2010 Sylvania 300

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The 2010 Sylvania 300 was held on September 19, 2010, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon. It was race 27 of 36 in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and the opening race of the Chase for the Sprint Cup. The 300-lap race covered 317.4 miles around the 1.058-mile oval. The day was mild, about 75°F, with a light breeze. About 95,000 people attended, and roughly 3.68 million watched on ESPN.

Pole and winner
Brad Keselowski won the pole for Penske Racing. Clint Bowyer of Richard Childress Racing won the race, his first win of the 2010 season and the third of his career. Denny Hamlin finished second, Jamie McMurray third, Dale Earnhardt Jr. fourth, and Kevin Harvick fifth.

Race drama
There were 21 lead changes among eight drivers and eight cautions. Tony Stewart spent much of the race in front after taking the lead early, but with two laps to go he ran out of fuel, handing the win to Bowyer. Bowyer finished 0.477 seconds ahead of Hamlin.

Penalties and aftermath
After the race, NASCAR announced penalties for Bowyer’s team and for Whitney Motorsports’ car due to issues found in inspection. Bowyer’s crew chief, Shane Wilson, was fined $150,000 and suspended for six races; Bowyer and team owner Richard Childress lost driver and owner points. Bowyer and RCR planned to appeal.

Three days later, in a final decision on appeal, Wilson’s fine was reduced to $100,000 and the suspensions were cut to four races, but Bowyer’s points penalties remained. Bowyer’s team argued the penalties were too harsh, while Bowyer himself said he would still celebrate the win.

Impact on standings
Denny Hamlin led the Drivers’ Championship after the race, with Bowyer moving to second, Harvick third, and Kyle Busch fourth. Chevrolet led the Manufacturers’ Championship, with Toyota second and Ford third. The victory did not change Bowyer’s status as the race winner, and the penalties were updated after a formal appeal.