Chase Elliott will be looking to extend his newly acquired lead in the NASCAR standings when the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Northern New England on Sunday for the USA TODAY 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Elliott, who placed runner-up at New Hampshire in 2022, finished third in last week’s Iowa race and is considered one of the favorites to win Sunday at the “Magic Mile,” a fixture on NASCAR’s schedule since 1993.
Following the conclusion of the USA TODAY 301, there are only eight races remaining on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, and drivers will undoubtedly be battling for position as the playoffs approach.
more:Drivers to watch at the USA TODAY 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Elliott has just one win this season, but nine top-10 finishes and seven top-five finishes have propelled him to the top of the standings. But he has a rival near the top. Kyle Larson (three wins) is just eight points back and has led 755 laps this season. Larson won the pole position last week at Iowa.
Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin and William Byron are 38th and 54th, respectively, and are expected to be favorites to win. Hamlin holds the all-time record at New Hampshire (minimum 10 races) with a 9.5-place average. The 43-year-old Hamlin has won Cup Series races at the track in 2007, 2012 and 2017.
Larson is rated +600 odds to finish atop the podium in New Hampshire, trailing only Christopher Bell (+450) and Martin Truex Jr. (+500), according to BetMGM. Truex won the race last season and Bell is the 2022 winner.
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Veteran Brad Keselowski also has an impressive track record at New Hampshire. A two-time winner in 2014 and 2020, Keselowski holds the track qualifying record with a 29.070-second lap time (140.598 mph) set in 2014.
The 1.058-mile oval track is one of the most unique on the NASCAR calendar, combining asphalt and granite (this is the Granite State, after all) on a relatively flat surface. The circuit has hosted the NASCAR Cup Series for over 20 years and produced many memorable races.
The 2024 USA TODAY 301 will begin on Sunday at 2 pm ET and will air on USA Network. It will also be available to stream on fuboTV.
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