Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Preview

Let the “Race to the Chase” begin. The Lenox Industrial Tools 301 is the first of ten races before the 10-race “Chase for the Sprint Cup.” It is time for some drivers to cement their chance for a championship and for others; it is time to make their move.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway will give fans some wide-open racing which will be a stark difference from the road racing last weekend. So who will conquer New Hampshire and make their move towards punching their ticket to the “Chase?” Here is a look at a six-pack of drivers that you need to watch on Sunday.

Kyle Busch - Last week, Busch showed me when he won at Sonoma. Can he win back-to-back races? It’s possible. He has a win at New Hampshire in 2006 and has finished in the top 15 in 4 of his 6 starts there. I gotta believe that he will be competitive, but fall short of victory on Sunday. To win back-to-back races is tough enough, let alone going from a road course to a super speedway. If he pulls this one out, I will chug a bag of M&M’s. And not the small bag either.

Jeff Burton - No one has lead more laps this year than Burton. However, a 13th place finish coupled with a Kyle Busch win has put Burton down by more than 100 points. Back to good news for the man in the 31 car. He averages inside the top 10 in his long career at New Hampshire. Sunday will be a great chance for Burton to close the gap between himself and the points leader.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Like Burton, Junior lost some serious ground to Kyle Busch. Earnhardt finished 12th and picked up 68 fewer points than the young Busch. This week does not bode well for Little E. He only has 4 top five finishes at New Hampshire and averages a 17th place finish there. Earnhardt’s hold on 3rd place in the standings is in serious jeopardy.

> Pro Racing Fans features a nice selection of NASCAR merchandise including Jeff Gordon hats, NASCAR Fathead posters and more online.

Clint Bowyer - Bowyer is the defending champion at the Industrial Tools 301 and is coming off a 4th place finish last week. He is now a little more comfortable in the Chase. He moved up from 12th to 10th after last week. He should not act comfortable though. Tony Stewart pulled a 10th place finish out of a 39th place start and no one on the circuit is hotter than Matt Kenseth. Bowyer better finish strong on Sunday or he will be back down on the verge of being out of the Chase.

Kevin Harvick - Harvick dropped out of the Chase after finishing 30th at Sonoma. “Harvick in a half Shell” (what, no one remembers the Ninja Turtles theme song?) is due for a bounce back in a huge way. He has finished in the top ten in four of his last five races at New Hampshire. Look for Harvick to be near the front most of the race.

Jeff Gordon - This guy is always near the front at New Hampshire. He has an average finish of 12th in his career with three wins. Yes, just three. Gordon is usually a bridesmaid rather than a bride at New Hampshire. Still, he has finished 2nd, 2nd, and 3rd in his last three races in New Hampshire and must be considered as one of the favorites on Sunday.

Now you know who to watch, so who will you watch take the checkered flag? Not just because of the terrible Ninja Turtles reference, but I gotta go with Harvick. He will start the chase before the “Chase” with a W that will get him back into the top 12 and back on the right track (pun fully intended). “Harvick in a half-shell, Harvick Power!”

By Ryan Kaufman
Pro Racing Fans Guest Writer

> Read more NASCAR news online from ProRacing-fans.com.