NASCAR at New Hampshire 2016: Start Time, Ticket Info, Lineup, TV Schedule, More
Martin Truex Jr. leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series going into the second race of the Chase Sunday in what figures to be a Toyota-dominated Bad Boy Off Road 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Truex bested all drivers at the TMNT 400, punching his ticket and putting the rest of the field at a disadvantage. He and teammates wound up leading a silly 299 of 301 laps at this track earlier in the season at the New Hampshire 301.
Still, the playoff format lends itself to upsets and surprises, so don't rule out other manufacturers yet. Here is everything to know about Race 2 of the Chase.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Viewing Details
Where: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
When: Sunday, Sept. 25, 2 p.m. ET
Watch: NBCSN
Live Stream: NBC Sports
Tickets: ScoreBig.com
Sprint Cup Standings
| 1 | Martin Truex Jr. | 2050 | 3 |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski | 2049 | 4 |
| 3 | Kyle Busch | 2046 | 4 |
| 4 | Denny Hamlin | 2045 | 3 |
| 5 | Joey Logano | 2043 | 1 |
| 6 | Chase Elliott | 2039 | 0 |
| 7 | Matt Kenseth | 2038 | 2 |
| 8 | Jimmie Johnson | 2037 | 2 |
| 9 | Carl Edwards | 2032 | 2 |
| 10 | Kurt Busch | 2031 | 1 |
| 11 | Jamie McMurray | 2030 | 0 |
| 12 | Tony Stewart | 2028 | 1 |
| 13 | Austin Dillon | 2027 | 0 |
| 14 | Kevin Harvick | 2027 | 2 |
| 15 | Kyle Larson | 2026 | 1 |
| 16 | Chris Buescher | 2016 | 1 |
NASCAR at New Hampshire Lineup
| 19 | Carl Edwards |
| 78 | Martin Truex Jr |
| 31 | Ryan Newman |
| 48 | Jimmie Johnson |
| 11 | Denny Hamlin |
| 42 | Kyle Larson |
| 1 | Jamie McMurray |
| 20 | Matt Kenseth |
| 5 | Kasey Kahne |
| 24 | Chase Elliott |
| 2 | Brad Keselowski |
| 18 | Kyle Busch |
| 41 | Kurt Busch |
| 27 | Paul Menard |
| 22 | Joey Logano |
| 21 | Ryan Blaney |
| 47 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 88 | Alex Bowman |
| 4 | Kevin Harvick |
| 95 | Michael McDowell |
| 17 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr |
| 14 | Tony Stewart |
| 23 | David Ragan |
| 10 | Danica Patrick |
| 44 | Brian Scott |
| 43 | Aric Almirola |
| 6 | Trevor Bayne |
| 34 | Chris Buescher |
| 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 7 | Regan Smith |
| 13 | Casey Mears |
| 16 | Greg Biffle |
| 83 | Matt DiBenedetto |
| 38 | Landon Cassill |
| 46 | Michael Annett |
| 98 | Cole Whitt |
| 15 | Clint Bowyer |
| 55 | Reed Sorenson |
| 30 | Josh Wise |
| 32 | Jeffrey Earnhardt |
Drivers to Watch
Martin Truex Jr.
Expect someone else?
Truex turned it on late at Chicagoland Speedway to secure the win last time out, giving him a checkered flag in two of his last three outings, the miss a near one thanks to a third-place finish in Richmond.
Gone are the days Truex looked like an iffy contender, at best, as a member of Furniture Row Racing. He's now in a spot where any track looks like it could produce a win, as he told Marghiee Teshineh on Fox in the Fast Lane (via Fox News):
"I’ve never been a position where I feel like we can go anywhere and win. And right now I feel like any race track any weekend, anywhere in the country we can win. And it’s just so much fun to go to the race track and have that feeling and have that much confidence in your team and what’s you’re doing.
"
Truex was one of the dominant Toyota drivers at this track earlier in the year, leading 123 laps. Not the most dominant compared to others—and he didn't win—but it is clear he should have plenty of confidence going into the Bad Boy Off Road 300.
With another win, Truex could help dictate with whom he has to deal in the Chase's later rounds.
Kyle Busch led 133 laps before finishing eighth in New Hampshire earlier this year, so his contention for a checkered flag seems assured.
The defending champion doesn't boast a similar must-see story compared to last year, when he broke his leg in a wreck and returned for an epic tear before winning the Chase. But that doesn't make his season something to ignore.
Busch has four wins this year and has turned it on when it matters most, registering top-10 finishes in his last two outings. He had the lead at Chicagoland before blowing a tire late.
A win Sunday wouldn't hurt, to say the least. It is hard to find a corner of the internet that doesn't list Busch as the favorite to repeat, and for good reason. He is steady at most stops during the Chase, including Sunday's event.
Matt Kenseth
Matt Kenseth capped off the Toyota domination earlier this year by winning in New Hampshire.
Granted, he only led 38 laps, but a win is a win—and it went down as one of two on the year for the Joe Gibbs Racing star.
Kenseth didn't lead any laps last time out but did register a top-10 performance to keep him in good standing. He quickly addressed and brushed off a hiccup before setting his eyes on New Hampshire:
Keep in mind Kenseth won this race last year. He led 27 laps there before getting the win. Oh, and while still on the topic, he also won the race in 2013, giving him two of the past three checkered flags at Sunday's event.
Kenseth clearly knows the formula required for a win at this event, which has him looking like the favorite going into the fray. His teammates and others might have something to say about it, but Kenseth won't be far from the top slot near the end of the race.
Stats and info courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise specified.
Follow Chris Roling (@Chris_Roling) on Twitter.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
