Check out a short list of favorites for Sunday's Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway:

Jeff Burton:
Posted a race-record 117.134 miles per hour in winning this event in 1997; also won the event in 1998-99; led every lap to win the Dura-Lube/KMart 300 at this track in 2000; also did well here in the New England 300 on July 20, finishing ninth; without a victory this year, but scored eight top-10 finishes, good for 12th in the points race.

Kurt Busch:
Driver with the second-most wins this year (four); dropped to eighth in points after 24th-place finish at Richmond last weekend; also was runner-up four times; the wins and second-place results are the only finishes in the first five; led this event for short time last fall before settling for second behind Ryan Newman; also performed well in the July stop, finishing fourth after a start from 16th.

	Earnhardt Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Had career-best start of third and top finish of sixth at Loudon in July; finished in 11th place here last September and was ninth in the 2001 fall race; won at Talladega, has nine top-five finishes and 15 (second most) in the top 10; is a distant second in the points race behind Matt Kenseth.

Jeff Gordon:
His three wins at New Hampshire International Speedway are second to Jeff Burton; also has three poles here; has eight top-five finishes and 12 top-10s this year, but likely out of the championship run in fifth place, 593 points behind Kenseth; the 10th place at Richmond was his first in the top 10 in five races; placed just 24th in the New England 300 in July and was 14th last September.

Kevin Harvick:
Fined $35,000 and placed on probation until the end of the year Monday for his role in an altercation with Ricky Rudd on pit road following Saturday's race at Richmond; 23 points behind Earnhardt Jr. for second place, but distant 441 back of Kenseth; recorded one win, a pole and 12 top 10s this season.

Jimmie Johnson:
Highest finishing rookie in this race last year in ninth place; did even better earlier this year in July's New England 300, driving to victory lane; also won the Coca-Cola 600; 501 points behind Kenseth in fourth in the standings; one of just two drives (Michael Waltrip) in the top 10 standings for entire season; lowest position was seventh in mid-season; tops series in earnings with $4,235,560.

Matt Kenseth:
The championship is his for the taking, baring any major problems in the last 10 races; very consistent this year, with lowest finish a 22nd in the Virginia 500 in April; first in the points since the season's fourth week and is 418 points ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr.; leads series with 20 top-10 finishes and is tied with Bobby Labonte and Ryan Newman with 10 finishes among the top five; was 10th in this race last year and third in the July event after starting from the pole.

	Martin

Mark Martin:
In 16 starts at Loudon, Martin has performed well but is without a victory. He finished in the top 10 11 times and seven times in the top five; was runner-up three times here, including both races in 1998; no victories or poles this year; five results in the top five and nine top 10s is good only for 14th place in standings.

Jeremy Mayfield:
Will make 300th career Winston Cup start this weekend; has three wins, seven poles, 36 top-fives, 69 top-10s, and has earned more than $15 million in earnings; made first career start at Charlotte on October 1993; 16th career visit to New Hampshire International Speedway; has one top-10 finish (8th), and has led one race for a total of 10 laps.

Ryan Newman:
He led 125 of 400 laps and won Saturday night's Chevy 400 at Richmond for series-leading sixth victory of the year and seventh of his career; recorded fourth win in last nine races; win gave Dodge its first short-track victory since Neil Bonnett won the Capital City 400 in September 1977 at Richmond; enters the New Hampshire 300 as defending champion having led the first 87 and final 40 laps; also leads circuit with six poles and has 15 top-10 finishes this season; finished fourth in the July race here.

Tony Stewart:
First Winston Cup start at Loudon in 1999 was an impressive second after starting fifth; next spring he won the rain-shortened New England 300; finished third last September while this summer he was 22nd; fell out of the top 10 standings after 27th finish at Richmond; is 61 points behind 10th place Michael Waltrip; lone victory for the reigning Winston Cup champion this year was in the Pocono 500 in June.

Rusty Wallace:
Won the first Winston Cup race at the track - the Jiffy Lube 300 in 1993; has had solid performances at this venue, with eight top-10s in 17 races; not a factor in past two stops at venue - 19th last fall and 17th in July; winless this season, with only a pair of top fives and eight top 10s; top effort was third in the Auto Club 500 in California.