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Wednesday, August 4, 2021
Hendrick Motorsports Driver quotes for 2021 Go Bowling 235
Denny Hamlin is +1350 to win 2021 Go Bowling 235 at the Glen
11 FedEx Express Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing
Sunday Race Info:
Race: Go Bowling at The Glen
Date/Time: Sunday, August 8/3:00 p.m. ET
Distance: 90 laps/220.5 miles
Track Length: 2.45 miles
Track Shape: 11-Turn Road Course
Express Notes:
New Hampshire Recap: The race started under damp conditions, and misty rains picked up quickly in the first few laps. Fresh tires on wet pavement led to three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers, including Hamlin, getting sideways on Lap 6. The FedEx Office Camry suffered minor damage resulting from contact during the slide, and the team was pushed back to 17th. NASCAR then put out the red flag to wait out the rainy conditions. After an hour-and-40-minute delay, the race resumed with the #11 no worse for the wear. The car was still fast, and Hamlin started making his way to the front. The FedEx Racing pit crew was speedy, too, gaining Hamlin spots on pit road twice during Stage 2. The team stayed in the top five, including leading a lap, throughout the segment. But during the team’s stage-break pit stop, a lug nut became lodged behind the left front wheel as the crew changed tires. As Hamlin took off from his pit box, he instantly felt the wheel was loose and was forced to return to pit road the following lap. The tire-changing mishap pushed him back to 26th, but he used the remaining laps in Stage 3 to battle back to a 10th-place finish.
Watkins Glen Preview: The NASCAR Cup Series is back after two weeks off and is headed to the New York Finger Lakes for road course racing at Watkins Glen International. This will be the first race at the track in two years and Hamlin’s 15th career race at the track. In those 14 previous races, he’s won once while finishing in the top five four times and the top 10 seven times.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: Watkins Glen International
Races: 14
Wins: 1
Top-5: 4
Top-10: 7
Laps Led: 12
Avg. Start: 12.7
Avg. Finish: 16.3
Hamlin Conversation – Watkins Glen:
The series hasn’t raced at Watkins Glen in two years. How difficult an adjustment will it be to go back and be ready?
“We’ll prepare for it just like we do with all the other road courses, where all the drivers will get in the simulators and get acclimated to it pretty quickly. But Cup drivers are so good at being presented with a challenge and stepping up and being extremely good at it. I expect some of the first laps of the race will be some of the fastest laps of the race because these guys are so tuned in. Although it will be different because it has been two years, for most drivers who have been doing it for 10-plus years, it will be a quick adjustment.”
How do you feel about coming back to racing after a couple of weeks off?
“It’s definitely different to get a break like this, but I think it was good for everybody, especially the team guys, to get that break. But now it’s time to get back to business. I’m confident we’ll bring a fast car to The Glen, so we just have to go out there and execute.”
FedEx Express Along for the Ride at Watkins Glen: The NASCAR Cup Series will make its visit to Watkins Glen International on Sunday, and the FedEx Express station JGXA in the LA Empire District is going Along for the Ride. JGXA was the first station to deliver the COVID-19 vaccine in the PACWEST and has delivered the most vaccines of any station in the LA Empire District. FedEx Express is proud to recognize the 325 employees at JGXA for their dedication and commitment to their customers and the community.
Kyle Busch is 8/1 to win 2021 Go Bowling 235 at the Glen
 Welcome Back
HUNTERSVILLE, North Carolina (Aug. 3, 2021) – As the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Watkins Glen (N.Y.) for Sunday’s Go Bowling at the Glen, there’s more than one reason to welcome back NASCAR’s top series to Upstate New York.
The series will return to action Sunday after a two-week summer hiatus while its television partner, the NBC family of networks, has been immersed in coverage of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The historic road course at Watkins Glen will also host NASCAR for the first time in two years as last year’s scheduled race there was not held because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sunday’s race on the 2.45-mile, seven-turn road course will be the fifth of seven road-course events on the schedule this season.
For Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 SNICKERS Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), Watkins Glen is one of his favorite road courses on the schedule, as he has brought home two victories, six top-five finishes, and 12 top-10s in 15 starts there.
After Busch’s inaugural Cup Series victory at The Glen in 2008, he nearly won for the second time in his 2011 and 2012 visits there before breaking through again in 2013. A third career victory Sunday in New York’s scenic Finger Lakes Region would continue to solidify Busch and the SNICKERS team as a contender each time the series comes to town.
As far as overall road-course proficiency, Busch is tied with David Pearson and Mark Martin with four Cup Series road-course wins apiece. That’s some pretty good company, already. But with a fifth road-course win, he could tie Darrell Waltrip, Tim Richmond and Dan Gurney on the road-course win list. The top three in all-time road-course wins in the Cup Series includes Chase Elliott and Jeff Gordon with seven apiece, while Tony Stewart is the all-time leader with nine wins.
So as Busch heads to Upstate New York for some road racing this weekend in his SNICKERS Camry, he would like nothing more than to welcome Watkins Glen back to the schedule with a third win there, which would be a timely victory with only four regular-season races remaining before the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs begin on Labor Day weekend. |
KYLE BUSCH, Driver of the No. 18 SNICKERS Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing: |
You’ve had some success at Watkins Glen. What makes it challenging and different than some other road courses you race at?
“I like going to Watkins Glen. It’s a road course, but it’s kind of a high-speed road course. The difference in the two road courses, you think of Sonoma as like a Martinsville-type road course and you would think of Watkins Glen like a 2-mile oval, like a California- or Michigan-type road course. Watkins Glen has some speed and has some wide-open spaces a little bit, but there is still a lot of great racing that happens there since you are able to out-brake people getting into the corners, or having a better run through the Bus Stop, or maybe getting by someone in the Carousel. It’s a fun place to race. I really like Watkins Glen and I hope we can have another solid run there with our SNICKERS Camry.”
What are your expectations for Watkins Glen this weekend?
“Watkins Glen has obviously been a really good place for me over the years and a place I really enjoy. We’ve just got to keep coming to the track and executing like we have. There are a lot of factors in strategy that affect a road-course race and hope we can execute like we have been and get another win. Certainly, the extra bonus points any time we can get them could be a big deal in the playoffs.”
What is the most fun part of a lap at Watkins Glen?
“To me, going through turn one and up through the esses is pretty cool and a lot of fun. It’s challenging, yet a lot of fun. As you come down the front straightaway, it’s a downhill braking zone, so you feel like you don’t have to brake as soon as you need to, but you need to in order to get slowed down for turn one. You try to stay out and get a good, hard cut to the right for turn one and accelerate out of there as quickly as you can to get set up for the esses. (You) stay wide on the left and then turn into the right-hander in (turn) two – smooth. You’re getting out of the gas but not using too much brake, just rolling off in there. As the car gets in there and loads, it actually takes a really big set because that’s when you start going back uphill. So the car will load up and that’s when you get back in the gas really wide open. And then you have to turn back to the left and be able to roll back out of it just enough to make the car bend. And then you’re back wide open again to the right-side guardrail and just keeping it tight through the right-hander that we call turn five.”
What is the most challenging part of a lap at Watkins Glen?
“I’d say the most challenging thing is the culmination of the Inner Loop and the Carousel. All of that together is a lot harder to figure out how to make speed through there than just going through there traditionally. That’s an area of the racetrack a lot of guys really try to abuse. They’ll get off on the right side, get off on the left side and throw dirt up on the racetrack and then it just makes for a real mess.”
What does it take to be successful at Watkins Glen?
“At Watkins Glen, the biggest thing is pit strategy. Obviously, you’ve got to pick and choose when you’re going to pit and stick to your plan. Whether or not we can still do it on two stops, I’m unsure of. You definitely have to be good at being able to carry speed there, obviously, through the esses and down the long backstretch. That seems to be the key part of the racetrack.”
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Event Overview: |
● Event: Go Bowling at The Glen ● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 8 ● Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International ● Layout: 2.45-mile, seven-turn road course ● Laps/Miles: 90 laps, 220.5 miles ● Format: Stage 1: 20 laps / Stage 2: 20 laps / Final Stage: 50 laps ● TV/Radio: NBCSN / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio |
Aric Almirola is 100/1 to win 2021 Go Bowling 235 at the Glen
Aric Almirola Watkins Glen Advance Go Bowling Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing
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Event Overview |
● Event: Go Bowling at The Glen (Round 23 of 36) ● Time/Date: 3 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 8 ● Location: Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International ● Layout: Seven-turn, 2.45-mile road course ● Laps/Miles: 90 laps / 220.5 miles ● Stage Lengths: Stage 1: 20 laps / Stage 2: 20 laps / Final Stage: 50 laps ● TV/Radio: NBCSN / MRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
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Notes of Interest |
● Three weekends ago at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, Almirola claimed the victory after leading 46 laps at the 1.058-mile flat oval to earn his third career NASCAR Cup Series win in 374 starts. After a year full of adversity and bad luck, the victory earned the No. 10 team, which was 27th in the standings and facing a must-win situation if it was going to compete for this year’s Cup Series championship, put itself in prime position to earn one of the 16 coveted berths in the 10-race playoffs that begin Labor Day weekend. Almirola’s award-winning YouTube series “Beyond the 10” captured his entire race day here.
● Almirola’s best finish of 12th at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International came in his most recent start in 2019. Due to COVID-19 protocols, the Cup Series did not visit The Glen in 2020.
● Road-Course History: Aric Almirola has 26 road-course starts in the NASCAR Cup Series. He has two top-10 finishes with a best of eighth at Sonoma (Calif.) Raceway, four top-20s at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International with a best finish of 12th, three top-20s on the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval with a best finish of 14th, and a top-12 finish in the Feb. 9 Busch Clash on the Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway road course – his best road-course finish of the year.
● Crew chief Mike Bugarewicz is no stranger to visiting a road-course victory lane. In 2016, Bugarewicz won at Sonoma with Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) co-owner and NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart during his final year as a fulltime driver in the NASCAR Cup Series.
● In 2019, Almirola and professional bowler Jason Belmonte created the “World’s Fastest Strike” by throwing a bowling ball out of the No. 10 Go Bowling Ford at 140 mph at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Click here to watch the strike, and dive deeper into the day with the full video here.
● The No. 10 Go Bowling car is already on a “roll.” On August 3, Stewart-Haas Racing Esports driver Graham Bowlin won the Coca-Cola iRacing Series race from Watkins Glen International in the No. 10 Go Bowling Ford Mustang. See the full article here.
● Go Bowling will adorn the No. 10 Ford this weekend at Watkins Glen for the first time this season. Almirola has worked with Go Bowling and the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America (BPAA) since 2013. Bowling has been a top activity in the Almirola household and is a favorite activity across the NASCAR fan base, striking the perfect partnership.
● The NASCAR Cup Series, which began its 38-race season on Feb. 11 with the non-points paying Duel at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway and ends Nov. 7 at Phoenix Raceway, is coming off a two-week break in the schedule as broadcast partner NBC and its family of networks has been immersed in coverage of the Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Almirola and his family took the time to head south for a vacation in Key West, Florida, where they spent the week lobster hunting. Coincidentally, Almirola’s prize for winning at New Hampshire was the coveted Lobster Trophy, providing some humor on his social media channels and the NASCAR spoof account @nascarcasm.
● Almirola’s 2020 season proved successful when he earned a career-high 18 top-10 finishes, six top-fives and led 305 laps. During the season, Almirola went on a five-race streak of top-five finishes and earned nine consecutive top-10s.
● Career Stats: Almirola has career totals of three wins, two poles, 26 top-five finishes, 82 top-10s and 893 laps led in 374 NASCAR Cup Series starts.
● “Go Bowling America” provides bowlers of all age groups the opportunity to bowl in a fun, non-competitive league and receive a new entry-level performance bowling ball for completing the league. National Bowling Day is Aug. 14, and Go Bowling is celebrating by giving everyone in America who registers at GoBowling.com a free bowling game coupon. For details and to find a participating bowling center, visit www.GoBowling.com. At GoBowling.com, consumers can also register to win a bowling experience of a lifetime with Tony Stewart. He’ll be hosting the grand prize winner and a guest at his home for a private, in-person bowling experience they’ll never forget.
● Beyond the 10 YouTube Series: In 2021, Almirola continues to share his life beyond the No. 10 Ford with season three of his award-winning YouTube series. Fans and media can subscribe on YouTube to see Almirola’s personality on and off the track. Episodes have already featured life as a dad, a husband and an athlete, and it gives fans a unique perspective on what goes on in the life of a professional NASCAR driver. Fans can also follow Almirola’s social media channels: @Aric_Almirola on Twitter and Instagram, and @AricAlmirola on Facebook. Almirola’s latest Beyond the 10 episode addresses the question “are NASCAR drivers athletes” in honor of the Olympic break.
● After the season’s first 22 points-paying events, Almirola and the Go Bowling Ford team sit 14th in the playoff standings with 377 points, 497 behind leader Denny Hamlin.
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Aric Almirola, Driver of the No. 10 Go Bowling Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing: |
You’ve partnered with Go Bowling since 2013. Why is it such a great fit for you personally, as well as with Stewart-Haas Racing?
“I grew up bowling in Tampa as a kid. Those summers were so hot down there, and you never knew what the weather was going to do, so bowling was something that was always available if we wanted an indoor activity. Fast forward to today, I have a family that loves to bowl and it’s one of our favorite activities to do together. When it comes to this partnership in racing, you couldn’t ask for more fan crossover from one sport to the other. Everyone loves bowling and NASCAR fans and families are bowling fans. Everyone at Go Bowling does such an incredible job with spreading the word and making it fun and inviting at the track for the fans. I’m excited that I get to be a part of spreading the word again driving the No. 10 Go Bowling Ford at the Go Bowling at The Glen.”
You and Jason Belmonte threw a bowling ball out of your car at 140 mph to execute the World’s Fastest Strike. How was that?
“That was one of the most insane events I’ve ever been a part of. So much technology and effort went into making that happen. We had to get a special ball and pins created that didn’t explode upon impact. We missed four times before finally getting the strike on the fifth throw. We didn’t even know we would get it. One of the bowling balls even jumped over the tire barrier Charlotte Motor Speedway built for us. The ball ended up in turn two. We were on the frontstretch. Thank goodness we hit it on the fifth try because we went back to try again to get more camera angles and the engine died on us just three tries later. Good thing Jason Belmonte is the No. 1 bowler in the world. All I had to do was drive straight.”
Are you excited to get to the road course at Watkins Glen after your win and a two-week break?
“I’m really looking forward to getting to Watkins Glen. It’s one of my most confident road courses of all the ones we go to, now. I’m looking forward to going there and being competitive with a little extra incentive coming off the win, and it’s the Go Bowling at The Glen and we’re in the Go Bowling car, so I’m even more excited to go out and give it my all.”
What is it like coming off a win at such a pivotal point in your season?
“It’s such a feeling of relief, joy and excitement all at once. The coolest thing about the win is that we’ve just been through such a tough year, and to be able to keep fighting and grinding with this 10 team that is doing its job to bring the best racecar it can each weekend is all you can ask for. We want to keep this moment going and win some stages and get some playoff points and we really want to win another race to peak at the right time for the playoffs. We have to take advantage of this momentum we have and I’m excited to be heading to a road course with less pressure.” |
Odds to win 2021 Go Bowling 235 at the Glen
Chase ELLIOTT 2/1
Kyle LARSON 9/2
Martin TRUEX JR 5/1
Kyle BUSCH 8/1
Joey LOGANO 10/1
Denny HAMLIN 12/1
Christopher BELL 20/1
Ryan BLANEY 25/1
Alex BOWMAN 25/1
William BYRON 25/1
Kurt BUSCH 25/1
Ross CHASTAIN 40/1
Brad KESELOWSKI 30/1
Kevin HARVICK 40/1
Tyler REDDICK 50/1
Matt DIBENEDETTO 60/1
Chase BRISCOE 80/1
Michael McDOWELL 100/1
Chris BUESCHER 100/1
Daniel SUAREZ 100/1
Aric ALMIROLA 100/1
Cole CUSTER 200/1
Austin DILLON 300/1
Erik JONES 300/1
Ryan PREECE 500/1
Ricky STENHOUSE JR 1000/1
Bubba WALLACE 1000/1
Ryan NEWMAN 1000/1
Corey LAJOIE 5000/1
Justin HALEY 5000/1
Anthony ALFREDO 5000/1
Josh BILICKI 10000/1
James DAVISON 10000/1
Garrett SMITHLEY 10000/1
Kyle TILLEY 10000/1
Quin HOUFF 10000/1
RC ENERSON 10000/1
Chasing History: Elliott could tie Tony Stewart on all-time road course wins list
With his latest foray into Victory Lane at Road America, Elliott has locked up his seventh NASCAR Cup Series road course win and with it moved solely into third all-time on the Cup road course wins list, just one win shy of NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart in second with eight road course victories. NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon holds the NASCAR Cup Series record for the most road course wins in the series with nine.
All-Time Top Road Course Winners in the NASCAR Cup Series and the Tracks They Won At
Road Course Winners | Total RC Wins | Sonoma | Watkins Glen | Daytona RC | Charlotte RC | COTA | Road America |
Jeff Gordon | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Tony Stewart | 8 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Chase Elliott | 7 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Seven of the 2020 series champion’s 13 career Cup wins have come on road courses - Watkins Glen 2018, 2019; Charlotte ROVAL 2019, 2020; Daytona Road Course 2020; Circuit of The Americas 2021; Road America 2021. Now Elliott returns to Watkins Glen International where he has won the last two series events held at the track and is looking to get his third straight this weekend.
If Elliott were to win this weekend at Watkins Glen, he would break the tie with Kyle Busch for the most wins at the 2.45-mile track among active drivers and would become the third different driver in series history to win three consecutive races at Watkins Glen joining NASCAR Hall of Famers Mark Martin (1993, ’94, ‘95) and Jeff Gordon (1997, ’98, ‘99).
The 25-year-old from Dawsonville, Georgia has made four series starts at Watkins Glen International posting two wins (2018, 2019) and an average finish of 7.0.
NASCAR returns to Watkins Glen International
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| Kyle Larson won first road race at Sonoma. |
Watkins Glen International is one of four tracks left in the regular season to decide who makes it to the Playoffs in 2021. This weekend will be the 38th running of a NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen. The 2.45-mile road course located near Watkins Glen, NY is a multi-elevational course that provides great highspeed racing.
The previous 37 NASCAR Cup Series races have produced 22 different poles winners and 23 different race winners. The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen International was in 1957 and won by NASCAR Hall of Famer Buck Baker (83.064 mph, 08/04/1957). Over the years the series has changed the race length at Watkins Glen three times. The first NASCAR Cup Series race at Watkins Glen was scheduled for 101.2-miles in 1957, the second race was 161.7-miles (1964) and the third race was 151.8-miles (1965). Every race since has been scheduled for 220.5-miles (90 laps).
NASCAR Hall of Famers Dale Earnhardt (1990, ’92, ‘96), Mark Martin (1993, ’94, ‘95) and Jeff Gordon (1998, ’03, ‘14) lead the NASCAR Cup Series in poles at Watkins Glen International with three poles each. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch leads all active drivers in poles at Watkins Glen with two (2011, ‘17). This weekend’s starting lineup was set per Metric Qualifying and as a result Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski will start from the pole, and his teammate Joey Logano will join him on the front row.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart leads the NASCAR Cup Series in victories at Watkins Glen International with five (2002, ’04, ’05, ’07 and ’09); one win shy of tying the series record for most road course wins at a single track at six held by NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison at Riverside Raceway (). Hendrick Motorsport’s Chase Elliott (2018, 2019) and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch (2008, 2013) lead all active NASCAR Cup Series drivers in wins at Watkins Glen International with two victories each. Elliott is also the most recent winner at the 2.45-mile track dominating the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series event leading 80 of the 90 scheduled laps (88.9%).
Hamlin continues to try to hold Larson off for the regular season title
Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin has just four regular season races left to hold off Hendrick Motorsport’s Kyle Larson for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Championship. Larson has closed the points gap to as little as two points following the second race at Pocono, but since then Hamlin has been able to open the points cushion up between the two to 13 points heading into this weekend at Watkins Glen International.
Hamlin has held the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings lead since the second race of the season at the Daytona Road Course. This season Hamlin has yet to win but has put up 11 top fives (tied for series-most this season with Larson), and 15 top 10s (tied for series-most this season with Larson and Kevin Harvick).
Larson on the other hand was 12th in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings following the second race of the season 51 points back from Hamlin. Since then, Larson has rallied off four wins (series-most) and has matched Hamlin in top fives (11) and top 10s (15) closing the points lead over second in the standings to just 13 points.
Over the next four races expect the battle between Hamlin and Larson to heat up. Not only does the winner of the Regular Season Championship get a trophy and the prestige but also 15 Playoff points to take into the postseason.
Looking ahead to the next four races here are the career statistics for Hamlin and Larson at each track:
Watkins Glen International
Denny Hamlin has made 14 starts at the 2.45-mile road course posting one win (2016), four top fives and seven top 10s. His average finish at the track is 16.3.
Kyle Larson has made six series starts at the 2.45-mile road course putting up one top five and three top 10s. His average finish at the track is 13.7.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Both Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson will be making their series track debuts next weekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course. It will be the first time the NASCAR Cup Series has competed on the 2.439-mile road course configuration at Indianapolis.
Michigan International Speedway
Denny Hamlin has made 30 starts at the 2.5-mile highspeed oval posting two wins (2010, 2011), nine top fives and 15 top 10s. His average finish at the track is 13.2.
Kyle Larson has made 12 starts at Michigan accumulating three wins (2016, 2017 sweep), five top fives and six top 10s. His average finish at the track is 12.4.
Daytona International Speedway
Denny Hamlin has made 31 starts at the ‘World Center of Racing’ grabbing three wins (all Daytona 500s – 2016, 2019, 2020), 11 top fives and 12 top 10s. His average finish at the track is 16.0.
Kyle Larson has made 14 starts at Daytona posting five top 10s. His average finish at the track is 21.1.
If Hamlin or Larson win the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season Championship, the winner will become just the fourth different driver in series history to win the prestigious award.
Friday, July 16, 2021
New Hampshire NASCAR Betting Preview: 2021 Foxwoods Casino 301
NASCAR FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO 301 PICKS, PREDICTIONS |
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is always one of my favorite stops on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule because I’ve used the same betting method for the flat 1-mile paperclip layout for over 25 years and I usually come out on the winning end each time with my betting strategy.
The strategy goes like this: when handicapping New Hampshire, by all means, refer to past history at the flat 1-mile paperclip layout, but the better starting point is to look at what happened in previous races during the same season at Richmond’s flat ¾-mile layout and the 1-mile flat layout at Phoenix. If one driver does well in one of those races, they’re likely to do the same at the other two.
I remember hearing a crew chief in the mid-1990s talk about how confident they were for one of those races and he said it was because of how they ran at New Hampshire or Richmond. He said they were bringing the same chassis for all three tracks and that the set-ups and balance were similar.
NASCAR FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO 301 ANALYSIS
if you look over the years, you’ll see a single driver winning multiple races several times in the same season at those three tracks from Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, to Kevin Harvick. Last season it was Brad Keselowski with dominating wins at both New Hampshire (led race-high 184 laps) and Richmond (led 192 laps).
This season so far after 21 races complete, we’ve seen two races on similar tracks at Phoenix (March 14) and Richmond (April 18) prior to Sunday’s Foxwood Resort 301 that can start us in the right direction. So let’s review what happened in each race and identify a few drivers that had great set-ups that day beginning with Martin Truex Jr. who won at Phoenix.
NASCAR FOXWOODS RESORT CASINO 301 BETTING RESOURCES
- Date: Sunday, July 18, 2021
- TV-Time: NBCSN, 3:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
- Location: Loudon, New Hampshire
- Distance: 318.458 miles, 301 laps
Truex didn’t appear to have the best car that day, but he came on strong down the stretch leading the last 24 laps. He led a total of 64 laps while Joey Logano led a race-high 143 laps. Truex also finished fifth at Richmond leading 107 laps. Truex has never won a Cup race at New Hampshire, but he has won an Xfinity Series race, and twice in the K&N Pro Series East (ARCA). His father also won an ARCA race there in 1994 and his brother Ryan Truex won both races there in 2010. It’s something I’m sure the Mayetta, NJ family is very proud of and all they’re waiting for now is for Truex to win a Cup race on the track.
The car that NASCAR has mandated for this race is the low downforce race package with engines producing 750 horsepower which has been used 11 times this season. All three of Truex’s wins this season have come using the 750 HP package, which also includes a win at Martinsville and Darlington.
I’ve found over the years that the Martinsville results have been very beneficial to review because it’s a flat half-mile version of New Hampshire. It’s my secondary source of data to include in the betting mix to help find the winner. And then I look at past history.
Martin Truex Jr. has seen two third-place finishes over his last six races, but outside the Top 10 in three of his last five. (AP)
The other race winner that applies here for consideration is Alex Bowman’s Richmond win where he didn’t have the best car until late in the race. He kept getting better and faster and passed Denny Hamlin with 10 laps to go. It was the only laps he led on the day. He would also win at Dover a few weeks later using the 750 HP package and has three wins on the season.
“We’ve really improved our short-track program for the No. 48 Ally team,” Bowman said earlier this week. “We struggled at Richmond Raceway for a long time and this year we went and won there. Hopefully, we can take some of what we learned there to be good at New Hampshire.”
Bowman has three wins on the season and they’ve all come in the last 13 races. Over his last nine races, he’s run 679 laps inside the top-five. He and crew chief Greg Ivers have something cooking that not only makes him a strong contender to win Sunday, but also to race for the championship at Phoenix. It’s all about consistency and not many are doing it better right now than the No. 48 team. Circa Sports has adjusted Bowman up to a very generous price of 26-to-1 to win. Go get some!
READ MORE HERE.....TOP-5 FINISH PREDICTION ON VEGASINSIDER.COM
Thursday, July 15, 2021
Denny Hamlin is 6/1 to win at New Hampshire
11 FedEx Office Toyota
Joe Gibbs Racing
Saturday Race Info:
Race: Foxwoods Resort Casino 301
Date/Time: Sunday, July 18/3:00 p.m. ET
Distance: 301 laps/318.46 miles
Track Length: 1 mile
Banking: 7 degrees
Track Shape: Oval
Express Notes:
Press Kit: Download the 2021 FedEx Racing press materials at www.fedexracing.com/presskit, including bios for Denny Hamlin, Chris Gabehart and Joe Gibbs Racing leadership, program highlights and statistics.
Atlanta Recap: Denny Hamlin had a top-five car at Atlanta Motor Speedway – maybe even one capable of winning. After starting third, Hamlin ran near the front and even led two laps until getting hit with a pit road speeding penalty during the Stage 2 break. After starting Stage 3 at the rear of the field, he climbed back to finish 13th.
New Hampshire Preview: The NASCAR Cup Series will be heading to New England for 301 laps of action at New Hampshire Motor speedway on Sunday. Hamlin has notched three wins at the “Magic Mile” in his career with his most recent victory in 2017. He and the #FedEx11 team will look to replicate that previous success this weekend as they continue to seek a “W” with only five races remaining in the regular season.
Hamlin Statistics:
Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Races: 27
Wins: 3
Top-5: 11
Top-10: 16
Laps Led: 754
Avg. Start: 10.4
Avg. Finish: 9.6
Hamlin Conversation – New Hampshire:
How do you feel about going back to a shorter track this week?
“We’re confident going back there. Our short track package has been better this year. It’s something we put an emphasis on because of the final race being in Phoenix. We got our tails kicked there last year in the Championship 4, so we put more focus on it and we’ve gotten better.”
How do you feel about the points battle right now?
“I’m grateful that we are still leading in points. I feel like we’ve gone through a month or two of not performing at our peak. Our bad days are finishing fifth or sixth – we’re not out to lunch. But we’re just not as dominant as we were. We’re not leading laps like we were at the beginning of the season. So, we’re just weathering the storm until we get a little better. And I think we can start to see that in the next few races. There’s definitely some pride in winning the regular season championship. Don’t think I’m not trying.”
FedEx Office Along for the Ride at New Hampshire: The “FXO” on the #11’s B-post is a thank-you to all FedEx Office team members for rising to meet and overcome challenges on a daily basis.
FedEx Office – Closest to New Hampshire Motor Speedway: 10 Ft Eddy Rd, Concord, NH, (603) 226-0565
Hendrick Motorsports driver quotes for New Hampshire
Larson on his contract extension and announcement with HendrickCars.com: “The chance to extend my contract with Hendrick Motorsports and have such an awesome sponsor in HendrickCars.com are things I don’t take for granted. I feel like I’m driving for the best team and the best sponsors in the sport. To know that our on-track performance is having positive business influence off the track is very important because I want to return the incredible support they’ve given me. Everyone at Hendrick Automotive Group has made me feel like part of their team, and it’s exciting to be able to represent a company that loves racing like I do. I feel like we’re just scratching the surface of what’s possible.”
Cliff Daniels, crew chief of the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on the challenges of setting the car up on a flatter track: "New Hampshire is definitely a challenging track – high importance on stopping and going while also having your car turn properly in the center of the corner. It’s a tough place to figure out, but a great race track with great fans in a great area.”
Chase Elliott, driver of the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on racing at New Hampshire: “New Hampshire has been a really hit-or-miss place for us; it’s just a different track. It takes a different driving style, I feel like, than some of the other places. I look at Loudon at being more of its own animal. We’ve had a couple solid runs there, but never a dominating performance. It hasn’t been my best place, I don’t feel like, personally.”
Elliott on the upcoming “CHASE” documentary: “I was looking forward to having Dale (Earnhardt Jr.) down and showing him a little bit of our home state. I feel like people think about Georgia and they think about Atlanta. They don’t think about the greater Atlanta area and the northern side of the state, which is where I have lived and grown up in for the majority of my life. I got to show him a little bit of my day-to-day life and some of the things that I do. We talked a lot about racing and my career, which I really enjoyed. It was great to have him in town and for him to make the trip. I’m looking forward to everyone having the chance to watch and enjoy it.”
William Byron, driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on returning to New Hampshire: “New Hampshire is fairly difficult. I feel like it’s a track that, historically, the veteran drivers do really well at with their experience there. It’s just a tough racetrack. You have to have a lot of grip in your car to run well. And honestly, this is one of the tracks that Rudy (Fugle) and I have done the best at in our careers. We have some testing notes there and know what works well and what the car needs to do. I’m honestly pretty excited about going to New Hampshire this weekend. It’s a track that Rudy and I have been looking forward to going to all season long.”
Rudy Fugle, crew chief of the No. 24 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on heading to New Hampshire: "This race at New Hampshire has been circled on my calendar since I started the job at Hendrick Motorsports. That’s how much I enjoy going there. It’s a track that I’ve just taken to, honestly, and I don’t know exactly why that’s the case, but I’ve been able to figure it out early on. I enjoy the challenge it brings with how crucial grip is, and like most short tracks, how important it is to have drive off to set yourself up on entry for the next set of corners. It’s a fine line. I feel like we have a good idea what want to have in the car when we unload. Plus, I feel like Hendrick Motorsports has made quite a few gains with its short track program which only helps heading to a track like this.”
Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on taking on New Hampshire Motor Speedway: “We’ve really improved our short-track program for the No. 48 Ally team. We struggled at Richmond Raceway for a long time and this year we went and won there. Hopefully, we can take some of what we learned there to be good at New Hampshire.”
Greg Ives, crew chief of the No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE, on preparing for Sunday’s race at Loudon: “New Hampshire is just like any other racetrack. When you run well, it is a lot of fun to drive and when you struggle, it is not a lot of fun to drive. Coming off of a Richmond (Raceway) win and some of our road course success, I feel like we can go into this weekend’s race at New Hampshire with some positive confidence and compete for a top five, if not a win. As a team, we have to stay focused and positive on Sunday.”