2012 NASCAR Point Standings: Kasey Kahne Hold No. 1 Wild Card After Win

The win for Kasey Kahne at New Hampshire this weekend proved to be an important one for the Sprint Cup Series standings. Kahne grabbed the No. 1 Wild Card spot thanks to his second win of the season.

Matt Kenseth is still on top of the standings. He has a 16-point lead over Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Here are the top-20 drivers in the Sprint Cup Series standings:

1. Matt Kenseth +140 inside Chase
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. +124
3. Greg Biffle +100
4. Jimmie Johnson +89
5. Denny Hamlin +61
6. Kevin Harvick +55
7. Tony Stewart +51
8. Martin Truex Jr. +50
9. Clint Bowyer +47
10. Brad Keselowski +46
11. Carl Edwards -46 (needs one win to get No. 2 wild card spot)
12. Kasey Kahne -66 (Holds No. 1 wild card spot, two wins)
13. Kyle Busch -68 (Holds No. 2 wild card spot, one win)
14. Ryan Newman -77 (-9 points from No. 2 wild card, one win)
15. Paul Menard -79
16. Joey Logano -80 (-12 points from No. 2 wild card, one win)
17. Jeff Gordon -89
18. Marcos Ambrose -118
19. Jeff Burton -120
20. Jamie McMurray -127

NASCAR At Loudon Results: Kasey Kahne Wins Lenox Industrial Tools 301

Denny Hamlin gave a valiant charge to try to make up for a pit road miscommunication that dropped him from first to 13th on his last pit stop, but he ultimately came up short to Kasey Kahne. The Hendrick Motorsports driver won the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 for his first victory at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway and his second win of the 2012 season. The victory moves Kahne into the top position for one of NASCAR's two wild card spots in the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship this fall.

Hamlin, who charged from 13th to within a second of Kahne before washing high in turns three and four on the penultimate lap, wound up a heartbreaking second after leading exactly half of the race distance. Clint Bowyer took third, while Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top-five.

The top-10 was completed by Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Greg Biffle, and Ryan Newman. Point leader Matt Kenseth took 13th.

Visit NASCAR.com for the full results.

NASCAR At Loudon: Miscommunication Drops Denny Hamlin From Lead

For the second time in the Lenox Industrial Tools 301, a Joe Gibbs Racing driver's bid to dominate the race has been felled by issues on pit road. First it was Kyle Busch's issues with right-rear lug nuts and a speeding penalty. Now a miscommunication between the dominant Denny Hamlin and crew chief Darian Grubb has dropped the No. 11 Toyota outside the top-10.

Hamlin and Grubb were discussing whether to take two tires or four tires on their latest pit stop under the caution flag. Grubb, thinking Hamlin had asked for four tires, made the call while most of the lead lap cars took only two. The gaffe dropped Hamlin to 13th place on the restart.

Kasey Kahne, Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, and Greg Biffle are currently the top-five runners. Rain has threatened for much of the day and could strike soon with Kahne holding the edge on Bowyer as bot hseek their second win of the 2012 season.

NASCAR At Loudon: Pit Maladies For Kyle Busch Cycle Denny Hamlin To Lead

Joe Gibbs Racing has thoroughly dominated the first 75 laps of the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but it is no longer the white and green Toyota of polesitter Kyle Busch out front.

Denny Hamlin's FedEx mount has taken over the top spot after Busch's team suffered a miserable sequence of pit stops. First Busch's rear tire changer dropped two lug nuts on the right rear tire, then Busch was ticketed for speeding on the pit lane and forced to return to pit road for a pass-through penalty. Busch has now dropped to the 18th position.

Kasey Kahne, who had stalked Busch from the second position for most of the opening run, now runs second to Hamlin with his three teammates Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. rounding out the top-five. Brad Keselowski has charged through the field to run sixth after starting 22nd. Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle, and Martin Truex Jr. round out the top-10.

The race has run caution free thus far.

NASCAR At Loudon: Kyle Busch Leads After 30 Laps

Polesitter Kyle Busch has led the first 30 laps of the Lenox Industrial Tools 301 rather uncontested. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver, looking for his second win both of 2012 and at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, currently holds the top spot over Hendrick Motorsports driver Kasey Kahne.

Busch's teammate and the pre-race favorite Denny Hamlin runs third. He led both practice sessions Saturday in fastest lap time and fastest average speed over ten consecutive laps. Clint Bowyer and Jeff Gordon rounding out the top-five. Completing the top-10 are Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Martin Truex Jr., and Stewart-Haas Racing teammates (and 2011 Loudon winners) Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart.

After qualifying a season-best 19th, David Ragan of Unadilla has dropped to the 29th position in his No. 34 Ford. Among the drivers who have already "start and parked" are J.J. Yeley and Kelly Bires, though Joe Nemechek, David Stremme, and others will likely follow them to the garage in short order.

NASCAR At New Hampshire Start Time, TV, Radio, Live Streaming Info And More

Race coverage from New Hampshire is scheduled to get under way starting at 1 p.m. on TNT. This will be the final of six races broadcast on TNT before coverage shifts to ESPN for the rest of the summer. Online streaming will be available for today's race via NASCAR.com's Race Buddy site.

Kyle Busch captured the pole and will be joined on the front row by Kasey Kahne. Busch is scheduled to lead the field out onto the track at shortly after 1:08 p.m. and the green flag is scheduled to drop at 1:16 p.m.

Weather could be a factor today as there is rain in the area so a weather delay or shortened race is not out of the question.

Race Date/Time: Sunday, July 15, 1 p.m. ET

Location: New Hampshire Motor Speedway

TV: TNT

Radio: Performance Racing Network Affiliates

Online Streaming: NASCAR.com Race Buddy

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NASCAR At Loudon: Kyle Busch Takes Lenox Industrial Tools 301 Pole

The Sprint Cup Series saved its best for last Friday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, as Kyle Busch won the pole after taking the final time trial of the day. Busch toured the 1.058-mile oval in 28.55 seconds and will lead the field to the green flag in Sunday's Lenox Industrial Tools 301. It is Busch's first pole of the 2012 season and the ninth of his career.

The 2006 Loudon winner will share the front row with Hendrick Motorspots' Kasey Kahne. Busch's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin will start third, with Michael Waltrip Racing drivers Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer rounding out the top-five. Defending Lenox 301 winner Ryan Newman will start sixth for Stewart-Haas Racing, followed by the Hendrick Motorsports trio of Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Stewart-Haas co-owner Tony Stewart - winner of the September 2011 event at Loudon - completed the top-10.

NASCAR's newest papa Kevin Harvick will start 12th a week to the day after wife Delana gave birth to the couple's first child, Keelan Paul. Sprint Cup point leader Matt Kenseth will roll off from the 27th position.

In his best qualifying performance of the season, David Ragan will start 19th in his Front Row Motorsports Ford Fusion. The Unadilla native's previous best effort was 21st at Texas in April.

The lone driver to miss the show was Mike Bliss, driving Randy Humphrey's Toyota.

Visit NASCAR.com for the full qualifying results.

NASCAR At Loudon: Sprint Cup Series Heads To New Hampshire's "Magic Mile"

NASCAR heads to New Hampshire for the Lenox Industrial Tools 301. Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart gave Stewart-Haas Racing a season-sweep at Loudon last season.