NEW HAMPSHIRE IS CHASE KEY.Byline: TIM TIM Timothy TIM Technical Interchange Meeting TIM Transient Intermodulation Distortion TIM Time Is Money TIM The Invisible Man (movie) TIM Telecom Italia Mobile (Italian cellular provider) HADDOCK Motor Sports New Hampshire International Speedway New Hampshire International Speedway is a 1.058 mile (1703 m) oval track which has hosted NASCAR racing since the 1990s. It is commonly referred to by its location, Loudon. , in Loudon, N.H., is becoming the most pivotal race track on the NASCAR NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing), organization that sanctions American stock-car races, est. 1948. It held its first race in Daytona Beach, Fla. Nextel Cup The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series is NASCAR's top racing series. It was formerly known as the Strictly Stock Series (1949), Grand National Series (1950-1971), and the Winston Cup Series (1972-2003). Series schedule. This weekend will be the first of two visits to the tiny New England New England, name applied to the region comprising six states of the NE United States—Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The region is thought to have been so named by Capt. race track for the Cup drivers. The winner of Sunday's race could prove prophetic in determining the winner of the Chase for the Championship. Kurt Busch Kurt Thomas Busch (born August 4, 1978 in Las Vegas, Nevada) is a NASCAR driver. He drives the #2 Miller Lite Dodge in Nextel Cup Series and part time in Busch Series driving the #12 Penske Truck Rental Dodge. swept both races at New Hampshire New Hampshire, one of the New England states of the NE United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts (S), Vermont, with the Connecticut R. forming the boundary (W), the Canadian province of Quebec (NW), and Maine and a short strip of the Atlantic Ocean (E). last year and went on to win the Cup championship. The year before that, Jimmie Johnson This article is about NASCAR driver. For the football player, see Jimmie Johnson (American football). For people named Jimmy Johnson, see Jimmy Johnson (disambiguation). won both races at New Hampshire but fell way short of challenging Cup Series champ Matt Kenseth Matthew Roy Kenseth (born March 10 1972) is a stock car racing driver for the Roush Fenway Racing team in NASCAR's Nextel Cup series. Kenseth was raised in Cambridge, Wisconsin. for the points title. The difference: Last year was the first year of the Chase. Busch was able to parlay a win in July into another in September, when the 10-race Chase format started, and vault from seventh in the Chase standings to first. Then he was able to hold on to his lead over the next nine races to win his first Cup title. The New Hampshire race was Busch's only win in the 10-race Chase. Johnson won four of the 10 Chase races but couldn't catch Busch. The September race at New Hampshire turned out to be the deciding event in the Chase. It could be equally decisive this year. Lately at New Hampshire, winning in September starts with winning in July. That's good news for Busch and Johnson, if they can repeat their success at New Hampshire. It's also a benefit for Ryan Newman Ryan Joseph Newman (born December 8, 1977 in South Bend, Indiana) (he shares this birthdate with fellow driver Kevin Harvick) is a driver in the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. He drives the #12 Alltel, Mobil 1, Kodak Dodge Avenger for Penske Racing. and Tony Stewart, winners at New Hampshire and Chase contenders with high hopes of a Cup championship. ``Obviously, I like it because I've had success there,'' Stewart said. ``Every race at Loudon seems to be a pretty good race. So I like it. I enjoy racing there, even though it is hard to pass. But when you've got a good car, it's always fun to race.'' Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett and Joe Nemechek are Chase hopefuls and former winners at New Hampshire. They need a couple of big wins to get into the top 10 or at least within the 400-point Chase cutoff mark. Nemechek said the way things are going, there will be more than 10 drivers in the Chase this year. Having a strong race at New Hampshire will go a long way in securing a spot in the Chase. ``I know Jimmie Johnson went up there and tested,'' Nemechek said. ``Probably smart on his part, because he can burn a test for two races now. He learned something for both of them.'' Stewart also tested at New Hampshire, with about a half-dozen other drivers, including Johnson. The importance of New Hampshire wasn't lost on this select group. ``There weren't a ton of us up there,'' Stewart said. ``I think there were five cars each day. I think we had an awesome test. Jimmie Johnson was there, and we were just a little bit quicker than him. ``But I've been to test there with Jeff Gordon, and when he came back for the race, he was a tenth (of a second) quicker than us. So I'm not too locked into how my feelings are about the test. I think we've got a good car for there.'' Nemechek is in dire need of a victory to be part of the Chase. And it's not like he hasn't been able to challenge at times. He led the most laps at the California Speedway race in February but had to withdraw when his engine failed just after the race's midpoint mid·point n. 1. Mathematics The point of a line segment or curvilinear arc that divides it into two parts of the same length. 2. A position midway between two extremes. . He is 18th in points - 590 behind Johnson. Nemechek, who won the first Cup race of his career at New Hampshire in 1999, said his team is primed for another good run. ``I think we're definitely that close,'' Nemechek said. ``I mean, we've been a little inconsistent, but for the most part, we've had good race cars. The pit crew has been right. Everything has been right. If you can run consistently in the top five, I mean, you're going to definitely win your share of races.'' None could be more important than Sunday's. CAPTION(S): 2 photos, box Photo: (1) BUSCH (2) JOHNSON Box: RACE WEEK BY TIM HADDOCK |
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