When it comes to events on the NASCAR Cup Series 2023 season schedule that could shake up the Playoff standings as the postseason approaches, look no further than this weekend’s Crayon 301 on July 16 at 2:30 p.m. ET (USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Not only is the unique short track a one-of-a-kind on the Cup schedule, but it has also produced a large number of longshot winners starting outside the top-20, and for three of the last four winners at the 1.058-mile track the victory was the catalyst to earning their spot in the Playoffs – Kevin Harvick (2019), Aric Almirola (2021) and Christopher Bell (2022).

“I love going up to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, it’s been a really good racetrack for me in the past,” said Christopher Bell. “The track is really unique in the fact that Turns 1 and 2 are really smooth, 3 and 4 are very rough, it’s very flat everywhere but has a little more banking running up the track in lane two and three, there’s nowhere else in the country that’s like it.”

So, you’re saying longshots have a chance? You bet. A NASCAR Cup Series driver has started outside the top-20 and went on to win the race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway 10 different times (19.6% of the total races).

New Hampshire is tied with Charlotte Motor Speedway for the third-most winners starting outside the top-20 in the NASCAR Cup Series (with 10 each); behind only Daytona International Speedway with 14 and Richmond Raceway with 12. The 2021 New Hampshire winner, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Aric Almirola, started from the 22nd position, and with 11 different winners this season New Hampshire Motor Speedway could very well stir up some magic and produce a 12th.

Heading into this weekend at New Hampshire, 10 of the 19 winners from last season are still looking for their first victory this year – Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, Alex Bowman, Austin Cindric, Austin Dillon, Bubba Wallace, Chase Briscoe, Chris Buescher, Daniel Suarez and Erik Jones. Of the 10 drivers that won last season and are looking for their first win of this year, Kevin Harvick is the only former winner at New Hampshire in the NASCAR Cup Series this Sunday.

Harvick leads all active drivers in wins at the 1.058-mile track with four victories (2006, 2016, 2018, 2019). A victory this weekend would not only ensure his path to the Playoffs for the 17th time in his career, but he would also become the sole wins leader in the NASCAR Cup Series at New Hampshire, breaking the tie with Jeff Burton.

“It’s definitely a racetrack that we’re looking forward to going to, and I can’t wait to finally, hopefully, get to Victory Lane,” said Kevin Harvick. “After Nashville, having the fastest car and having a tire go flat, and Phoenix and a couple of the other places where it just seems like it all hasn’t come together, we’re ready to finish off a weekend with a win. My guys are doing a great job of putting fast cars on the racetrack and Loudon is one of those places that checks a lot of boxes for us to go up there and have a good weekend.”

Harvick is currently riding a winless streak that dates back to Richmond (August) in 2022 – 31 races ago. This weekend, the 47-year-old is hoping to snap the winless streak and lock himself into the Playoffs. He is currently ranked 12th in the postseason outlook up 126 points on the Playoff cutline.

“Flat tracks have always been really good for me in my career,” said Kevin Harvick. “When you look at SHR and the things we’ve been able to accomplish at Loudon and Phoenix, they’ve kind of followed that same trend. A lot of that goes back to that open test time we had at Milwaukee and Nashville. Those are the places where we would practice and practice and practice. Our guys have done a great job of having a good short-track, flat-track program, and Loudon is a place that has followed along with Phoenix and the success that we’ve had there and to be able to capitalize on that success and continue it at another track.”

Harvick has made 39 starts (series-most among active drivers) at New Hampshire posting four wins (2006, 2016, 2018, 2019), 14 top fives and 23 top 10s. His average finish at the 1.058-mile track is 12.2.

---

First-time winners happen at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

New winners are always a fan favorite, and this season we have already been gifted with one, when Shane Van Gisbergen took the checkered flag at the inaugural Chicago Street Race a few weeks ago. Now, the NASCAR Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a track that is home to five driver’s first-time wins in the series; including Connecticut’s Joey Logano.

First-Time Winners at New Hampshire	Date
Joey Logano	Sunday, June 28, 2009
Clint Bowyer	Sunday, September 16, 2007
Ryan Newman	Sunday, September 15, 2002
Robby Gordon	Friday, November 23, 2001
Joe Nemechek	Sunday, September 19, 1999

Looking to this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, eight different drivers entered in the Crayon 301 are looking for their first career Cup win – Harrison Burton, Ty Dillon, Ty Gibbs, Todd Gilliland, Noah Gragson, Corey LaJoie, BJ McLeod and Ryan Preece.

---

Seven Races To Go: Playoffs loom as race to the postseason heats up

When drivers and teams start doing the math, a Playoff appearance isn’t adding up for many unless they win over these last seven races. A total of 11 different drivers have secured their spot in the Playoffs with a win this season, leaving just five spots open on points as the series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend.

Eight former NASCAR Cup Series New Hampshire winners are entered this weekend, and three of them are looking to lock themselves into the Playoffs this season with a win – Kevin Harvick (12th in the Playoff points outlook, +126 points up from the cutline), Brad Keselowski (14th in the Playoff points outlook, +100 points up from the cutline), and Aric Almirola (27th in the Playoff points outlook, -90 points back from the cutline)

2023 Driver Playoff Outlook Following Race No. 19 – Winless Drivers This Season
Rank	Drivers	Points	Starts	Wins	Stages	Playoff Pts	Points From Cutoff
12	Kevin Harvick	530	19	0	1	1	126
13	Chris Buescher	506	19	0	1	1	102
14	Brad Keselowski	504	19	0	2	2	100
15	Daniel Suarez	407	19	0	0	0	3
16	Michael McDowell	407	19	0	0	0	3
17	Bubba Wallace	404	19	0	0	0	-3
18	AJ Allmendinger	394	19	0	0	0	-13
19	Ty Gibbs #	381	19	0	0	0	-26
20	Austin Cindric	369	19	0	1	1	-38
21	Justin Haley	366	19	0	0	0	-41
22	Alex Bowman	363	*16	0	0	-5	-44
23	Chase Elliott	347	*12	0	1	1	-60
24	Corey LaJoie	337	19	0	0	0	-70
25	Ryan Preece	326	19	0	1	1	-81
26	Todd Gilliland	320	19	0	0	0	-87
27	Aric Almirola	317	19	0	1	1	-90
28	Erik Jones	267	19	0	0	-5	-140
29	Austin Dillon	264	19	0	0	-5	-143
30	Harrison Burton	251	19	0	0	0	-156
31	Chase Briscoe	222	19	0	0	-25	-185
32	Ty Dillon	171	19	0	0	0	-236
33	Noah Gragson #	170	*18	0	0	0	-237
Note: Must compete in every race of the season to be eligible for the Playoffs or be granted a waiver by NASCAR (*).

Three drivers dancing along the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs’ cutline heading into New Hampshire, are Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suarez in 15th (+3 points), Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell in 16th (+3) – the final transfer spot on points – and 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace in 17th (-3 points) – the first spot outside the postseason cutoff. Trailing behind Wallace is Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger in 18th (-13 points) and Joe Gibbs Racing’s rookie Ty Gibbs in 19th (-26). All five drivers from 15th-19th in the Playoff outlook are within striking distance of each other with just seven races left in the regular season.

“New Hampshire has been a struggle for us,” said Michael McDowell. “If anything, it’s a bigger Martinsville. At Martinsville, we’ve had speed, but it hasn’t correlated to New Hampshire all the time. I will say this. Our short track program this year is a lot better than what it was last year. I feel at Richmond and Phoenix we closed the gap quite a bit. So, I’m optimistic about New Hampshire. I go there optimistic every year, but it’s no doubt that it’s been a struggle for us in years past. Hopefully, we hit it right this weekend.”

Looking to New Hampshire, Daniel Suarez has the best average finish at the 1.058-mile track among the five drivers along the Playoff cutoff, followed by Wallace (19.6), Allmendinger (22.3), McDowell (32.4) and rookie Ty Gibbs will be making his NASCAR Cup Series career track debut at New Hampshire this Sunday.

“New Hampshire is the last Cup track I’ve not competed at, and I’ve only been there once last year in the Xfinity Series,” said Ty Gibbs. “So, the short practice session will be key. It’s a challenging track that’s pretty flat, but I like the course. Hopefully, we have a good Toyota Camry TRD.”