Race Review: Sylvania 300

Welcome race fans. This is the 27th race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and the first race in the Chase to the Sprint Cup. The Sylvania 300 takes place at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Lauden, NH. The track is 1.058 miles long and a pretty flat track. Qualifying took place on Friday, with Juan Pablo Montoya grabbing the pole with a record-setting speed of 133.431. Starting second is Tony Stewart. 71 this week is Bobby Labonte. 64 is Mike Wallace. 96 is Aric Darnell. 36 is Michael McDowell. Derrike Cope and Dexter Bean failed to make the race.

As you’ll recall, the points for the top 12, who are in the chase were reset according to wins in the regular season. Some things need to be mentioned before we start. Pat Tryson, crew chief for the 2 of Kurt Busch will be leaving for Michael Waltrip Racing for 2010 and is not allowed into the shop as a result. I guess, so he doesn’t bring any Dodge secrets to Toyota. This makes it very difficult for him to do a good job for Kurt in the chase. 43 Reed Sorenson is odd man out at Richard Petty Motorsports after they signed an agreement with Yates to join forces and drive Fords. Reed is driving without a salary for the rest of the year so his crew will have jobs. 99 Carl Edwards is the in-race reporter.

So, here we go! The Chase begins! 14 Tony Stewart drives on the outside to lead the first lap. 48 Jimmy Johnson, 5 Mark Martin, 39 Ryan Newman and 07 Casey Mears battle each other for eleventh. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya takes the lead and pulls away. 18 Kyle Busch and 29 Kevin Harvick race side by side and 29 finally makes the pass. 48 drives by 18. 11 Denny Hamlin gets by 14 for second. 14 gets back by 11. 00 David Reutimann takes the spot from 18. 39 battles 18 for fourteenth, with 39 finally completing the pass. 2 gets by 11 for third. 5 gets by 18 for fifteenth. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and 77 Sam Hornish, Jr. race side by side for eighteenth, with 88 finally making the pass.

14 is catching 42 in traffic. 14 takes the lead. 12 David Stremme gets loose off the corner. 99 and 12 battle for sixth. They touch, and 99 gets by. 48 gets by 12 for seventh. 24 Jeff Gordon gets by 2 for third. 11 and 2 battle for fourth, with 11 getting by.

The first caution comes out during the commercial. 9 Kasey Khane is smoking with a blown engine. 6 David Ragan is the Lucky Dog and gets his lap back. 42 comes out of the pits first and chooses the outside for the restart. 11 and 42 battle for the lead. 14 makes it three-wide for the lead. 42 stays in the lead. 48 and 99 battle, with 48 taking the spot. 16 Greg Biffle battles with 18. 31 Jeff Burton gets behind 16 to push him past 18 and then gets by 16.

The second caution comes out during the commercial, again for debris on the track. The leaders stay on the track. 11, coming out of his pit, runs over the right foot of the tire changer for 07 Casey Mears. 42 chooses the inside this time. 2, 14 and 11 get together racing three-wide. 14 falls back. 1 Martin Truex, Jr. and 33 Clint Bowyer battle, with 33 getting by. 24 and 1 get together. 31 gets by 47 Marcos Ambrose for nineteenth. 44 A. J. Allmendinger gets by 18 for twenty-fourth. 2 is catching leader 42. 24 gets by 12 for tenth. 29 Kevin Harvick gets by 18 for twenty-fifth. 42 slips a little and 2 takes the lead during the commercial. 88 drives by 5.

And the third caution comes out again during the commercial. Again for debris. Do you see a pattern here? 11 and 42 race side by side, touching each other for the lead. 11 takes the lead. 11 and 42 battle again for the lead, and 42 takes the lead. 48 gets around 5. The fourth caution comes out during the commercial when 09 Almirola spins into the wall. 2 leaving his pit, as 6 is trying to enter his, spins 6 backward in his pit. 77 goes to the garage. 14 is the leader.

The fifth caution is a big one. 24 brushes the wall and everyone checks up. 20 Joey Logano turns 19 Elliott Sadler, 34 John Andretti gets into 55 Michael Waltrip. There is a chain reaction behind them, involving 7 Robby Gordon and 98 Paul Menard. 2 has damage and is overheating.The leader 14 chooses the inside.

The sixth caution comes out for spinning 31, after 00 got loose and into him. No one hits him, and he continues. 14 and 48 battle for the lead. 48 takes the lead. 42 takes a spot from 39. 88 gets by 14 for second. 42 gets by 11. 48 pulls away. 42 drives under 14.

The seventh caution comes out during the commercial. 12 got into the wall. 44 got loose into 12 and 12 slid into the wall. 14 has a loose axle cap. The top seven drivers stay out. 2 and 5 battle for the lead. 5 finally takes the lead. 48 gets loose into 24. 24 and 88 battle side by side. 14 gets by 83 Brian Vickers. 99 and 39 battle, with 39 getting by. 88 gets by 99. 44 drives under 16. With 58 laps to go, 5 pits to start Green Flag Pitting. 2 leads when 5 pits.11 gets by 31 for second. 11 leads when 2 pits. 5 battles 11 to get back on the lead lap, and gets by. 88 pits from second. 39 leads when 11 pits. 99 leads, then pits. 29 comes back in with a tire rub. They raise the hood to see what is wrong. 47 leads, then pits, as well as 71. 14 leads and pits. After it all, 5 is back in the lead.

The eighth caution comes out with twenty-three to go during the commercial. Again, for debris. 42 got into 31 to get by. The leaders stay out and 5 chooses the outside. The ninth caution comes out when 88 was too high and got into the wall, hard. 00 got loose and into 88 to get him there. 11 smoked his brakes, 00 slammed on his brakes and 88 went spinning into the wall. 5 chooses the outside. 42 gets by 11 and 48 on the bottom. 48 gets by 2.

The tenth caution comes out with seven to go when 47 gets into 44 and 44 spins. 5 chooses the outside for the restart. 42 and 5 are side by side for the lead. 5 finally clears 42. 11 and 42 battle for second. Coming to the Checker Flag, 44 spins and can’t get going. There is smoke and 44 on the track. NASCAR throws the caution as they head for the Finish Line. And 5 Mark Martin wins the Sylvania 300 under caution. No one hits 44, as they slow down to the Finish Line. Mark Martin retains his lead in the chase with his win in the first race.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley

Race Review: Lenox Industrial Tools 301

Welcome race fans to the seventeenth NASCAR Sprint Cup race of the season. The race takes place at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Lauden, New Hampshire. This track is affectionately known as the “Magic Mile”. It’s a flat track, just over a mile long. There has been rain all weekend, so there was little time to practice. Qualifying got rained out on Friday, so they will line up according to owner points. Putting 14 Tony Stewart and 24 Jeff Gordon the front row. Tony crashed his car in practice, but changed the engine in his back-up car before what would have been qualifying, so he keeps his pole position. 09 is Brad Keselowski. He won in Talladega in this car. 36 is Patrick Carpentier. He sat on the pole last year in NH. 37 is Tony Raines. 78 is Regan Smith. He has made every race he has entered. And has finished them all. 51 Dexter Bean and local favorite, 27 Ted Christopher didn’t have the owner points or attempts, so they will go home.

47 Marcos Ambrose is not feeling well. Since there was rain over night, there will be a competition caution on lap 35 so they can check the tires. If there is a caution prior to that competition caution, they can change tires and make adjustments, but they cannot take fuel.

So, here we go! 24 and 2 Kurt Busch take off on the outside. 24 leads the first lap. 2 tries to get by 24 for the lead, but can’t get by. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya gets by 18 Kyle Busch for ninth. 2 finally takes the lead after many laps trying to get by. 24 and 16 battle for second. 14 slides back to seventh from the pole position. 99 Carl Edwards is having trouble getting by 39 Ryan Newman for fifth.

The first caution comes out during the commercial when 36 gets into the wall. It was something mechanical. 14 pits for adjustments, but cannot take fuel. 55 Michael Waltrip was too fast. 2 is leading and chooses to restart on the inside. They are double-file all the way around, with no clear leader running away.

The second caution comes out when 29 Kevin Harvick slides up and into 26 Jamie McMurray, putting him into the wall. 11 Denny Hamlin pits. 24 was leading when the caution came out, and he picks the inside to restart. They move the competition caution up to lap 45, since there weren’t enough laps raced under Green to decide what the tires are doing. 16 Greg Biffle and 24 battle for the lead. 16 gets loose.

The third caution comes out when 44 AJ Allmendinger spins around and doesn’t get going again. 26 Jamie McMurray is the Lucky Dog and gets his lap back. 66 Dave Blaney goes to the garage. 2 takes the lead. 18 and 48 Jimmy Johnson battle for fourth. 18 is smoking his brakes. 16 drives by 18. 42 and 48 battle.

The fourth caution is the competition caution and everyone can take fuel.18 couldn’t get out of his pit without hitting the car in front of him. 24 is out of the pits first, followed by 48 and 16. 24 has to take the outside, since 71 David Gilliland is on the inside and will pit when the Green Flag is about to fly. This lets 48 take the lead from the inside. 5 Mark Martin and 18 battle. 16 gets into the wall. 37 and 26 go to the garage. 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and 16 battle.

The fifth caution comes out during the commercial. 19 Elliott Sadler gets loose and gets into 82 Scott Speed. 82 spins 55 Michael Waltrip and they collect 7 Robby Gordon. 48 chooses the inside for the restart. 24 and 18 battle for second. 14 and 2 battle. 14 and 18 battle for third. 14 pulls ahead of 18. 12 David Stremme gets loose. 48 is in ugly traffic, with everyone battling each other and trying to stay ahead of the leader.

1 Martin Truex, Jr. starts Green Flag Pitting. 42 leads when 48 pits. 9 Kasey Kahne drives by 42 to get his lap back. 88 and 5 get by 42. 42 finally pits when everyone was getting by him to get their laps back. 11 leads when 42 pits. 43 Reed Sorenson leads when 11 pits. 7  leads when 43 pits, then pits himself.  When everyone has pitted, 48 is back in the lead.  48  is trying to lap 20 Joey Logano and 24 catches  the leader, 48. 5 and 18 battle for seventh. 5 gets by. 31 Jeff Burton and 18 battle for eighth.

The sixth caution comes our for debris. 2 and 24 come out of the pits neck-and-neck, but 24 was a few inches in front. The cars ahead of the leader get the wave around and they race back to the end of the field. 24 elects to Restart on the outside this time. 48 makes it three-wide for the lead with 24 and 2. 24 stays in the lead. 2 and 24 battle for the lead. 88 and 2 battle for second. 48 gets loose and falls to sixth.

The seventh caution comes out during the commercial. 98 Paul Menard gets the brakes locked up and drives into the wall. 24 Restarts on the outside. The eighth caution comes out at the Restart. 1 gets into 88, 18 gets into 1 from behind 1, sending him spinning. And then into 31 with everyone spinning. 18 thought he had a hole and took it, like he always does, but the hole wasn’t there. Involved were: 1, 29 Kevin Harvick, 31, 07 Casey Mears, 83 Brian Vickers, 00 David Reutimann, 6David Ragan, 26. There is a Red Flag for clean-up.

24 Restarts on the outside. 39 gets into the wall. 2 and 24 battle for the lead. 20 gets into 39 and 00 and cuts a tire and brings out the ninth caution. 11 gets by 18 for ninth. 2 slides up the track and falls back. 14 and 24 battle for the lead. The tenth caution comes out when 82 Scott Speed gets into the wall. He says “I’m not gonna lie, that hurt”. 20 Joey Logano is the Lucky Dog. 2 gets into 48 and many get by both of them.

14 takes the lead. 88 and 9 battle. 88 gets by. 48 and 9 battle. 48 gets by. 48 gets around 88 for eighth. 99 thinks he may have a loose wheel and pits. 48 gets by 5 for seventh. 18 pits to start Green Flag Pitting again. 5 stays out and leads.16 leads when 5 pits. 96 Bobby Labonte leads when 16 pits. 31 is back out in a “modified” car. 14 slides into 18 and gets by for eleventh. 39 leads when 96 pits. 24 gets by 00 for fourth. 55 pits. 39 is out of fuel and pits. 20 takes the lead when 39 ran out of gas. 39 has trouble getting the car fired up again.

The eleventh caution comes out for rain. The race is Red Flagged on lap 273 of 301.  It pours and 20 Joey Logano wins his first NASCAR Sprint Cup race by being out in front when the rain came. He isn’t the first to win his first race here with the rain shortening the race. Jeff Burton is the only driver to lead all 300 laps here.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley.

Race Review

Sylvania 300

New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Lauden, new Hampshire

Welcome race fans to the twenty-seventh race of the year and the first race of the Chase. Qualifying was rained out, so the line up will be by Owner Points. 8 today is Aric Almirola. 21 is Bill Elliott. Joey Logano makes his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut in the 96. 45 is Chad McCumbee. 70 is Johnny Sauter. There will be a competition caution because there was rain this morning. There was a slight delay throwing the Green Flag to make sure the track was dry.
So, here we go! 18 Kyle Busch leads from the Pole. 99 Carl Edwards, who started second, battles 18 for the lead. 99 finally  takes the lead. 07 Clint Bowyer gets by 88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 18 and 07 battle for second. 07 gets by 18. 20 Tony Stewart and 18 battle for third, while 88 and 24 Jeff Gordon battle for fourth. 20 gets by 18. 88 stays ahead of 24. 16 Greg Biffle flies by 31 Jeff Burton. 88 and 18 battle. 88 gets by. 48 Jimmy Johnson gets by 24. 38 David Gilliland slides around after contact with 44 David Reutimann. He saves it and there is no caution. 48 and 18 battle for fifth, and 48 gets by. 18 is falling back with a sway bar problem. 18 gets into the wall, and 6 David Ragan and 2 Kurt Busch get by. 17 Matt Kenseth and 1 Martin Truex, Jr. get by 18. 20 gets by 07 for second.
The first caution of the day is the competition caution. Everyone pits. 18 went into the pits before pit road was open, and so he’ll loose a lap and will start from the rear. 18 is back onto pit road for a one lap penalty for going on the track after pitting and not heeding the stop sign. While he’s being held, the crew opens the hood. 96, Logano, makes a Rookie mistake in the pits and takes the jack out of the pits with him. He will have to go back in. 10 Patrick Carpentier is the Lucky Dog and gets his lap back. 24 had to back up in the pits to avoid hitting the crew of 7 Robby Gordon. 99 comes out of the pits first.
48 catches 99, and 48 takes the lead. 20 and 2 get by 99. 88 gets loose. 1 gets by 24. The second caution comes out during the commercial. 18 gets loose and spins, with so much smoke no one can see where they’re going. 6 stops and 26 Jamie McMurray gets into him in the smoke. The top ten are 48, 20, 88, 99, 16, 2, 11 Denny Hamlin, 31 Jeff Burton, 07 and 17. 20, coming out of the pits, gets into 70 and has to come back in for repairs. 45 Chad McCumbee is the Lucky Dog. 88 takes the lead. 07 and 17 battle. 17 takes the position. 2 gets by 99. 07 and 42 battle for tenth. 1 is having trouble getting by 9 Kasey Kahne.
2 and 16 battle for third. 16 gets by. 88 laps 18 again. He’s now down nine laps.16 and 48 battle. 16 gets by 48 for second. 6 pits under Green, after going a lap down. 88 has trouble lapping 55 Michael Waltrip. 16 pits from second and Green Flag Pitting begins. 48 leads when 88 pits. When 48 pits 83 Brian Vickers takes the lead. 00 Michael McDowell stays out to take the lead. 20 is caught speeding and will return to the pits. When every one has pitted, 16 is leading. 88 takes the lead. 7 again holds up 24 in the pits. 48 gets by 11 for third. 88 and 16 battle for the lead. 88 waves 16 by.
16 is having trouble lapping 84 A. J. Allmendinger, which allows 48 to catch 16. 11 gets by 88 for third. 31 gets by 88 for fourth. 16 is having trouble lapping 83. The third caution is for debris. The leaders all pit. 83 Brian Vickers is the Lucky Dog. We go green with 48 in the lead. The fourth caution comes out with 79 laps to go. 01 Regan Smith gets into 78 Joe Nemechek, and 78 gets into the inside wall. 20 Tony Stewart is the Lucky Dog. 11 pits from second place, and comes back in to top off the fuel.
The fifth caution involves 17, 45, 83, 38, 5 Casey Mears with 90 to go. 45 got loose and into 17, comes down the track and into 38 and collects 83 with nowhere to go. There is so much fluid and debris on the track, NASCAR throws the Red Flag. Clean up is complete after ten minutes and 38 seconds! 88 and 16 battle for the lead. 43 Bobby Labonte, 70, 20,11, 42 Juan Pablo Montoya battle each other. 70 and 84 get together. The sixth caution comes out when 00  turns 84 into the wall with 31 to go. 66 Scott Riggs is the Lucky Dog. The top nine stay out.
07 is slipping and sliding. 24 gets by 29 Kevin Harvick. 88 and 31 battle. The seventh caution comes out when 6 gets loose and spins into the infield with nineteen laps to go. The Green Flag flies with seventeen to go. The eighth caution comes out when 10 spins into the wall. No one else is involved. 00 tries to pass on the inside before the Green Flag and is called into the pits. 16 takes the lead from 48. 9 gets by 42 and 44.
16 Greg Biffle wins the race. There were eight different leaders. Carl Edwards takes over the point lead, tied with Jimmy Johnson. Jeff Burton climbs two spots in the points, tied with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Tony Stewart moves up a spot, as does Kevin Harvick. Kyle Busch moves down seven spots and Clint Bowyer falls down four spots. Kasey Kahne and David Ragan remain in thirteenth and fourteenth respectively.

Brought to you by Sheila Hawley

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