In the opening race of the Chase last season, then second-year Cup driver Clint Bowyer won the first race of his career in dominating fashion. Bowyer sat on the pole and led 222 of 300 total laps to outrun a star-studded top 10 that included Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth.

Denny Hamlin, another young talent in his second year as a full-time Cup driver, won the July 4th weekend fireworks earlier in the season. Hamlin led only 46 laps, but he held off Gordon, Truex, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Johnson to earn his third career victory.

The flat New Hampshire oval is not necessarily a race that anyone circles on his or her calendar. As a result, winners have been spread out at Loudon. In fact, 17 different drivers have taken the checkers in New England over the 27 races run since 1993.

Jeff Burton leads the pack with four wins and 12 top-10 finishes, while Gordon is close behind with three victories and 16 top-five results.

Kurt Busch has three wins on the 1.058-mile oval. His June win came when pit strategy, fuel mileage and foul weather combined to award him the victory.

Johnson, Stewart and Ryan Newman have claimed two titles apiece at Loudon.

Keep an Eye on …

Kevin Harvick - The 29 team has four top-10 runs in the last six races in Loudon. Harvick has led 250 laps in the last four NHMS races and won in September 2007.

Casey Mears - Not your typical flat-track masters, Mears and Co. figured something out between their first and second Loudon visits. He was a mundane 23rd in July ’07 but cranked it up for an eighth in September of the same year. He then returned this past June to lead 53 laps and finish seventh.

Martin Truex Jr. - He’s solid here. Third- and fifth-place runs in 2007 and a strong fourth in June pretty much sum it all up for Truex.