Sprint Cup Chase 2014: NASCAR Standings and Schedule After New Hampshire

The first race at New Hampshire during the 2014 Sprint Cup season might provide some foreshadowing for what's to come near the end of the year. After 19 races this season, Brad Keselowski now adds his name to the list of drivers with three wins, along with Jimmie Johnson.

Along with the victory, the Penske driver also took over the lead on the Chase Grid with his third trip to Victory Lane and a sweep at New Hampshire. With another race scheduled during the Chase for the Sprint Cup, Keselowski's early success bodes well for NASCAR's postseason.

Just a week after Aric Almirola shocked the NASCAR world by earning his first victory, the Camping World RV Sales 301 had a slightly more predictable winner. Keselowski captured the checkered flag at New Hampshire and moved his name up on the Chase Grid.

The win for Keselowski and a top-10 finish for Dale Earnhardt Jr. all but secure a place in the Chase for both drivers, as NASCAR points out:

His victory comes just two races after his second win at Kentucky, where he famously injured himself while celebrating.

Following his huge victory to claim the top spot in the Chase standings, his spotter poked fun at the situation, per Nate Ryan of USA Today:

With the Camping World RV Sales 301 now officially over, here's a look at the full standings and a breakdown of the New Hampshire race.

Pos.	Driver	Points
1	Jeff Gordon	670
2	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	658
3	Brad Keselowski	634
4	Matt Kenseth	621
5	Jimmie Johnson	598
6	Carl Edwards	574
7	Ryan Newman	573
8	Kyle Busch	567
9	Joey Logano	551
10	Clint Bowyer	548
11	Paul Menard	541
12	Denny Hamlin	530
13	Kevin Harvick	528
14	Kyle Larson	524
15	Austin Dillon	524
16	Greg Biffle	519

Pos.	Driver	Points	Wins	Top 5	Top 10
1	Brad Keselowski	634	3	9	10
2	Jimmie Johnson	598	3	6	12
3	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	658	2	9	13
4	Carl Edwards	574	2	4	8
5	Joey Logano	551	2	6	9
6	Kevin Harvick	528	2	5	8
7	Jeff Gordon	670	1	6	13
8	Kyle Busch	567	1	5	8
9	Denny Hamlin	530	1	4	7
10	Aric Almirola	473	1	2	4
11	Kurt Busch	440	1	4	4
12	Matt Kenseth	621	0	7	12
13	Ryan Newman	573	0	2	7
14	Clint Bowyer	548	0	2	8
15	Paul Menard	541	0	3	9
16	Kyle Larson	524	0	4	8

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The start of the race saw issues for a driver who was a clear contender coming into New Hampshire.

Jimmie Johnson, who has three victories in New Hampshire during his career, had tire issues that caused him to exit the race early on Sunday. Ryan passes along Johnson's thoughts on the cut tire:

With both Johnson and Keselowski claiming three checkered flags this season, both now sit atop the rankings and appear to be in championship form. Though Mr. Six-Time had a rough race at New Hampshire, he will look to rebound at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a track where he has four victories.

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Later in the race, yet another top driver was taken down.

Joey Logano, who has two wins this season, was running well all day before he was involved in an accident with Morgan Shepherd. The Penske driver voiced his thoughts on Shepherd following the wreck, per Dustin Long of Motor Racing Network:

The 72-year-old was well behind the pace when he was collected in the wreck while Logano was competing near the top of the leaderboard. His teammate Keselowski also surpassed him in wins on the season as the teammates have a combined five checkered flags.

While both Johnson and Logano were watching from the garage, a young driver on the rise made a huge statement. Kyle Larson, who has put together an already impressive season, notched his fourth top-five result by finishing third on Sunday.

Ryan notes his thoughts on the rookie driver:

Following the Camping World 301, just a few races remain before the Chase officially begins. The remaining schedule for the Sprint Cup season can be found below.

Date	Race	Where	Time (ET)	TV
Chase Races
July 27	The John Wayne Walding 400 at The Brickyard	Indianapolis Motor Speedway	1 p.m.	ESPN
Aug 3	GoBowling.com 400	Pocono Speedway	1 p.m.	ESPN
Aug 10	Cheez-It 355 at The Glen	Watkins Glen International	1 p.m.	ESPN
Aug 17	Pure Michigan 400	Michigan International Speedway	1 p.m.	ESPN
Aug 23	Irwin Tools Night Race	Bristol Motor Speedway	7:30 p.m.	ABC
Aug 31	NASCAR Sprint Cup Series August Atlanta Race	Atlanta Motor Speedway	7:30 p.m.	ESPN
Sept 6	Federated Auto Parts 400	Richmond International Speedway	7:30 p.m.	ABC
Sept 14	NASCAR Sprint Cup Series September Chicagoland Race	Chicagoland Speedway	2 p.m.	ESPN
Sept 21	Sylvania 300	New Hampshire Motor Speedway	2 p.m.	ESPN
Sept 28	AAA 400	Dover International Speedway	2 p.m.	ESPN
Oct 5	Hollywood Casino 400	Kansas Speedway	2 p.m.	ESPN
Oct 11	Bank of America 500	Charlotte Motor Speedway	7:30 p.m.	ABC
Oct 19	GEICO 500	Talladega Superspeedway	2 p.m.	ESPN
Oct 26	Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500	Martinsville Speedway	1:30 p.m.	ESPN
Nov 2	AAA Texas 500	Texas Motor Speedway	3 p.m.	ESPN
Nov 9	Quicken Loans Race for Heroes 500	Phoenix International Raceway	3 p.m.	ESPN
Nov 16	Ford Ecoboost 400	Homestead-Miami Speedway	3 p.m.	ESPN

After a one-week hiatus, the Sprint Cup circuit will now head to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on July 27. The Brickyard 400 is always one of the most highly anticipated races of the season.

NASCAR has multiple notable races on the season with the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600, but racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is always special for every Sprint Cup driver.

The John Wayne Walding 400 at The Brickyard will mark yet another opportunity for several drivers to secure a spot in the Chase. With names like Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth still looking for their first victory, both have a good history at the track.

But even Stewart's two wins at Indy don't compare to the combined eight checkered flags for Jeff Gordon and Johnson. As the regular season nears an end with just seven races remaining, the pressure is on for several drivers to make the Chase this season.

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