Fantasy NASCAR Picks 2009 – New Hampshire
Look out for Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart in Loudon
Jun 24, 2009
The Sprint Cup series is back to oval-track racing this week, taking on the Magic Mile at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. With flat corners and full-throttle straights, getting the balance on the car just right is critical to be able to get on the gas early in the corners, but it is not as easy as it sounds – and that is why there has been a different winner at Loudon in each of the last eight races.
It may be tough to get to Victory Lane, but there are several drivers that always seem to run well in New Hampshire. Here are the best bets for your NASCAR fantasy team in Loudon:
Favorites at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
1. Denny Hamlin – Hamlin only has one win at New Hampshire, but his track record at the one-mile oval is nothing short of impressive; in addition to his 2007 victory, Denny has only finished outside the top-10 once in his six career races here, leading to an average finish of 7.2. Denny’s bad luck this season has been well documented, but he is entering the weekend with back-to-back top-5 finishes, and could be on the verge of finally capturing the checkered flag that has eluded him this season.
2. Tony Stewart – The latest of Stewart’s two New Hampshire wins came all the way back in 2005, but Smoke has continued to run well in Loudon, finishing 8th or higher in five of his last eight races here. Smoke leads all drivers over the past four years with an impressive 115.6 Driver Rating at the one-mile oval, but more importantly, he is the hottest driver in the sport right now, and after running second last weekend at Sonoma, there is no question that Stewart should also be a factor at Loudon.
3. Jeff Gordon – With all the attention on Stewart leading the standings as a driver-owner, it is easy to forget that Gordon has been hot on Smoke’s heels ever since losing the top spot in the points. Gordon landed just outside the top-10 in both New Hampshire races last year, but was on fire before that, with a streak of three-straight top-3 finishes. Gordon has three straight top-10’s heading into Loudon, and there is a good chance that streak will continue Sunday.
Safe Picks for a Solid New Hampshire Finish
1. Jeff Burton – It has been a long time since Burton scored his four career Loudon victories, but while he may not be as dominant here as he was in the 90’s, Jeff still knows his way around the track. Burton has finished in the Top-10 in five of the last seven New Hampshire races, including a fourth place showing last fall, and after falling out of the top-12 in the standings last week at Sonoma, he’ll be looking to gain back some of that ground Sunday.
2. Jimmie Johnson – In typical fashion, Johnson is dong a great job of flying under the radar in the races leading up to the Chase, turning in solid performances each week, and that trend should continue at New Hampshire; in addition to his two career wins, Johnson has top-10 finishes in six of his last seven races here, an average finish of 9.9, and after a solid fourth-place run at Sonoma, he should turn in another top-10 performance this weekend.
3. Mark Martin – It is amazing to think that Martin has never actually won a race at New Hampshire, because the rest of his stats here are outstanding; Martin averages an 11th place finish at Loudon, and over 24 career races at the one-mile track, he has only finished outside the top-20 twice. Martin scored top-10 finishes in his last 4 New Hampshire races before taking two years of from the track due to his previous part-time schedule, but there is no reason to think he won’t be able to pick right up where he left off.
New Hampshire Underdogs
1. Martin Truex, Jr. – Truex has not been having a great year, but Loudon could help him turn things around, as it is one of his best tracks. In addition to a career average finish of 9.8 here, Truex has finished in the top-10 in the past four New Hampshire races. Only his recent performance keeps him in the underdog category, but as a break out candidate for a fantasy NASCAR team, this could be his big week to score some quality points.
2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – It is amazing to think that Junior could earn the title of ‘underdog’ for a race, but having struggled to score top-10 finishes this season; he has relegated himself to the role. If you want to take a flyer on Junior for a race, though, this is the one to gamble on; Little E has top-5 finishes in two of his last four here, and his driver rating of 103.1 at New Hampshire over the past four seasons is bested only by Stewart, Gordon and Hamlin. Junior has shown signs of improvement with new crew chief Lance McGrew – this could be the week he takes a big step in the right direction.
3. Casey Mears – Mears’ career numbers at New Hampshire are not terribly impressive, but when you narrow the focus to the past few seasons and take into consideration his new ride at Childress Racing, he makes a good sleeper pick. Mears actually has top-10 finishes in two of the last three Loudon races, and with teammates like Burton, Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer who have all won here in the past - Mears should have a decent chance at another good finish.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway may seem simple enough with its flat corners and diminutive size, but it is one of the toughest tracks in NASCAR to actually get a win, and by picking teams that have an established track record of success here, you can maximize the number of points your NASCAR fantasy team scores.
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