Pressure ratcheted up for second race of Chase

Everything you need to know about Sunday’s Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway:

Three things to watch

1. The pressure is ratcheted up another notch in the second race of the Chase. With just one race remaining in the first round after Sunday (at Dover next week), going for the win – rather than racing for points – becomes more of a factor.

2. Will Kevin Harvick take out any post-Chicagoland frustrations on Jimmie Johnson, whom Harvick felt took him out of that race?

3. Jeff Gordon will make history when the race starts, breaking Ricky Rudd’s consecutive-starts record of 789 in a row. Gordon also has the best driver rating (106.7) at New Hampshire since 2005, so he could be a factor Sunday.

Observations

▪  Last week’s major issue – whether drivers are jumping on restarts – seemed to go away with the positioning of a dedicated camera on the restart box. There was a question of whether Gordon went early on one restart, but replays indicated otherwise.

▪  Clint Bowyer didn’t need that 25-point penalty he was assessed earlier this week for an inspection violation. It dropped him to the 16th and final spot in the Chase standings. On Wednesday, Michael Waltrip Racing appealed the penalty – for an illegally mounted track bar – and NASCAR would like to have the process expedited. Making things tougher on Bowyer: crew chief Billy Scott has also been suspended three races.

▪  There’s always a welcome culture shock coming to the New Hampshire track, which is out in the New England countryside in Loudon. Quite a change from last week in Joliet, Ill., and from next week in Dover, Del.

Best bets

Denny Hamlin: What he’s doing (a victory and a sixth-place finish) since blowing out his knee playing basketball, is remarkable. He stayed competitive with the same kind of injury in 2010.

Brad Keselowski: Has finished in the top 10 a Chase-era record-tying 10 consecutive times. In 12 career starts at New Hampshire, Keselowski has one win, five top-fives, eight top-10s and poles.

Carl Edwards: Another reason to think a Joe Gibbs Racing driver might win again. Edwards is on the pole for a third time this season.

He said it

“Something does change, because it is the playoffs.” – Joey Logano, on his intensity during the Chase.

Sunday’s Lineup