45 teams on preliminary New Hampshire Sprint Cup race entry list
Forty-five teams are on the preliminary entry list for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Robby Gordon returns to his No. 7 Robby Gordon Motorsports Toyota after a one-week absence to take place in an off-road event. Among part-time drivers and teams or those sharing driving duties entered are Mike Bliss (No. 09 Phoenix Racing Toyota), Patrick Carpentier (No. 36 Tommy Baldwin Racing Toyota), Tony Raines (No. 37 Front Row Motorsports Chevrolet), Dexter Bean (No. 51 BlackJack Racing Dodge), Mike Wallace (No. 64 Gunselman Motorsports Toyota), Bobby Labonte (No. 71 TRG Motorsports Chevrolet), Derrike Cope (No. 75 Cope/Keller Racing Dodge) and Erik Darnell (No. 96 Hall of Fame Racing Ford).
Labonte is eligible for the past champion’s provisional as the most recent past champion competing for a team outside the top 35 in owner points, leaving nine drivers to battle for seven spots. Those needing to qualify based on speed are Bliss, Carpentier, Raines, Bean, Wallace, Prism Motorsports' Dave Blaney, Cope, Red Bull Racing's Scott Speed and Nemco Motorsports' Joe Nemechek.
Practices for the race begin at noon EDT Friday, with qualifying at 3:10 p.m. and the race slated to begin shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday.
