2017 Loudon - ISM Connect 300 - Pre Race Thread

dpkimmel2001

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Race #2 of 10 in the Chase, err Playoffs.

EVENT SCHEDULE
Event Schedule times are local to the track

Frisday, September 22
9:00 AM-7:00 PM MENCS GARAGE OPEN
11:30 AM-12:55 PM MENCS 1ST PRACTICE
5:15 PM MENCS QUALIFYING (MULTI-VEHICLE / THREE ROUNDS)

Saturday, September 23
7:30 AM-4:00 PM MENCS GARAGE OPENS
9:00 AM-9:55 AM MENCS 2ND PRACTICE
11:30 AM 12:20 PM MENCS FINAL PRACTICE

Sunday, September 24
8:30 AM MENCS GARAGE OPENS
12:00 PM MENCS DRIVER / CREW CHIEF MEETING
1:20 PM MENCS DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS
2:00 PM MENCS RACE

MENCS = Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
SCHEDULE SUBJECT TO CHANGE
 
All three NASCAR national series are in action this weekend, but at two different venues. The second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs race in the Round of 16 and the opening race of the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Playoffs will take place at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The NASCAR XFINITY Series playoffs will kick off at Kentucky Speedway with the first race in the Round of 12.

Monster Energy Series and XFINITY Series events are also live streamed online on the NBC Sports App, which can be accessed here. Check out the full on-track weekend schedule below.

Note: All times are ET

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
ON TRACK: NEW HAMPSHIRE

11:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, NBCSN (Follow live)
1:30-2:25 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice, FS1 (Follow live)
3:30-4:25 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS1 (Follow live)
5:15 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBCSN (Follow live)

GARAGECAM (Watch live)
11 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
1 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
10:30 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson
10:45 a.m.: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
11 a.m.: Christopher Bell, Austin Cindric, Kaz Grala
1 p.m.: New Hampshire Motor Speedway announcement
1:30 p.m.: Ryan Newman
1:45 p.m.: Denny Hamlin
4:30 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
6:15 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying

ON TRACK: KENTUCKY
4-4:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, NBCSN (Follow live)
6:30-7:25 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, NBCSN (Follow live)

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
ON TRACK: NEW HAMPSHIRE

9-9:55 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, CNBC (Follow live)
10:05 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying, FS1 (Follow live)
11:30 a.m.-12:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBC Sports App (Follow live)
1 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series UNOH 175 (175 laps, 185.15 miles), FS1 (Follow live)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
3 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race

ON TRACK: KENTUCKY
5:35 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBCSN (Follow live)
8 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 (200 laps, 300 miles), NBCSN (Follow live)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 24
ON TRACK: NEW HAMPSHIRE

2 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series ISM Connect 300 (300 laps, 317.4 miles), NBCSN (Follow live)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
5 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race
 
Note: All times are ET

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
ON TRACK: NEW HAMPSHIRE

11:30 a.m.-12:55 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, NBCSN (Follow live)
1:30-2:25 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice, FS1 (Follow live)
3:30-4:25 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS1 (Follow live)
5:15 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, NBCSN (Follow live)

GARAGECAM (Watch live)
11 a.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series
1 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
10:30 a.m.: Jimmie Johnson
10:45 a.m.: Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
11 a.m.: Christopher Bell, Austin Cindric, Kaz Grala
1 p.m.: New Hampshire Motor Speedway announcement
1:30 p.m.: Ryan Newman
1:45 p.m.: Denny Hamlin
4:30 p.m.: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
6:15 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying

ON TRACK: KENTUCKY
4-4:55 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series practice, NBCSN (Follow live)
6:30-7:25 p.m.: NASCAR XFINITY Series final practice, NBCSN (Follow live)
 
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No TC in New Hampshire this weekend... sobering.

Give 'em hell in Kentucky Preece...
 
The playoffs (or whatever), don't get me overly enthusiastic --- just getting to see a race is what floats my boat.
Same with me when it comes to racing. That's a huge difference between NASCAR and other sports that I follow. If I'm watching my team in the NFL, NHL, or MLB playoffs, we are either hosting or attending a party surrounding the game. Maybe out at the local tavern taking in the game with others. The NASCAR playoffs just don't have that same kind of feeling surrounding them.

On the other hand, races on the weekends of Memorial Day, 4th of July & Labor Day, we get together with friends to watch as a group.
 
Nope, nothing like that. They are easy enough to get if desired. Just pointing out the lack of enthusiasm for NASCAR playoff system.

Does seem to be lacking and Loudon doesn't traditionally get a big bunch of hooplah.

I enjoy the races there, however.
 
TIRE CODES

Tire:
Goodyear Eagle Intermediate Radials

Set limits:
Cup: 4 sets for practice, 1 set for qualifying and 7 sets for the race;
Truck: 5 sets for the event

Tire Codes:
Left-side -- D-4564;
Right-side -- D-4706

Tire Circumference:
Left-side -- 87.64 in. (2,226 mm);
Right-side -- 88.15 in. (2,239 mm)

Minimum Recommended Inflation:
Left Front -- 12 psi; Left Rear -- 12 psi;
Right Front -- 30 psi; Right Rear -- 27 psi

Storyline - Flat Track, Raised Stakes in New Hampshire: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup teams will go to great measures to get grip on the relatively flat New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend, much like the 16 playoff teams will try to get a grip on their path forward. The lack of banking on the 1.058-mile oval doesn't leave much for teams to lean on over on the right-side of the car, leading teams to lower their left-side tire pressures to gain grip. Many teams will likely go significantly below Goodyear's recommended 12 psi for the left-side tires. Goodyear has helped teams with grip at New Hampshire by bringing tread compounds on both sides of the car that are among the top-three most tractive in the 2017 tire lineup.

"Finding grip is really at a premium at Loudon," said Greg Stucker, Goodyear's director of racing. "This track presents a couple challenges in that pursuit of grip - it is basically a short track and there is a lack of banking. While we recommend 12 pounds of air in the left-side tires, we realize that teams will look to go below that to gain grip. The danger in that, specifically early in a run when the pressures are at their lowest, is that they will over-deflect the sidewall, inflicting damage that will lead to carcass fatigue and, eventually, air loss. What we can do to help the teams with grip is bring the most tractive tread compounds that we can to Loudon, and we've done that."

Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Cup and Camping World Truck Series will run the same tire set-up this weekend . . . this is the same combination of left- and right-side tires that Cup and Xfinity teams ran at this track in July . . . these teams have run this left-side tire (D-4564) at New Hampshire since 2012 and this right-side tire (D-4706) since 2016 . . . New Hampshire is the only track at which teams in either of these series will run these two tire codes . . . as on most NASCAR ovals one mile or less in length, teams will not run inner liners in their tires at New Hampshire.

Upcoming Tire Test: Goodyear will hold a tire test at Bristol Motor Speedway next Tuesday (September 26). Drivers scheduled to participate in the test are Ty Dillon and Erik Jones.
 
Upcoming Tire Test: Goodyear will hold a tire test at Bristol Motor Speedway next Tuesday (September 26). Drivers scheduled to participate in the test are Ty Dillon and Erik Jones.
I wonder if there are any Hoosier and/or Firestone tests scheduled? It seems awfully late in the game, with no 2018 tire supplier under contract.
 
Confirmed 48 will win Sunday. Backup car is usually better than the primary.
 
Nightmare scenario for the 24, and what I feared this weekend. Spending first practice at his 1st or 2nd worst track with an interim crew chief prepping a backup car. Ran 16 laps in what I assume was race trim, not sure how much you can gather from that. Kind of a wasted session and they're now behind the 8-ball.
 
Kahne third after practice, first time this year that far up after practice 1, excluding plate tracks.# crew chief
 
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