ESPN Sprint Cup

What can we expect as the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series turns to New Hampshire Motor Speedway? ESPN Stats & Information offers five things to know about the Lenox Industrial Tools 301:

ONE

The first race of the season at New Hampshire means there are only 10 races to go until the Chase for the Sprint Cup field is set. History shows that there's going to be some movement in the field. In each of the five previous seasons of the Chase, somebody has raced his way into the field over the final 10 races.

TWO

Last year, Tony Stewart had the best car in this race but came into the pits for fuel shortly before a rainstorm hit that shortened the race, giving Kurt Busch the win. Stewart finished 13th, but he led in some of the top loop-data categories for the race.

THREE

Stewart has won twice at New Hampshire, but was close to having another two victories. Stewart has been passed twice for the lead in the final two laps at New Hampshire, the latest passes for the lead in track history. In one race, Jeff Burton made the pass. In the other, current teammate and employee Ryan Newman got the best of Stewart.

FOUR

Stewart is one of six drivers to have won at New Hampshire multiple times. Jeff Burton paces the field with four wins, with Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch each having three. Gordon won three of the first eight races at the track but hasn't won in New Hampshire since.

FIVE

Pole winners beware. Dating back to 2002, the pole winner for the first New Hampshire race of the season has an average finish of 24.5, with only one top-10 finish. The fall race pole winner, in that same time, has won three of the five races, with no finish worse than ninth. (Note: This includes only pole winners, not drivers who started from the pole once qualifying was rained out.)

Who's hot?

• Carl Edwards: seventh or better in four of the past five Cup series races (13th in the other race).

• Denny Hamlin: moved from 12th to seventh in points in the past two Cup races.

• Juan Pablo Montoya: finished eighth or better in four of the past five series races (moved into top 12 in points).

Who's not?

• Jeff Burton: fell from sixth to 15th in points over the past five Cup races.

• Kyle Busch: 13th or worse in the past four series races.

• Matt Kenseth: two top-5 finishes in 14 races since winning the first two races of 2009.

-- ESPN Stats & Information Group