New Hampshire Motor Speedway is one of ten intermediate tracks that hold NASCAR races.

[4] Before the race, Tony Stewart led the Drivers' Championship with 5,050 points, followed by Greg Biffle with 5,045.

Jamie McMurray, Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Green and Casey Mears rounded out the top ten fastest drivers in the session.

Stewart was fifth, while the rest of the top ten consisted of Travis Kvapil, J. J. Yeley, Newman, Martin and Jeff Burton.

Tempers flared during the race day with the tone of the afternoon was set early when Scott Riggs tangled with playoff driver Kurt Busch on lap 3.

Busch stormed Riggs' pit box, and had words with crew chief, Rodney Childers.