FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sunday, September 25th, 2016

NOTES & QUOTES FROM NBCSN’S NASCAR SPRINT CUP COVERAGE FROM NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY

 Race Winner Kevin Harvick to Dave Burns: “I’m just excited. I was content with where we were, but once you get up front like that, you have got to take a chance to try and win.”

 

Steve Letarte: “Harvick has never been eliminated in this Chase format. This year he can say that again.”

LOUDON, N.H. – September 25, 2016 – NBCSN presented the second race of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase from New Hampshire Motor Speedway this afternoon. The crisp New England afternoon saw Matt Kenseth and Martin Truex Jr. dominate the majority of the race, but ultimately Kevin Harvick took advantage of the final restart and secured his first win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in ten years. Harvick’s win officially advances him into the Round of 12, along with last week’s winner Truex Jr.

 

NBC Sports’ lead broadcast team of Rick Allen, Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton called the race. Krista Voda, Kyle Petty and Dale Jarrett hosted NASCAR America, Countdown to Green and post-race coverage. Marty Snider, Mike Massaro, Kelli Stavast and Dave Burns reported from pit road.

 

RACE RESULTS

 

Position Driver Car #
1 Kevin Harvick 4
2 Matt Kenseth 20
3 Kyle Busch 18
4 Brad Keselowski 2
5 Kurt Busch 41

 

UPDATED 2016 CHASE STANDINGS

 

Position Driver Points
1 Martin Truex Jr. 1 Win
2 Kevin Harvick 1 Win
3 Brad Keselowski 2086
4 Kyle Busch 2084
5 Matt Kenseth 2077
6 Joey Logano 2073
7 Denny Hamlin 2071
8 Jimmie Johnson 2070
9 Chase Elliott 2067
10 Kurt Busch 2067
11 Carl Edwards 2067
12 Kyle Larson 2057
13 Jamie McMurray 2052
14 Austin Dillon 2052
15 Tony Stewart 2046
16 Chris Buescher 2027

 

The following are highlights from this afternoon’s Sprint Cup coverage from New Hampshire on NBCSN.

 

During this afternoon’s edition of NASCAR America, Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte explained how rear-tow modifications can cause an advantage to race teams. Letarte offered: “Downforce is a driver and crew chief’s best friend. These teams are looking for every advantage and skewing the car out and increasing the tow helps in downforce.”

 

A link to the feature is available here.

 

Winner of the last two races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Matt Kenseth, to Burton via radio communication before the green flag: “There are a lot of things that have to go right to be able to get a win. The guys have been doing a great job on our Dollar General Camry. We have had pretty good speed and pretty good drivability so far this weekend. We will see what the day brings us and see how the track changes and try to keep up.”

 

Burton on the cool temperature prior to the green flag: “I think on restarts (the cold) is going to make it more challenging. These tires like heat. The reason that restarts are difficult here is because it is a very flat racetrack with long straights. So you enter the corners with a tremendous amount of speed, but there is no banking to hold the car and the tires don’t have a chance to heat up.”

 

Letarte on Hendrick teammates fighting for the second position on lap 139: “I look at this picture and it’s like I’m watching the past of Hendrick Motorsports and the future of Hendrick Motorsports. Jimmie Johnson, a six-time champion, has driven his entire career at Hendrick Motorsports and Chase Elliott just took over the No. 24 for Jeff Gordon. While Elliott hasn’t won a race, I don’t think anyone will be surprised when he does. Here they are battling for the second position.”

 

Letarte on the No. 10 team’s crew chief strategy: “Billy Scott, the crew chief for Danica Patrick, has called a spectacular race, a great race. They haven’t had pace, but time again he has found a strategy. Whether it is earlier when he took the wave around and then got the free pass, and now he decides to stay out on a run. He is doing an amazing job giving Danica Patrick the best opportunity to finish on the lead lap, perhaps up in the top 15 today.”

 

Allen on the possibility of Kenseth securing a fourth win in New Hampshire, and tying Jeff Burton as the winningest driver at NHMS: “Would you like to give Matt Kenseth some advice right now so that he doesn’t win this race and you stay on top of this list of most wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway?”

 

Burton in response: “Ahh…No. I just want to see a good race.”

 

Burton on the final restart, which paved the way to Harvick’s victory: “Matt Kenseth did a great job on the previous restart. On the final restart, Kevin Harvick just matched him…When you are on the inside and you have to take on the leader, if you can just break even and enter into turn one side-by-side, that is like winning that restart, and that is what put Harvick in position to take the lead.”

 

Race winner Harvick to Burns from victory lane: “One of our main goals this year was to not stress ourselves out so bad. I feel like the performance of the car and the things that we are doing are good enough to be competitive. We just need to not make mistakes, and go from there. I’m just excited. I was content with where we were, but once you get up front like that, you have got to take a chance to try and win.”

 

Letarte on Harvick’s dominating Chase performance: “Harvick has never been eliminated in this Chase format. This year he can say that again.”

 

–NBC SPORTS GROUP–