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07.17.16

NHMS 301 Race Report

Date: July 17, 2016
Event: New Hampshire 301 (Round 19 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon (1.058-mile oval)
Start/Finish: 29th/14th (Running, completed 301 of 301 laps)
Point Standing: 24th (354 points)
Winner: Matt Kenseth of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

 

Danica Patrick and the No. 10 Nature’s Bakery Chevrolet SS team for Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) earned a 14th-place finish in Sunday’s New Hampshire 301 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, marking the driver’s career-best effort at the 1.058-mile track.

 

Patrick started the race from the 29th position and, after losing several spots on the initial restart, raced her way up to 28th before the caution flag waved for the first time at lap 35. Crew chief Billy Scott called for a four-tire pit stop with wedge and air pressure adjustments to help improve the loose-handling condition Patrick experienced on corner entry.

 

On the ensuing run Patrick ran as high as 24th, but she reported the car felt like it was out of the track, so the team went back on the wedge adjustment on the next pit stop under the lap-99 caution. She remained inside the top-30 but went down a lap to the leader at lap 178.

 

When the caution flag waved at lap 219, Patrick was scored in the 23rd position. Scott elected for the team to take the wave-around, putting the No. 10 Nature’s Bakery Chevrolet back on the lead lap for the final third of the race.

 

Patrick continued to inch her way forward and cracked the top-20 at lap 271, just before the caution flag was displayed the following lap. On the ensuing restarts she was able to race her way forward, reaching the 12th position by lap 284.

 

When the field took the green flag for the last restart at lap 290, Patrick was scored in the 11th position. In the final laps she lost three positions to drivers on fresher tires and took the checkered flag in the 14th position.

 

“Track position was definitely big today,” Patrick said. “My Nature’s Bakery team had a nice, steady day in the pits. Billy made a great call to take the wave-around, and that helped put us in position to pick a ton of spots there at the end.”

 

Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Haas Automation Chevrolet SS, led the four-car SHR contingent Sunday at New Hampshire by finishing second.

 

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS for SHR, finished fourth.

 

Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation/Monster Energy Chevrolet SS for SHR, finished 22nd.

 

Matt Kenseth won the New Hampshire 301 by 1.982 seconds over Stewart to score his 38th career Sprint Cup victory, his second of the season and his third at New Hampshire. Joey Logano finished third while Harvick and Greg Biffle rounded out the top-five. Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. comprised the remainder of the top-10.

 

There were seven caution periods for 36 laps, with two drivers failing to finish the 301-lap race around the 1.058-mile oval.

 

With round 19 of 36 complete, Harvick leads SHR and the series in the championship standings. He is first with 636 points, 14 ahead of second-place Brad Keselowski. Busch is third with 602 points, 34 behind Harvick. Patrick is 24th with 354 points, 134 ahead of 31st. Stewart is 28th with 287 points, 67 ahead of 31st.

 

Harvick, Busch and Stewart are all eligible to compete in the 16 driver, 10-race Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, which begins following the Sept. 10 race at Richmond (Va.) International Raceway. All have won a race this season and are among the top-30 in points, the two requirements necessary to secure a spot in the Chase. Patrick can also earn a Chase berth by winning a race and staying inside the top-30. Seven races remain before the Chase begins Sept. 18 at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois.

 

The next event on the Sprint Cup schedule is the Crown Royal presents the Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at the Brickyard at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 24. The 23rd running of the event begins at 3 p.m. EDT with live coverage provided by NBCSN