NASCAR’s 2nd race of the Chase was dominated by Kevin Harvick, but it was Matt Kenseth that found the magic to win the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Kevin started the race with everybody in the garage area saying he had the car to beat. It only took 19 laps for him to take the lead for the first time and make all of those people right. The defending Sprint Cup Champion was out front for more than two-thirds of the race leading a race high 216 of the 300 laps in the race.
However, it would be pit strategy and gas mileage that would rule the day instead of horsepower. There were nine caution flags in total in the race with three coming between lap 200 to lap 250. That allowed drivers and crew chiefs to make different calls up and down pit row. Those calls to pit or stay out would be the calls that decided the end of the race.
Kevin stayed out while others pitted. Kevin is known for saving fuel and stretching his mileage in races. To win he would have to do it again. However, Matt Kenseth worked his way up to second place and forced Kevin to race a little harder to hold the lead and burn more fuel as a result.
Matt’s plan worked as Kevin ran out of fuel with three laps left in the race allowing the #20 Toyota to take the lead and ultimately win the race. The win gives Matt an automatic advance to the next round on the Chase Grid. It also continues Joe Gibbs Racing’s (JGR) recent domination as their win total grows to 10 of the last 12 races. It also gives JGR the win in the first two Chase races as well as their fourth consecutive win.
Matt’s JGR teammate and last week’s winner at Chicagoland Denny Hamlin took the runner-up finish. Joey Logano and Greg Biffle finished in third and fourth place respectively. JGR driver Carl Edwards rounded out the top five. See the complete race results for the Sylvania 300 NASCAR Sprint Cup race here.
While Matt’s win moved him to the next round, other drivers like Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. find themselves facing elimination after running out of fuel at New Hampshire. The poor finish in the race dropped them in the NASCAR Sprint Cup point standings and on the Chase Grid as a result. That means those drivers will have to perform very well if not win at Dover International Speedway in order to advance on the Chase Grid.
By: Buck Stevens
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 Sport Clips Toyota, and Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Ditech Chevrolet, lead the field at the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Robert Laberge/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet, takes the green flag for his 789th consecutive start at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. With this start Gordon passes Ricky Rudd for the record of NASCAR’s most consecutive race starts. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Carl Edwards, driver of the #19 Sport Clips Toyota, races Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Ditech Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Drive To End Hunger Chevrolet, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Kurt Busch, driver of the #41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, leads Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Miller Lite Ford, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: A view of cars racing during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Ditech Chevrolet, leads Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Freight Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Greg Biffle, driver of the #16 Kleen Performance Products Ford, leads David Ragan, driver of the #55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Freight Toyota, races Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, crosses the finish line to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/NASCAR via Getty Images)
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- LOUDON, NH – SEPTEMBER 27: Matt Kenseth, driver of the #20 Dollar General Toyota, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SYLVANIA 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 27, 2015 in Loudon, New Hampshire. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
