Statistically speaking: a look at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

The NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup rolls into race two of 10 this weekend with Sunday’s Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. Brad Keselowski’s already punched his ticket into the next round of the Chase with a win last weekend at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Ill. For everyone else, the assignment for the next two races is to either win or stay high enough in the standings to advance. The bottom four in points without a win in the first three Chase races will be eliminated from championship contention.

Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch each have three-career wins at New Hampshire. It may be worth noting that Gordon’s last win at the track came back in 1998. But then again, Gordon’s on the cust of his best season in quite some time.

Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards, meanwhile, are fellow-Chasers who have also made multiple trips to NHMS’ victory lane, each with two wins.

Points leader and winner of the two most recent races on the circuit, Keselowski, dominated and won the July race in Loudon.

Here’s a look at how the Chasers have fared throughout their careers at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

1 – Brad Keselowski (No. 2 Team Penske Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 103.8

2014 Rundown

· Five wins, 12 top fives, 14 top 10s; four poles

· Average finish of 13.0

· Led 21 races for 1,340 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One win, four top fives, six top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 11.4 in 10 races

· Average Running Position of 13.6, 12th-best

· Driver Rating of 93.8, ninth-best

2 – Jeff Gordon (No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 109.9

2014 Rundown

· Three wins, 10 top fives, 18 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 9.7

· Led 19 races for 571 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Three wins, 16 top fives, 22 top 10s; four poles

· Average finish of 11.0 in 39 races

· Series-best Average Running Position of 7.7

· Driver Rating of 107.7, second-best

· Series-high 437 Fastest Laps Run

· 944 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most

· Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 125.153 mph

· Series-high 4,989 Laps in the Top 15 (87.9%)

· Series-high 638 Quality Passes

3 – Joey Logano (No. 22 Team Penske Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 105.9

2014 Rundown

· Three wins, 11 top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 12.9

· Led 18 races for 721 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One win, two top fives, four top 10s

· Average finish of 19.3 in 12 races

· Average Running Position of 21.1, 22nd-best

· Driver Rating of 72.8, 21st-best

4 – Kevin Harvick (No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 107.5

2014 Rundown

· Two wins, nine top fives, 14 top 10s; six poles

· Average finish of 14.4

· Led 19 races for 1,265 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One win, five top fives, 13 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 14.3 in 27 races

· Average Running Position of 12.8, eighth-best

· Driver Rating of 91.0, 13th-best

· 178 Fastest Laps Run, 11th-most

· 970 Green Flag Passes, eighth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.716 mph, ninth-fastest

· 3,700 Laps in the Top 15 (65.2%), ninth-most

5 – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.3

2014 Rundown

· Three wins, 11 top fives, 16 top 10s

· Average finish of 10.9

· Led 12 races for 220 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Seven top fives, 13 top 10s

· Average finish of 15.5 in 30 races

· Average Running Position of 11.6, sixth-best

· Driver Rating of 97.3, sixth-best

· 1,061 Green Flag Passes, third-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.987 mph, fifth-fastest

· 4,255 Laps in the Top 15 (75.0%), fourth-most

· 596 Quality Passes, third-most

6 – Denny Hamlin (No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 90.2

2014 Rundown

· One win, six top fives, 12 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 14.8

· Led 11 races for 163 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Two wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s

· Average finish of 8.9 in 17 races

· Average Running Position of 10.5, third-best

· Driver Rating of 103.6, third-best

· 302 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.973 mph, sixth-fastest

· 3,843 Laps in the Top 15 (75.7%), sixth-most

· 569 Quality Passes, fourth-most

7 – Kyle Busch (No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.8

2014 Rundown

· One win, six top fives, 10 top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 17.7

· Led 13 races for 411 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One win, seven top fives, nine top 10s; two poles

· Average finish of 14.4 in 19 races

· Average Running Position of 13.5, 11th-best

· Driver Rating of 94.7, eighth-best

· 232 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.693 mph, 10th-fastest

· 3,768 Laps in the Top 15 (66.4%), seventh-most

· 504 Quality Passes, eighth-most

8 – Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.0

2014 Rundown

· Three wins, eight top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 14.1

· Led 15 races for 1,035 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Three wins, nine top fives, 17 top 10s

· Average finish of 10.5 in 25 races

· Average Running Position of 11.3, fifth-best

· Driver Rating of 102.1, fourth-best

· 431 Fastest Laps Run, second-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 125.077 mph, second-fastest

· 4,459 Laps in the Top 15 (78.6%), second-most

· 602 Quality Passes, second-most

9 – Kurt Busch (No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 87.7

2014 Rundown

· One win, six top fives, eight top 10s

· Average finish of 18.7

· Led 11 races for 181 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Three wins, seven top fives, 11 top 10s

· Average finish of 15.4 in 27 races

· Average Running Position of 13.9, 14th-best

· Driver Rating of 89.5, 14th-best

· 187 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most

· 1,002 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.664 mph, 12th-fastest

· 3,448 Laps in the Top 15 (60.8%), 12th-most

· 531 Quality Passes, sixth-most

10 – Matt Kenseth (No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 93.1

2014 Rundown

· 10 top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole

· Average finish of 13.9

· Led 16 races for 465 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One win, seven top fives, 15 top 10s

· Average finish of 13.0 in 29 races

· Average Running Position of 15.5, 18th-best

· Driver Rating of 85.5, 18th-best

· Series-high 1,140 Green Flag Passes

· 471 Quality Passes, 12th-most

11 – Kasey Kahne (No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 89.4

2014 Rundown

· One win, three top fives, 10 top 10s

· Average finish of 16.1

· Led 10 races for 204 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One win, three top fives, eight top 10s

· Average finish of 16.7 in 21 races

· Average Running Position of 13.9, 15th-best

· Driver Rating of 92.6, 10th-best

· 340 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most

· 1,000 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most

· Average Green Flag Speed of 124.828 mph, eighth-fastest

· 3,709 Laps in the Top 15 (65.4%), eighth-most

· 528 Quality Passes, seventh-most

12 – Carl Edwards (No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.4

2014 Rundown

· Two wins, six top fives, 11 top 10s

· Average finish of 14.9

· Led 9 races for 133 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Two top fives, five top 10s

· Average finish of 13.8 in 20 races

· Average Running Position of 14.5, 16th-best

· Driver Rating of 86.1, 17th-best

· 972 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most

13 – Ryan Newman (No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.9

2014 Rundown

· Two top fives, 10 top 10s

· Average finish of 14.1

· Led 4 races for 24 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· Three wins, seven top fives, 16 top 10s; seven poles

· Average finish of 13.6 in 25 races

· Average Running Position of 13.1, ninth-best

· Driver Rating of 92.3, 11th-best

· 4,131 Laps in the Top 15 (72.8%), fifth-most

· 490 Quality Passes, ninth-most

14 – A.J. Allmendinger (No. 47 JTG-Daugherty Racing Chevrolet)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 70.4

2014 Rundown

· One win, two top fives, four top 10s

· Average finish of 20.9

· Led 5 races for 68 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One top 10

· Average finish of 24.2 in 11 races

· Average Running Position of 23.6, 28th-best

· Driver Rating of 63.8, 28th-best

15 – Greg Biffle (No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 80.5

2014 Rundown

· Three top fives, 10 top 10s

· Average finish of 15.6

· Led 6 races for 109 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One win, six top fives, nine top 10s

· Average finish of 15.7 in 24 races

· Average Running Position of 14.9, 17th-best

· Driver Rating of 86.6, 16th-best

· 1,109 Green Flag Passes, second-most

· 480 Quality Passes, 10th-most

16 – Aric Almirola (No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford)

· Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 73.6

2014 Rundown

· One win, two top fives, six top 10s

· Average finish of 20.9

· Led 5 races for 23 laps

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Outlook:

· One top five, one top 10

· Average finish of 21.3 in eight races

· Average Running Position of 24.3, 32nd-best

· Driver Rating of 61.9, 31st-best

Track Size: 1.058-mile

Banking/Turn 1 & 2: 2 to 7 degrees

Banking/Turn 3 & 4: 2 to 7 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 1 degree

Banking/Backstretch: 1 degree

Frontstretch Length: 1,500 feet

Backstretch Length: 1,500 feet

Race Length: 300 laps / 317.4 miles

Top 10 Driver Rating at New Hampshire

Tony Stewart……………………….. 110.0

Jeff Gordon………………………… 107.7

Denny Hamlin………………………. 103.6

Jimmie Johnson…………………… 102.1

Kyle Larson………………………….. 99.1

Dale Earnhardt Jr…………………… 97.3

Clint Bowyer…………………………. 95.9

Kyle Busch…………………………… 94.7

Brad Keselowski……………………. 93.8

Kasey Kahne………………………… 92.6

Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (19 total) among active drivers at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Qualifying/Race Data

2013 Coors Light Pole winner:

Ryan Newman, Chevrolet

136.497 mph, 27.904 secs. 09-20-13

2013 race winner:

Matt Kenseth, Toyota

107.573 mph, (02:57:02), 09-22-13

Track qualifying record:

Kyle Busch, Toyota

138.130 mph, 27.574 secs. 07-13-14

Track race record:

Jeff Burton, Ford

117.134 mph, (02:42:35), 07-13-97