SI.com's experts weigh in with their predictions for this Sunday's race in Loudon, N.H.
|
LARS
ANDERSON |
MARK
BEECH |
TOM
BOWLES |
| The winner of the Lenox Industrial Tools 300 will be ... |
Kyle Busch
 |
Tony Stewart
 |
Ryan Newman
 |
| Why? |
| Busch remains the most coveted free agent on the market for 2008, and he knows his value to potential suitors goes up with every solid run he has. He won this race last year and he has history of excelling on one-mile flat tracks like Loudon.
|
The man has done everything but win this season, and I think Sunday might finally be his time. He's got the best driver rating on the circuit at New Hampshire, and he's got four top-five finishes and a win there in his last five races.
|
Knocking on the door of Chase contention, Newman's 13th in points, leading a Penske Racing resurgence with the Car of Tomorrow over the past month. Having finished runner-up twice in the last four races, he should be ready to step it up a notch in New Hampshire -- it's where Newman scored his first win (2002) and his last (September, '05). |
| Keep an eye on ... |
Tony Stewart
More than any other driver in the garage, Stewart is due to notch is first victory of the season. He's finished either first or second in two of his last three starts in New Hampshire.
|
Jeff Burton
He loves Loudon, which was the sight of his first Cup victory way back in 1993. Burton has run all 24 races at New Hampshire, and has a series-best four wins on the oval.
|
Jeff Burton
No one has won more at The Magic Mile than Burton -- he's won four times in 24 career starts, leading all 300 laps in his last win here during the Fall, '00 event. After a top 5 at Sonoma, this team should be back on track.
|
| Don't expect much from ... |
Casey Mears
he numbers tell the story: In his last six starts at the Magic Mile, Mears hasn't finished higher than 21st
|
Carl Edwards
I know he's hot right now, and he finished second in this race a year ago, but Edwards' record at Loudon is seriously spotty. In four other starts, he doesn't even have one top 10.
|
Clint Bowyer
Bowyer is widely regarded as the next Nextel Cup driver in line for his first career win, but he won't get it in the Granite State. In two career starts last year, the best finish Bowyer could muster was 24th.
|
| Mythical SI.com Cup |
TOTAL POINTS: 2,010
Last week: 146 (Jeff Gordon) |
TOTAL POINTS: 2,194
Last week: 146 (Jef Gordon) |
TOTAL POINTS: 2,256
Last week: 155 (Tony Stewart) |
|
| | | |
 |
|
|
