Jeff Burton has the best Cup scorecard at New Hampshire. Burton claimed four winner’s trophies for his boss Jack Roush between 1997 and 2000. He has registered top-ten finishes in the last three races at the track.
Jeff Gordon has three New Hampshire wins. The No. 24 carried winner’s pay home in 1998, 1997 and 1995. He has the most top-ten finishes (10) and finished third in the September race last year.
The two-timers list at New Hampshire includes Kurt Busch (2004), Jimmie Johnson (2003), Ryan Newman (2002 and 2005) and Tony Stewart (2000 and 2005).
The active drivers with one victory at New Hampshire are Denny Hamlin (2007), Kevin Harvick (2006), Kyle Busch (2006), Ward Burton (2002), Robby Gordon (2001), Dale Jarrett (2001), Joe Nemechek (1999) and Ricky Rudd (1994).
The top-five finishers of the July race at New Hampshire were Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson.
Dale Jr. collected the bonus points for leading the most laps in July. The No. 8 crossed the start/finish first 64 times during the 300-lap race.
Eleven drivers traded the top spot 20 times. The other drivers leading more than ten laps of the event were Kyle Busch (48), Denny Hamlin (46), Martin Truex Jr. (46), Jeff Gordon (37), Dave Blaney (30) and Jimmie Johnson (12).
There were six caution flag incidents and the event took just under two hours and 56 minutes to complete.
Dave Blaney was the Bud Pole Award winner for the race. He clocked in a 129.437 miles-an-hour lap during time trials.
Chase Update:
Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch each finished in the top-10 at Richmond, eliminating Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the number 8 team from Chase contention. Junior ran most of Saturday’s race in the top-5, before retiring due to engine failure with only a handful of laps to go.
Jimmie Johnson, Saturday night’s winner, is now the points leader in the reset points standings. His six regular season wins give him 60 bonus points, 20 more than 2nd place Jeff Gordon, who had four wins. Only one driver in the Chase, Clint Bowyer, has gone without a win this season. He, of course, sits 12th in the Chase standings.
Georgia Boys:
Saturday night’s Richmond race was significant for more than just the Chase contenders. Unadilla’s David Ragan started 8th and finished a career-best 3rd. Also impressive, was the fact that Ragan dueled with Chase contenders Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon in the final laps to secure his finishing spot. Ragan’s finish moved him up one spot, to 21st in the standings. Ragan still trails Juan Pablo Montoya in the Rookie of the Year standings.
Dawsonville’s Bill Elliott struggled with an ill-handling racecar for much of the race, finishing 29th after starting 42nd. The finish was good enough, however, to keep the number 21 Wood Bros. Ford in the top-35 in the owners’ points.
Reed Sorenson started 25th, but finished 35th, after gaining significant damage from a late-race spin. The Peachtree City native remains 25th in the drivers’ points.
Saturday’s Allan Vigil Ford 120 will air not air this week. For more race information visit our Fastcar Newsdesk at www.captainherb.net.
