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NASCAR: Big Machine Hand Sanitizer 400 preview
NASCAR heads to the Magic Mile at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Opened in 1993 by Bob Bahare and his family, this track is a 1.058 mile oval, with little to no banking. While there isn't a lot of banking, there is still a good amount of side-by-side racing and beating and banging as well. Last season, we saw Denny Hamlin put the bumper to Kevin Harvick but still was unable to make the pass for the lead as Harvick went on to win. This should be a fun race as they will again be adding more traction compound around the track to make it more grippy. This race will be held with fans as well.
Last Thursday, Denny Hamlin went on to capture his 5th win of 2020 during a crash fest at Kansas. Overall, while William Byron tried to strategize his way to a victory after a few late race cautions, the race came down to the usual suspects in Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Brad Keselowski. In the closing laps Keselowski seemed to make up some ground on Hamlin but couldn't quite make the pass. This race showed just how good Denny Hamlin and his team have been this year and continue to be the perennial favorites to win the championship.
One of the big headlines this week was the possibility of Bob Leavine selling his team at the end of 2020. The story was reported by Adam Stern last Thursday. He stated that Bob and his wife Sharon are looking for "somewhere along seven figures" for the team. This move could cause a HUGE ripple effect in the field as Chirstopher Bell would have to look for a new home in 2021. While more than likely he would land on his feet and move over to the #20 car for Joe Gibbs Racing, this would leave Erik Jones in a position that he may be out of a ride next season. I am hoping that they are able to stay in the sport because Bob is one of the most upfront and honest owners in the garage. He was nice enough to talk to me last season about their plans for 2020. I wish him the best in whichever decision he makes because it would be heartbreaking to see them leave the sport as they were improving.
In other silly-season news, the other big rumor around the garage area that came to light this week was that next season Alex Bowman would move over to the #48 car replacing the retiring Jimmie Johnson and the #88 car would cease operations at the end of the season. This rumor was first reported by PRN reporter Lee Spencer, she dropped this story on the Pit Reporters podcast. This would almost be unprecedented for Rick Hendrick as he has had at least four cars since 2002 when they brought on Jimmie Johnson. In the end, I have a feeling that Mr. H will make this work as he has since he started back in 1984. I look for him to make the sponsorships work to keep Bowman in the #88 and bring in a new driver to take over the #48 car. Besides as reputable as Lee Spencer is, she has been wrong before. Back in 2017, she reported that Kurt Busch was out at Stewart-Haas racing which turned out to be incorrect.
This week one of the drivers to watch out for is Erik Jones. Over the past two weeks he has been really showing a lot of speed. This season has been a massive disappointment for the fourth year driver as he currently has an average finish of 16.6 and has led only 34 laps as he currently sits ten points outside of the playoff cutoff. He has also had a hard time getting stage points as well as he has only scored 45 stage points. On the bright side though he is coming to a track where he has had success in that department. Last season here, he won the second stage and finished third in the first as he was able to gain eighteen points. This can be huge coming down the stretch as we get closer and closer to the playoffs. Look for Erik to continue to improve and make a playoff push going into the final weeks of the regular season.
The driver I predict will win this week is Kyle Busch. This has been a frustrating season for the defending champion. While the finishes and the results have been there, and he has shown flashes of speed, he still has yet to win a race this year and currently sits 12th in the playoff standings. Even though he hasn't won a race this year, some of the results he has been getting have been extremely impressive considering the circumstances. At Texas, he plowed through the grass but then recovered to finish fourth and the week before that, he was able to overcome a broken shock mount and still finish tenth. He has shown that he is easily the most talented driver on the racetrack and maybe one of the most talented drivers in the sports' history, and he knows. So not winning a race this year has to really be getting to him but this week, I think he will change that. He currently has a 5.75 average finish with three victoires here at New Hampshire so he knows how to get around this track. Look for Rowdy to win this week as he rolls off fifth on the starting grid.
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The Houston Astros wrapped up yet another series win this week, this time taking two of three from the struggling Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Despite missing several key players and a bullpen that wasn’t fully available, the Astros continued their recent run of success, pushing their record to 52-35.
Manager Joe Espada appeared to be playing the long game in the rubber match on Thursday. After Houston rallied to tie the game in the seventh inning, Espada stuck with reliever Jordan Weems instead of turning to his high-leverage arms. That decision, while frustrating to some fans hoping for the sweep, underscored the team’s cautious approach to workload management as they navigate a long season.
One bright spot continues to be rookie Cam Smith, who delivered again in the clutch with a two-run triple in the seventh inning on Thursday. Smith has been Houston’s most dependable bat with runners on base and is quickly settling into the cleanup role—a rarity for a first-year player but one he’s earned with his poise and production.
Astros cleanup hitter RBIs this season:
Cam Smith: 10 RBIs in 7 games
All others: 28 RBIs in 80 games
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) July 3, 2025
Off the field, the biggest storyline continues to be Yordan Alvarez’s injury. After reports surfaced that the slugger had experienced a setback in his return from a fractured hand, the team clarified that the issue is inflammation, not the fracture itself. Astros general manager Dana Brown said Alvarez received injections to address the irritation and is expected to rest for now. Encouragingly, the Astros say the fracture is no longer a concern, and while there’s still no definitive timeline for his return, the overall tone from the club was optimistic.
The transparency around Alvarez’s situation is part of a larger shift. After being criticized in recent seasons for vague injury updates, the Astros have begun issuing daily availability reports. It’s a move that signals the front office is trying to regain some trust with the media and fans after a stretch of frustrating ambiguity around player health.
Now, the Astros head to Los Angeles for a marquee matchup with the defending champion Dodgers. Friday’s opener will feature Lance McCullers Jr. making just his second start since returning from the injured list. McCullers gave up eight runs in his return against the Cubs and will be under the spotlight as he looks to settle back into form. Control will be the key, as walks have long been McCullers’ Achilles’ heel.
Saturday sets the stage for one of the most anticipated pitching matchups of the season: Framber Valdez versus Shohei Ohtani. With both teams fighting for positioning in their respective divisions, this weekend in LA should serve as a measuring stick—and perhaps a postseason preview.
There's so much more to get to! Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday.
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