new drivers clinched a spot at Atlanta.

Can clinch at New Hampshire:

Jeb Burton has already clinched a top-30 spot and with a win, he would clinch a Playoff spot on wins.

Clinching for Regular Season Championship:
Austin Cindric cannot clinch the regular season championship this weekend with his four wins and 748 points because second place has 674 and can still reach 1,154 points. 

Outlined below is the current Playoffs standings for the Xfinity Series after Atlanta and heading to New Hampshire this weekend. 

NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs Standings Post-Atlanta:

Josh Berry filling in for injured Michael Annett

NASCAR Xfinity Series part-timer, Josh Berry, who ran the beginning portion of the 2021 season for JR Motorsports in the No. 8 Chevrolet, will be back with the organization this weekend at New Hampshire.

Michael Annett, fulltime driver of the No. 1 Chevrolet, has not been cleared to race after an MRI revealed that he has a stress fracture in his right femur. Annett will undergo surgery on Tuesday afternoon. 

Berry will replace Annett and JR Motorsports has been approved for a Playoff waiver for Annett so that he can still be Playoff eligible upon his return.

After the race weekend at New Hampshire, NASCAR has a two-week break for the Olympics in Tokyo, which will give Annett some extra time to heal. 

Annett was supposed to compete in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Knoxville Raceway last Friday but Chris Windom filled in for him. The following day at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Austin Dillon filled in for Annett in the Xfinity Series race.

Annett is currently in 11^th in the Playoff standings, one spot above the cutline. Berry has made 15 of 18 starts this season for JR Motorsports and Jordan Anderson Racing. He leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings. Saturday’s race will mark Berry’s debut at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Sunoco Rookie Class Update: Berry still on top

Josh Berry has held off Joe Gibbs Racing’s up-and-coming talent Ty Gibbs in the Sunoco Rookie of the Year standings for several weeks. Berry has 362 points and five awards while Gibbs has six awards but only 330 points. Ryan Vargas is in third with Jade Buford in fourth and Sam Mayer in fifth. 

Berry is entered to run this weekend at New Hampshire, replacing an injured Michael Annett for JR Motorsports. Gibbs is not currently entered to run so it’s likely that Berry will hold onto his lead again post-New Hampshire.

For Berry, who is trying to get a fulltime ride in one of the NASCAR national series, every opportunity and a Sunoco Rookie of the Year Award would just add to his resume. Same goes for Gibbs, who is also trying to move up and into the series fulltime.

Close call: Manufacturer’s championship up for grabs

Chevrolet is still in the lead in the manufacturer’s championship standings but not by much as Toyota is catching up. With last weekend’s Toyota victory by Kyle Busch, Chevrolet and Toyota are now equal with seven wins. Chevrolet has 657 points and Toyota is only behind seven points now with 650. Ford is in third with four wins and 600 points. It’s a close call for the championship and with eight races to go before the Playoffs begin, there are a lot of potential outcomes up for grabs.

Chevrolet has won the last four manufacturer championships. The last time a Ford won was in 2013 and a Toyota won most recently in 2016.

NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.

Christopher Bell back in Xfinity Series this weekend – Christopher Bell will return to the Xfinity Series this weekend at New Hampshire in the No. 54 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. Bell competed in the Xfinity Series for three seasons, full-time in 2018 and 2019. He has 74 career starts with 16 wins, 41 top fives, 46 top 10s and 12 poles. In his two Xfinity starts at New Hampshire, he won the race and led a total of 279 laps.

Andrew Ranger running NXS race at NHMS – Rick Ware Racing has announced that Andrew Ranger will run at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, piloting the No. 17, in addition to fielding a full NASCAR Pinty’s Series entry for 2021. Ranger, the defending Pinty’s Series champion, will pilot the No. 51. Ranger has made 17 Xfinity Series starts, most recently in 2013. Of those starts, he has one top five and two top 10s. Of those starts, none of them were at New Hampshire so this weekend will mark his debut.

Patrick Emerling joining Our Motorsports – Our Motorsports announced the addition of Patrick Emerling to their driver lineup for the No. 23 Chevrolet. He will pilot the car this Saturday at New Hampshire. Emerling, 28, made his Xfinity Series debut in 2020 at Bristol Motor Speedway for Our Motorsports. He started 20^th and finished 29^th. This weekend will mark his second career start.

Spencer Boyd joining Jimmy Means Racing this weekend – Spencer Boyd will compete in his first Xfinity Series race of the season this weekend at New Hampshire. This will be his first start in the series since 2018. He will pilot the No. 52 Chevrolet for Jimmy Means Racing and will be sponsored by Freedom Warranty. This season, Boyd has run 11 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races for Young’s Motorsports. Gray Gaulding is still Jimmy Means Racing’s primary driver, and this is just a one-race deal based on sponsorship for Boyd. Boyd has made 41 starts in the Xfinity Series and he has a best finish of 17^th at Daytona in 2018.

Action gets underway on Doubleheader Saturday, with NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour (NWMT) practice and qualifying, followed by the Whelen 100 NWMT race at 12:45 p.m. The Ambetter Get Vaccinated 200 NASCAR Xfinity Series is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday’s spotlight belongs to the NASCAR Cup Series drivers and the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301, which is scheduled to run at 3 p.m.

For a NASCAR race weekend schedule, visit NHMS.com/Events/Foxwoods-Resort-Casino-301/Schedule/

*Schedule subject to change.

Tickets:

Log on to NHMS.com for tickets, schedules and more information on the weekend’s lineup of action-packed racing. Doubleheader Saturday tickets start at just $35 while kids 12 and under are free. Sunday’s Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 tickets start at just $59 for adults and $10 for kids 12 and under.

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