Looking Ahead: Can Anyone Dethrone Vasquez at the Magic Mile?
North Star Racing | Looking Ahead | New Hampshire Motor Speedway
From the tight confines of Richmond to one of the most technical flat tracks on the schedule, North Star Racing heads north this week for a showdown at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
And if last season is any indication, everyone may be chasing the No. 22.
Nic Vasquez put together a dominant performance at New Hampshire one year ago, leading 162 of 200 laps, winning Stage 2 and taking the checkered flag.
But the landscape looks a little different this time around.
Tyler Krawczyk enters New Hampshire as perhaps the hottest driver in North Star Racing after winning at Richmond, while Cory Mott continues to build momentum and Alex Rogers remains a threat nearly every time he enters a race.
Meanwhile, Vasquez is trying to protect a championship advantage that took a hit at Richmond.
Welcome to the Magic Mile.
🏁 THE TRACK: NEW HAMPSHIRE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is unlike almost anything else on the North Star Racing schedule.
The 1.058-mile oval features extremely limited banking, putting a premium on braking, mechanical grip and getting the car rotated through the center of the corner.
Passing can be difficult, and mistakes on corner entry can compromise an entire lap.
That makes track position important — but it also creates opportunities for drivers willing to approach the race differently on pit road.
Long-run balance, rear-tire grip and the ability to get back to the throttle without burning the tires off could ultimately decide who controls this race.
👀 ONES TO WATCH
👑 Nic Vasquez — The Defending Winner
There isn’t much debate over where the Ones to Watch list has to begin.
Nic Vasquez dominated New Hampshire last season.
Vasquez started from the pole, led 162 of 200 laps, finished second in Stage 1, won Stage 2 and ultimately won the race by 0.795 seconds over Caleb Sheets.
He also recorded the fastest lap of the race.
Now he returns as the North Star Racing championship leader.
Vasquez currently holds 1,017 points, giving him a 95-point advantage over Josh Stoltz.
Richmond wasn’t his strongest night, but New Hampshire may be exactly the track he needs to immediately respond.
Why he’s one to watch: Last year’s performance wasn’t simply a victory. It was domination.
🚂 Tyler Krawczyk — The TK Train Keeps Rolling
All aboard.
Tyler Krawczyk arrives in Loudon with as much momentum as anyone in the field.
After finishing second at Iowa, Krawczyk broke through at Richmond by leading 81 laps and holding off Cory Mott for the victory.
And New Hampshire has already been good to him.
Krawczyk finished fourth here last season, scoring points in both stages and running inside the top five throughout much of the event.
He didn’t have enough to challenge Vasquez for the win that night.
One year later, he may.
Why he’s one to watch: Back-to-back elite performances combined with a strong New Hampshire history make Krawczyk a legitimate threat to win two straight.
🔥 Cory Mott — Knocking on the Door
How much longer before Cory Mott finishes one of these races in Victory Lane?
Mott came within 0.947 seconds of Krawczyk at Richmond, finishing second after another impressive performance.
New Hampshire could offer another opportunity.
Mott finished third here last season and scored points in both stages, including a fourth-place Stage 2 finish.
He also enters this week’s race having climbed to 12th in the championship standings.
The results are starting to match the speed.
Why he’s one to watch: Third here last year. Second at Richmond. The trajectory is obvious.
⚡ Alex Rogers — The Wild Card
Alex Rogers continues to produce one of the most impressive part-time seasons in North Star Racing.
Despite making only 12 starts, Rogers has collected six victories, nine top-five finishes and 10 top-10s.
He added another fourth-place finish at Richmond.
Rogers wasn’t part of last year’s New Hampshire race, meaning there isn’t a previous result to lean on this week.
At this point, that hardly matters.
Whenever the No. 21 shows up, everyone else has to account for him.
Why he’s one to watch: Few drivers have converted speed into victories at a higher rate this season.
📈 Zach Thomas Johnson — Quietly Building Momentum
Don’t overlook Zach Thomas Johnson.
After starting 18th at Richmond, Johnson drove through the field to finish third, continuing a season that has him sitting fourth in the championship standings.
New Hampshire wasn’t kind to him last season. Johnson finished 14th after having a mechanical issue and completing only 120 of 200 laps.
That makes this week’s race an opportunity for redemption.
Johnson has already shown he can recover from adversity. If he can put together an entire night at New Hampshire, another top-five finish could be waiting.
Why he’s one to watch: Richmond showed the No. 45 doesn’t need perfect track position to get to the front.
🔥 KEY STORYLINES
Can Vasquez Do It Again?
Last year’s New Hampshire race belonged to Nic Vasquez.
Leading 162 of 200 laps means more than simply having good strategy. Vasquez controlled the race.
The question is whether that advantage carries over one year later.
Krawczyk, Mott and Rogers are all entering New Hampshire with serious momentum, meaning Vasquez may face considerably more resistance this time.
Can the TK Train Win Back-to-Back?
Second at Iowa.
First at Richmond.
Now New Hampshire.
Krawczyk’s recent form has completely changed the conversation around the No. 48.
A second consecutive victory would do more than continue a hot streak. It would establish Krawczyk as the driver everyone else needs to beat heading into the next portion of the season.
The Championship Gap Is Shrinking
Vasquez still has a commanding championship lead, but Richmond finally gave the drivers behind him an opportunity to make up ground.
The current top four:
- 1. Nic Vasquez — 1,017 points
- 2. Josh Stoltz — 922 points (-95)
- 3. Steven Carlile — 840 points (-177)
- 4. Zach Thomas Johnson — 807 points (-210)
Stoltz remains Vasquez’s closest challenger, but New Hampshire could be an important swing race.
Another difficult night for Vasquez would make the championship battle considerably more interesting.
On the other hand, another New Hampshire performance like last year’s could quickly erase any idea that the door has opened.
Steven Carlile Returns to a Strong Track
Steven Carlile shouldn’t be forgotten in the New Hampshire conversation.
Carlile won Stage 1 here last season after leading 13 laps and ultimately finished ninth.
He currently sits third in the championship with 840 points and has been one of the most consistent drivers in the series.
If Carlile can combine last year’s early-race speed with better execution in the final stage, New Hampshire could become an opportunity to gain ground on both Vasquez and Stoltz.
🔑 KEYS TO VICTORY
1. Get the Car to Rotate
New Hampshire’s flat corners punish a car that refuses to turn through the center. Drivers who have to wait too long before returning to the throttle will lose time lap after lap.
2. Protect the Rear Tires
Getting aggressive with the throttle can create short-run speed, but abusing the rear tires can become expensive over a long green-flag run.
3. Win the Track-Position Battle
Passing at New Hampshire isn’t easy. Qualifying, pit stops and restarts can be just as important as outright pace.
4. Master the Restarts
The first few corners after a restart may provide some of the best opportunities all night to gain multiple positions.
5. Don’t Beat Yourself
New Hampshire rewards precision. Overdriving corner entry, locking the brakes or using too much throttle on exit can quickly turn a competitive car into a mid-pack car.
📊 LAST YEAR AT NEW HAMPSHIRE
Winner: Nic Vasquez
Runner-Up: Caleb Sheets
Third: Cory Mott
Fourth: Tyler Krawczyk
Fifth: Zack Saunders
Stage 1 Winner: Steven Carlile
Stage 2 Winner: Nic Vasquez
Most Laps Led: Nic Vasquez — 162
Fastest Lap: Nic Vasquez — 28.785
Last year’s race featured six different leaders and nine lead changes, but the numbers don’t fully tell the story.
For most of the night, everyone was chasing Vasquez.
🏆 THE PICK
Nic Vasquez.
It’s difficult to pick against a driver who led 81 percent of this race one year ago.
Vasquez has also been the championship standard throughout the season.
But this doesn’t feel like another runaway.
Tyler Krawczyk is entering New Hampshire on a serious heater, Cory Mott has been knocking on the door, and Alex Rogers has proven capable of winning virtually anywhere.
If Vasquez wants to repeat, he’s going to have company.
🗳️ FAN POLL
Who wins at New Hampshire Motor Speedway?
- 👑 Nic Vasquez — Defending New Hampshire winner
- 🚂 Tyler Krawczyk — Richmond winner
- 🔥 Cory Mott — Richmond runner-up / 3rd here last year
- ⚡ Alex Rogers — Six-time winner
- 📈 Zach Thomas Johnson — Richmond podium finisher
- 🏁 Someone Else
North Star Racing heads to the Magic Mile with the championship leader returning to one of his best tracks and the hottest driver in the series coming after him.
Last year, New Hampshire belonged to Nic Vasquez.
This year, the TK Train is coming to town.