Other drivers in the Chase who appear poised to connect with solid success at New Hampshire are Kyle Busch, and Richard Childress Racing teammates Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick. As the lid lifts on the playoff, Busch stands ninth, Burton 10th, and Harvick 11th.

The non-Chasers to watch the closest on Sunday are Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ryan Newman. My darkhorse is Clint Bowyer, who captured the last spot in the playoff, and who is the only driver in the Chase not to post a win this year.

Keys to success at New Hampshire
This is a flat track and its long straightaways and tight turns make it similar, but bigger than Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. It is banked at only 12 degrees off the corners. The key to this track is getting through the middle and off of the corners. A driver needs to get his car to rotate in the corner and have lots of forward bite exiting the corners.

Racing well at New Hampshire requires a lot of throttle and brake input, and with a tremendous amount of braking going on, the right front tire can heat up and go flat. So it won't be surprising to see some cars get flats in their right front tires.

There is a passing lane to the inside, but this is a tough track to pass on, and if a car is not handling well that driver is in for a long day. Passing will be done through the center of the corner and off on the bottom of the track. The key will be to get through the center of the corner really well and to come off on the bottom. If a driver can get along the side of another car, he'll pretty much have the pass made.

With a resurfacing a couple of years ago New Hampshire came up with a great asphalt combination that produces terrific racing. Past issues of cars getting such grip at New Hampshire that the pavement actually tore up are no more and every driver is thankful for that.

The lower groove became a bit wider when the track was resurfaced as at the same time slightly different banking degrees were implemented and that's made for superb side-by-side racing, and created opportunities to pass more easily than had been the history at New Hampshire.

MORE FROM NASCAR

Johnson’s wreck helps Kurt Busch speed to win

Johnson’s wreck helps Kurt Busch speed to win Jimmie Johnson wrecks on 3rd lap in Texas Kyle Busch's new crew chief ready for 1st tirade Fort Hood soldiers honored again at Texas race Dale Jr.: Nothing new, but Patrick good for NASCAR Kyle Busch gets 5th straight Trucks win Opinion: Lucky Johnson continues to evade trouble Opinion: Drivers, not tracks, cause racing’s wrecks Opinion: More NASCAR rule changes are needed Quoting ‘Animal House,’ Stewart vows to fight   Add NASCAR headlines to your news reader: