Chase Race No. 2: Keselowski Looks to Pull off Hat Trick at "Magic Mile"

Brad Keselowski celebrates his win at Loudon this past July (Photo: Google Images)

In hockey, when one player scores three goals in a single game, that player has just accomplished what has become known as a "hat trick" and fans will  show their appreciation by throwing their caps onto the ice. While fans at New Hampshire Motor Speedway might not throw their caps onto the track if he wins, Brad Keselowski is going for Nascar's version of the hat trick. He not only tring to win his third race in a row, but also to sweep both races at the "Magic Mile" and potentially show himself to be the driver to beat in the championship hunt.

In that race, Keselowski dominated the field, leading seven times for 138 laps. The next highest lap leader was first place starter and second place finisher Kyle Busch, who was out front once for a total of 62 laps. This will be a great chance for Keselowski to assert his dominance and establish himself as the 2014 champ.

Both he and teammate Joey Logano ran very strongly in the Granite State last July. The only reason Logano was not up front at the end was because he was collected in an accident on lap 213 of the 305 lap event. While both Penske teammates were strong, it was Keselowski's Redd's Apple Ale Ford that had the field seeing red and, with the dominating performance he gave ten weeks ago, it might take some doing to take down Keselowski this weekend.

Matt Kenseth also won this race one year ago in his 500th start. He has never had a great record at Loudon,  his win last September is his only victory at the track, But his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Busch and Denny Hamlin have run strong at New Hampshire in the past, with Hamlin finishing outside the top ten only six times in seventeen starts at the speedway for Gibbs. Perhaps being teamed with these two drivers is what Kenseth needed to help perfect his setup for this flat, tricky race track. While Kesneth's win last September was a surprise, it would not be total shocking to see him or either of his teammates win this Sunday. This past July, Busch finished second, Kenseth was fourth and Hamlin was eighth.

Kevin Harvick won on a flat mile track at Phoenix in February
 (Photo: Google Images)

There are also a few Chasers who might prove to be dark horses at Loudon. At the top of that list is someone who, in my opinion, has been the king of the dark horses this year is Ryan Newman. Newman has three wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and an average finish of 13th. He also finished fifth in July in his first race at the speedway for Richard Childress Racing. So look for the Rocket Man to run strong yet again.

And while they didn't run strong this summer, look for Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick to run strong this weekend. Gordon and Johnson both have average finishes of tenth at New Hampshire and their teammates, and fellow Chasers Dale Earnhardt, Jr and Kasey Kahne finished tenth and 11th respectively last July. Both Johnson and Gordon could glean some information from their teammates and run strongly this Sunday. Hendrick Motorsports always seems to turn up the wick when the Chase begins.

Harvick on the other hand, has an average finish of 14th and only has one win at Loudon, scoring a victory in September of 2006 for Richard Childress Racing. He may have finished 30th in July, but that was his first race at New Hampshire with his new team. His crew chief Rodney Childers has had success there in the past, having strong runs with drivers David Reutimann and Brian Vickers (the duo won at this track in September of 2013). Harvick and Childers have run strong in almost every race this year and it would not be a shock to see them do it again.

When the dust clears and the checkered flag waves this Sunday afternoon, it would not be surprising to see any of these drivers in victory lane, locking themselves into round two of the Chase for the Championship. But look for  either Keselowski or Logano to grab the win and move closer to a second Nascar title for Penske Racing