My Thoughts: 2014 New Hampshire

         When New Hampshire received a NASCAR Cup Series date in 1993, the track instantly became a favorite for drivers and fans alike. “The Magic Mile”, as it is called, is just that. It is a flat mile track located in New England and it is bad fast. Drivers hit one hundred and fifty miles an hour heading into each of the corners and that is fast considering the track has almost no banking in the turns. It has been a scary track in the past for some drivers. In 2000, Adam Petty and Kenny Irwin Jr. both passed away in practice crashes at New Hampshire. Since then, the track has changed a good bit and the drivers have loved the changes. In fact, New Hampshire has held some great races in the past few years. We don't have to venture far to look at last year's race. In the end, the race turned out to be filled with strategy. Drivers were on all different types of fuel strategies and Brian Vickers, who was running a part time schedule, was out front in his Michael Waltrip Racing ride. While drivers ran out of fuel around him, Vickers stayed in the lead and he was able to win the race as a surprise winner. Along with that, drivers have been known to win their first career race at New Hampshire. In 2009, Joey Logano took the lead after a pit stop move and rain began to pour around the track. The race was past halfway and the race was called with Logano still holding onto the lead. The rain handed Logano his first career win and since then, he has won a few more races through the years. It is safe to say that New Hampshire is a track home to a good many moments and it will continue to be for years to come. With that introduction, I have a few topics I want to discuss with you guys before today's race. The topics include  a discussion of a brand new alliance, a discussion of Jeff Burton, a New Hampshire Chase race discussion, a discussion of winless drivers this year and their success at New Hampshire, and, of course, my pick to win this afternoon's event. Well, let us go ahead and jump into these topics for this afternoon's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

1. Race Team Alliance Formed in NASCAR: What Does This Mean For the Sport?
         A big piece of news came out during the week for NASCAR. Rob Kauffman, co-owner of Michael Waltrip Racing, announced that his team and eight other NASCAR teams had formed a Race Team Alliance as it is called. The other teams involved in the alliance along with Michael Waltrip Racing are Chip Ganassi Racing, Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing, Richard Childress Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports, Roush-Fenway Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing, and Team Penske. To give this alliance a definition, I will try to give it a simple one. Basically, the purpose of this alliance to ensure that all decisions for the sport are made the right way and this alliance will attempt to promote the sport through marketing and other commercial ideas. NASCAR has downplayed the importance of this alliance for the whole week, in my opinion. With all that in mind, I have just one question about this brand new alliance. What does this mean for the sport heading forward? I think this alliance will have an impact on the sport in the next few years. The main reason is the high caliber of teams involved in this alliance. Basically, these nine teams are the best of the best in NASCAR racing today. With this sort of connection together, they will surely have close to the same ideas on issues and that could lead to all the teams voting the same on issues. Plus, each of these teams can easily promote new sponsors and marketing around NASCAR for years and years to come. Still, though, this alliance could become old news in the next few years. Kauffman needs to keep this alliance together and he needs to ensure each team stays on top of marketing and ideas. All in all, I like the promise of this alliance, but I don't want it to change the sport too much.

2. Jeff Burton: Could This Be His Last Race?
         Jeff Burton has been a mainstay in NASCAR for a little over twenty years now. He has moved from Roush Racing in his early years to Richard Childress Racing as recent as last year. This year, though, things have changed for Burton. He signed a limited schedule with Michael Waltrip Racing for 2014 and he decided to head to the NBC Sports booth when NASCAR coverage moves part time to NBC next year. Burton has raced one race this year and his final race scheduled for this year is today's New Hampshire event. I have one question for Burton. Could this very well be his last NASCAR race? I truly feel like this will be his final event. The main reason is just the close proximity of his new gig as a broadcaster for NBC next year. Making this move to broadcasting will mean that Burton, basically, wants to move in a new direction in NASCAR. I don't see him driving and being a broadcaster next season. Plus, he doesn't have any more races scheduled for this year and I don't see him gaining another one. Still, though, this isn't a bad race or track for Burton to make his final start. Burton made his first career NASCAR start at New Hampshire in 1993 when the track first became a Cup track. Since then, Burton has been a pretty good driver at New Hampshire. He won four races at New Hampshire from 1997 to 2000 including leading all three hundred laps at the fall event in 2000. I feel like Burton's final race might be today, but it wouldn't be a bad track for him to make his final NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start.

3. Will This Race at New Hampshire Prepare the Chase Drivers For This Chase Race in September?
         New Hampshire is not only a track that is key for heading towards the Chase in the summer, but it is a key track during the Chase. It is the second race of the Chase and it has been a key track for drivers looking to win a championship. Last year, Matt Kenseth won the first two races of the Chase at Chicagoland and New Hampshire. The win at New Hampshire was key for Kenseth and it gave him the push for the rest of the Chase, but he fell short of the title. In 2011, Tony Stewart won five races in the Chase including New Hampshire and he was able to take the championship in a close battle with Carl Edwards. It is safe to say New Hampshire is a key track in the Chase and I have one question surrounding it. Will this race today prepare the Chase drivers for September's Chase race at the track? I really think it will. The main difference between these two races is the weather at the track. In the summer, the track is pretty hot while in the early part of fall, the track isn't hot, but a rather stable temperature to race in. That means track conditions will be a bit different, but that will be the only real difference between the two. I feel like the drivers who are good in today's race will be the same drivers who are good at New Hampshire in September. This was the case last year and I feel like it will be the same case in just a couple of months. Still, though, the drivers are going to have to battle hard. New Hampshire isn't a simple track and it could help decide the championship when the series heads to Homestead in November.

4. Which Previous Winner at New Hampshire Has the Best Chance to Win His First Race of the Year?
         Along with that discussion of how this race at New Hampshire will help Chase drivers come September, is the discussion of a few winless drivers this year who have good track records at New Hampshire. In fact, there are several drivers this year who haven't won a race, but have went to victory lane when they went to New Hampshire. That list includes drivers like Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Brian Vickers, Matt Kenseth, and Ryan Newman to name a few of the contenders. Concerning these five drivers today, I have a single question. Which of these drivers has the best chance to head to victory lane at New Hampshire and grab their first win of the year? I, honestly, feel like Tony Stewart has the best chance out of these drivers to win this race. Stewart hasn't been himself this year with returning from his broken leg and starting the year with a new crew chief, but we have passed the halfway point of the season. That means Stewart can forget all about what has happened thus far this year and go out and win a race. Once he does that, his Chase spot would be safe even without worrying about his finishes already this year. I feel like most of these drivers will win before the Chase starts, but I feel like Tony Stewart has the best chance of these five to head to victory lane at New Hampshire.

5. My Pick to Win
         I have discussed a lot today about winning races, but as we move down the stretch, that will be the biggest thing on the minds of all the drivers. Winning could decide who wins the championship and who doesn't in the end. Today's race at New Hampshire will be key not just because a winless driver could win just a few races before the Chase, but because New Hampshire is a key track in the Chase. One thing to look at that could decide a winner today is this: fuel mileage. It never seems to fail that New Hampshire races end up being decided by fuel mileage. The driver who plays the strategy the best in the race will be able to take the victory in the event. I have several picks for today's race and they all will have a chance for the victory. Good picks for today's race include Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, and Jamie McMurray. Also, consider Ryan Newman, Kyle Larson, Matt Kenseth, Brian Vickers, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. as possible winners of the race. Today's event should be a good battle to watch and I am excited to watch it and write about it. I hope it turns out great and we see a few great battles along the way. Well, that is all for me and until we meet again.





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