Race to the Chase: Week 1, New Hampshire Motor Speedway

THE RACE: LENOX Industrial Tools 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

WHEN: Sunday, June 29

TV: TNT

RADIO: MRN, Sirius Satellite Radio

CHASING THE CHASE: THIS WEEK'S TOP 20: Kyle Busch, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, David Ragan, Brian Vickers, Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr., Travis Kvapil, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jamie McMurray

DEFENDING LENOX INDUSTRIAL TOOLS 301 CHAMPION: Denny Hamlin

RACE TO THE CHASE FACTS:
• The 10 races preceding the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup
• The top 12 drivers in the series standings make the Chase.
• The 10 tracks represented in the Race to the Chase are some of the most unique and storied tracks on the circuit. The list includes three of the most famous tracks the sport offers: Daytona International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway. There are also tracks in two of the country's largest markets: Auto Club Speedway (Los Angeles) and Chicagoland Speedway.

THE SCHEDULE: Race to the Chase (track sizes in parentheses)
June 29—New Hampshire (1.058 miles); July 5—Daytona (2.5 mile); July 12—Chicagoland (1.5 miles);
July 27—Indianapolis (2.5 miles); Aug. 3—Pocono (2.5 miles); Aug. 10—Watkins Glen (2.45 mile); Aug. 17—Michigan (2 miles); Aug. 23—Bristol (.533 miles); Aug. 31—Auto Club Speedway (2 mile); Sept. 6—Richmond (.75 miles).

SOME STORYLINES:
• Only 10 races remain, which means different strategies for different drivers. Those comfortably inside the top 12 have one goal in mind: winning. Each win means 10 vital bonus points toward their Chase seeding. Those just inside the top 12 are hoping to stand their ground. Consistency is key. Then there are those drivers on the outside looking in. They need top fives, and a win or two wouldn't hurt. It's go time.
• Tony Stewart is one of those drivers just inside the top 12 looking for his first win of the 2008 season. If history is any lesson, that win will come over the next 10 races. Stewart, in 11th, has 18 career wins at the upcoming 10 tracks.
• Catch me if you can. With his win at Infineon Raceway, Kyle Busch added another 10 potential Chase bonus points to his tally. He now has 50 bonus points, which is 30 more than second-best Carl Edwards and Kasey Kahne. The battle isn't over, though. Both Edwards and Kahne have 2008 wins at the upcoming tracks: Edwards at Auto Club Speedway and Kahne at Pocono.