See where your favorite driver will pit during Monday’s NASCAR Cup Series Crayon 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Noon ET, USA, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
RELATED: Starting lineup | Key story lines, news | At-track photos
LOUDON, N.H. – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell will start Monday’s Crayon 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway exactly where he finished his last start at the 1.058-mile New England track: in position No. 1.
Bell, 28, won Saturday’s pole qualifying session for the Crayon 301 (Mon., Noon ET, USA, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) with a lap of 124.781 mph in the No. 20 JGR Toyota – just a tick faster at 0.007 seconds – than teammate Martin Truex Jr., who will start his No. 19 JGR Toyota alongside on the front row.
RELATED: Starting lineup | Weekend schedule
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Aric Almirola was close to earning his second pole in as many weeks – putting his No. 10 SHR Ford only 0.18 seconds off Bell’s work. He’ll start on the second row next to fellow Ford driver Joey Logano in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang.
It’s the first pole position of the year for Bell and fifth of his career, and it comes at a track where the Oklahoma native has already established himself as one of the best. He joins Kyle Busch as the only two drivers with victories in all three of NASCAR’s national series at New Hampshire – highlighted by last year’s NASCAR Cup Series win and also including three consecutive NASCAR Xfinity race wins from 2018-21 and a 2017 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series victory.
“The amount of sliding around we did today, the lack of grip, I think the cream is going to rise to the top [in the race],” Bell said. “The good drivers, good cars will be able to pass and get their way to the front. I start at the front and hopefully we stay up there, but this is a place where people will try different strategies by staying out, taking two tires, short-pitting, long-pitting, whatever the case may be so you’re not guaranteed to just start out front and stay there all day.”
The remaining top qualifiers include Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney and 23XI Racing’s Tyler Reddick, who will start fifth and sixth on the third row. Current NASCAR Cup Series championship leader William Byron was the only Hendrick Motorsports driver to advance to the final qualifying round and he will start his No. 24 Chevrolet seventh – alongside 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace’s No. 23 Toyota.
Brad Keselowski – a two-time New Hampshire race winner – will start the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford ninth, alongside a fellow champion of the sport, three-time New Hampshire NASCAR Cup Series race winner Kyle Busch in the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.
Busch crashed during his qualifying lap, sustaining rear-end damage on his No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet after contact with the outside wall through Turns 1 and 2. Busch advanced to the final round of qualifying after an earlier wall scrape in practice; he will be credited with the 10th starting spot.
Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick – a four-time New Hampshire winner – will start 13th in the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. He is attempting to become the track’s all-time winningest driver in his final start before retiring at the conclusion of the season.
Noah Gragson was the top qualifying rookie. He’ll roll off 29th in the Legacy Motor Club No. 42 Chevrolet. Fellow rookie Ty Gibbs will start the No. 54 JGR Toyota last in the 36-car race field.
McDowell fastest in Cup Series practice
Michael McDowell topped the leaderboard in NASCAR Cup Series practice at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, notching a best lap of 126.416 mph in Saturday’s opening session.
McDowell’s No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford was just 0.002 seconds faster than second-best Martin Truex Jr., who posted a lap of 126.408 mph in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. In the consecutive 10-lap averages category, the two drivers flip-flopped their 1-2 order with Truex edging McDowell atop that list.
MORE: Fantasy Fastlane | New Hampshire 101
Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain was third-fastest on the single-lap chart, followed by 23XI Racing teammates Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, who rounded out the top five in that order.
Kyle Busch scrubbed the outside retaining wall with the No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet, drifting too high out of Turn 2 during the first practice group. The No. 8 crew went to work on the damage to get Busch ready for qualifying.
Saturday’s Cup Series inspection wrapped up just before practice, and only one team — the No. 42 Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet for driver Noah Gragson — failed more than once. The two-time failure prompted NASCAR officials to eject No. 42 engineer Phillip Bell, plus the team forfeited pit-stall selection for Monday’s 301-lap race.
Contributing: Staff reports
LOUDON, N.H. — Kevin Harvick on Monday will compete for the final time at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a venue that’s technically considered a short track in the NASCAR Cup Series. The racing on the 1.058-mile configuration is as unique as it is reminiscent of NASCAR Home Tracks all around the country.
Starting in 2024, though, Harvick’s motorsports focus will turn squarely to these types of venues.
Through his marketing agency (KHI Management) and his late-model race teams, Harvick will aim to support short-track racing as a whole through his elevation of the discipline’s talent and personality upon his retirement from Cup racing at the end of the season.
Harvick, of course, is part of the new CARS Late Model Stock Tour ownership group consisting of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton and Justin Marks. He said the endeavor has taught him just how impactful his support can be to short-track competitors and, in turn, stock-car racing as a whole.
“We have a lot of great racers across the country racing at these short tracks,” Harvick said Saturday. “Our focus [with] the CARS Tour is just promoting races. If some of the guys and girls have fun tweets or posts on Instagram, you see Dale and myself reposting stuff and just trying to give them a platform to be able to have a shot.”
PHOTOS: Harvick, other NASCAR starts racing late models at North Wilkesboro
From the point he takes off his helmet after the Cup season finale at Phoenix Raceway in November, Harvick’s support of short-track racing will only grow.
The 47-year-old specifically mentioned the Snowball Derby at Five Flags Speedway in Pensacola, Florida, Wisconsin’s Slinger Nationals and the All American 400 at Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway as events his late model teams plan to enter. The complete schedule will depend on driver availability.
And for Harvick, those drivers are the key.
Harvick himself competed in one of his late models at North Wilkesboro Speedway in May. But he said he might not run at all in 2024. He would consider that a positive development.
“The race teams primarily are going to be used for the management company drivers and the things that they want to do,” Harvick said. “The teams are really kind of an extension of what we’ll do from the management side to give them an opportunity to get in good cars and be safe … and to be able to put Cup guys in there when they want to come race.”
Harvick noted Josh Berry, the driver who will take over Stewart-Haas Racing’s No. 4 Ford Mustang starting in 2024, as an example of the type of competitor he hopes to support. Berry won the 2020 NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series championship driving for JR Motorsports.
Now he’s a star at the sport’s highest level.
“The most important thing is using our platform to expose who those short track drivers are. Josh Berry’s been a huge part of that. And being able to recognize that there are a lot of really good short-track racers.
“And Josh, being able to go in the 4 car — and it’s not a paid-for situation — gives a lot of those guys a lot of hope that in can be done. It can be a part of just doing the right thing.”
LEE, N.H. — The terrain surrounding Lee USA Speedway is overwhelmingly green and harmonious, typical for the Eastern portion of the Granite State. Yet there was nothing quiet about the scene Friday evening at the NASCAR Home Track located just 35 miles from New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Not with Rowdy in town.
In case one wasn’t aware two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch was competing in the track’s “Battle for the Belt” on Friday, the jam-packed parking lot spilling onto the Calef Highway was the tell. So was the long, winding line of patrons waiting to buy tickets for seats in already-full grandstands.
This is what happens when a NASCAR star like Busch carves out time in his schedule to compete at the short-track level. Though he finished second to late-model racing ace Derek Griffith, Busch understands that when he races on this platform, everybody wins.
“It takes the fans in the stands at these short tracks to be able to get these short tracks going,” a worn-out Busch said. “I know what it’s all about. … It was nice to see a good crowd out here.”
PHOTOS: Kyle Busch racing at Lee USA Speedway
Busch’s desire to compete — and, frankly, to have a little fun — made his answer a quick and easy yes when his Richard Childress Racing spotter Derek Kneeland called before the season and asked about running in the Pro Stocks division (Super Late Models) at Lee USA a couple days before the Cup race at New Hampshire. Busch said he was in … as long as he’d have a good car.
He had just that with the No. 8 Go Fas Racing Chevrolet. Busch qualified fifth and ran around that position for the entirety of the 125-lap race. In the closing stages, he found himself running second and attempting to chase down Griffith before settling for his runner-up result.
In typical Rowdy fashion, disappointed he couldn’t finish one spot better, he accepted the second-place trophy with a sarcastic cheer as the crowd returned sincere applause.
Busch’s run was impressive nonetheless considering he was driving a new car on what was to him a foreign track.
“Whenever you come to places like this, it’s always hard to out-do the guys who have been here and have a thousand laps here,” Busch said. “Coming in for the first time with a brand-new car, one I had never driven before, it was interesting trying to feel it all out and learn what there was to learn.
“Early on I was just trying to ride. But when I saw [Griffith] picking them off and going a little bit, I was like, ‘OK, he knows what he’s doing, so I need to go a little bit, too.’ I just wasn’t as strong as him getting through [the field] before him.”
Busch was at least stronger than his Cup Series spotter Friday night. Also competing at Lee, Kneeland battled a loose race car in the opening laps and was forced a lap down when he pitted to address the issues. He joked that he was waiting for Busch to run him into the wall when the latter was passing by.
Kneeland has been racing is own Super Late Model all over the country over the last few years. Friday’s race at Lee USA gave him another chance to do so with the NASCAR national series activities at New Hampshire taking place so close.
Kneeland’s car issues kept him from battling Busch the way he did former RCR driver Tyler Reddick in the same race at Lee USA last year, but he echoed Busch’s sentiment on the joy both feel racing on a short track.
With that said, he knows his driver as well as anybody.
“I’d say he had some fun,” Kneeland said of Busch. “But I know he’s not going to be happy to finish second.”
Mohegan Sun 100
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
- Qualifying Results
| Pos | No. | Name | Sponsor | Best Tm | Best Speed |
| 1 | 51 | Justin Bonsignore | Phoenix Communications Inc. | 29.321 | 129.9 |
| 2 | 46 | Anthony Nocella | Riverhead Building Supply | 29.365 | 129.705 |
| 3 | 7 | Doug Coby | Mayhew Tools | 29.593 | 128.706 |
| 4 | 16 | Ron Silk | Blue Mountain Machine and Future Homes | 29.64 | 128.502 |
| 5 | 64 | Austin Beers | Dell Elect/Lumierre Elect/Andrew James Interior | 29.641 | 128.498 |
| 6 | 1 | Corey LaJoie | Celcius | 29.655 | 128.437 |
| 7 | 99 | Ronnie Williams | Tony’s Competition Engines | 29.662 | 128.407 |
| 8 | 54 | Tommy Catalano | FX Caprara | 29.709 | 128.204 |
| 9 | 58 | Eric Goodale | GAF Roofing/Riverhead Building Supply | 29.746 | 128.044 |
| 10 | 32 | Tyler Rypkema | Northeast Drilling/MUSCO Lighting | 29.781 | 127.894 |
| 11 | 07 | Patrick Emerling | Bonesteel Aerospace | 29.851 | 127.594 |
| 12 | 44 | Bobby Santos, III | Harshaw Paving/Olivas Market | 29.859 | 127.56 |
| 13 | 17 | Chase Dowling | Start Finish Productions/S&S Paving | 29.891 | 127.423 |
| 14 | 22 | Kyle Bonsignore | Chalew Performance/MTT/Munn’s Auto | 29.923 | 127.287 |
| 15 | 3 | Jake Johnson | Propane Plus/Lins Propane Trucks | 29.981 | 127.04 |
| 16 | 89 | Matt Swanson | Ceravolo’s Auto | 29.995 | 126.981 |
| 17 | 77 | Max McLaughlin | Curb Records/Mohawk Northeast | 30.055 | 126.728 |
| 18 | 21 | Anthony Bello | Bello Motorsports/SKM/JB Mgmt | 30.078 | 126.631 |
| 19 | 19 | Anthony Sesely | Wanick Construction Inc. | 30.159 | 126.291 |
| 20 | 36 | Dave Sapienza | Sapienza Enterprises/Eastport Feeds | 30.163 | 126.274 |
| 21 | 70 | Andy Seuss | Rockingham Boat | 30.274 | 125.811 |
| 22 | 26 | Max Zachem | Lakeland Landscape /TRC Electric | 30.275 | 125.807 |
| 23 | 6 | Woody Pitkat | Koopman Lumber | 30.289 | 125.749 |
| 24 | 43 | Matt Kimball | J&M Towing/Poodlack Wealth Mgmt/Post & Beam | 30.308 | 125.67 |
| 25 | 20 | Eddie McCarthy | McCarthy’s Marine Sales | 30.314 | 125.645 |
| 26 | 4 | Tim Connolly | Connolly Companies, Inc. | 30.401 | 125.285 |
| 27 | 97 | Bryan Dauzat | Brother-in-Law Motorsports | 30.679 | 124.15 |
| 28 | 18 | Ken Heagy | Buoy One Seafood and Restaurant | 31.125 | 122.371 |
| 29 | 01 | Melissa Fifield | Pine Knoll Auto Sales | 33.924 | 112.274 |
| 30 | 82 | Craig Lutz | Horton Ave Materials | No Time | No Time |
Mohegan Sun 100
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
- Practice results
| Pos. | Car No. | Driver | Sponsor | Best Time | Best Speed | In Lap | Laps | Diff. |
| 1 | 07 | Patrick Emerling | Bonesteel Aerospace | 29.11 | 130.842 | 25 | 25 | — |
| 2 | 51 | Justin Bonsignore | Phoenix Communications Inc. | 29.122 | 130.788 | 28 | 36 | 0.012 |
| 3 | 46 | Anthony Nocella | Riverhead Building Supply | 29.13 | 130.752 | 17 | 21 | 0.02 |
| 4 | 32 | Tyler Rypkema | Northeast Driling/MUSCO Lighting | 29.236 | 130.278 | 33 | 42 | 0.126 |
| 5 | 54 | Tommy Catalano | FX Caprera | 29.276 | 130.1 | 35 | 49 | 0.166 |
| 6 | 7 | Doug Coby | Mayhew Tools | 29.28 | 130.082 | 12 | 30 | 0.17 |
| 7 | 99 | Ronnie Williams | Tony’s Competition Engines | 29.322 | 129.896 | 23 | 31 | 0.212 |
| 8 | 64 | Austin Beers | Dell Electric/Lumiere Electrical/Andrew James Interiors | 29.346 | 129.789 | 26 | 50 | 0.236 |
| 9 | 89 | Matt Swanson | Cervado Auto | 29.349 | 129.776 | 33 | 38 | 0.239 |
| 10 | 44 | Bobby Santos, III | Harshaw Paving/Olivas Market | 29.365 | 129.705 | 26 | 33 | 0.255 |
| 11 | 17 | Chase Dowling | Start Finish Production/S&S Paving | 29.396 | 129.569 | 42 | 44 | 0.286 |
| 12 | 22 | Kyle Bonsignore | Chalew Performance/MTT/Munns Auto | 29.438 | 129.384 | 26 | 37 | 0.328 |
| 13 | 16 | Ron Silk | Blue Mountain Machine & Future Homes | 29.447 | 129.344 | 31 | 31 | 0.337 |
| 14 | 77 | Max McLaughlin | Curb Records/Mowhawk Northeast | 29.492 | 129.147 | 29 | 39 | 0.382 |
| 15 | 1 | Corey LaJoie | Celsius | 29.509 | 129.072 | 14 | 27 | 0.399 |
| 16 | 21 | Anthony Bello* | Bello Motorsports/SKM/JB Mgmt | 29.52 | 129.024 | 29 | 33 | 0.41 |
| 17 | 58 | Eric Goodale | GAF Roofing/Riverhead Building Supply | 29.58 | 128.763 | 44 | 46 | 0.47 |
| 18 | 6 | Woody Pitkat | Koopman Lumbar | 29.589 | 128.724 | 29 | 33 | 0.479 |
| 19 | 19 | Anthony Sesely | Wanick Construction, Inc. | 29.643 | 128.489 | 31 | 32 | 0.533 |
| 20 | 36 | Dave Sapienza | Sapienza Enterprises/Eastport Feeds | 29.68 | 128.329 | 27 | 39 | 0.57 |
| 21 | 20 | Edward McCarthy, Jr. | McCarthy’s Marine Sales | 29.693 | 128.273 | 28 | 47 | 0.583 |
| 22 | 43 | Matt Kimball* | J&M Towing Recovery/Poodlack Wealth Mgmt | 29.838 | 127.649 | 48 | 56 | 0.728 |
| 23 | 26 | Max Zachem | Lakeland Ave Landscape Supply/L.I. Wood Heat | 29.862 | 127.547 | 23 | 23 | 0.752 |
| 24 | 3 | Jake Johnson* | Propane Plus/Lin’s Propane Trucks | 29.965 | 127.108 | 13 | 15 | 0.855 |
| 25 | 82 | Craig Lutz | Horton Ave Materials | 29.971 | 127.083 | 9 | 12 | 0.861 |
| 26 | 4 | Tim Connolly* | Connolly Companies, LLC | 29.985 | 127.024 | 27 | 47 | 0.875 |
| 27 | 18 | Ken Heagy | Buoy One Seafood Market & Restaurant | 30.046 | 126.766 | 18 | 26 | 0.936 |
| 28 | 97 | Bryan Dauzat | Brother-In-Law Motorsports | 30.107 | 126.509 | 38 | 40 | 0.997 |
| 29 | 70 | Andy Seuss | Rockingham Boat | 30.167 | 126.257 | 9 | 20 | 1.057 |
| 30 | 01 | Melissa Fifield | Pine Knoll Auto Sales | 32.876 | 115.854 | 7 | 13 | 3.766 |
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (July 14, 2023) – The names of cancer heroes will ride with drivers in all three of NASCAR’s national series during September in recognition of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. The Martin Truex Jr. Foundation (MTJF) & The NASCAR Foundation Honor a Cancer Hero online auction presented by AdventHealth returns for a fourth year with fans able to bid to have their cancer hero’s name placed on the signature panel of their favorite driver’s race vehicle.
Online bidding is now live at NASCARfoundation.org/cancerhero. The auction runs through Monday, July 24, with heroes honored during the NASCAR Cup, Xfinity, and Craftsman Truck Series races at Kansas Speedway in September.
MORE: Cup Series schedule
“The NASCAR community is incredibly inspiring. Witnessing millions of people, including fans, drivers, and teams, united in their efforts to drive positive change in the lives of women and children affected by this devastating disease is truly heartening,” said Audrey Gregory, Ph.D., R.N., President and CEO for the AdventHealth Central Florida Division – North Region. “Both the awareness and funds raised through this online auction can make such a significant impact in the fight against cancer. Every bid and every contribution brings us closer to accelerating lifesaving research, pioneering new treatments, and enhancing care.”
“We are so grateful to the fans, AdventHealth, and The NASCAR Foundation for supporting our cancer hero program,” said NASCAR champion Martin Truex Jr. “It’s been incredibly humbling to see the teams, drivers and fans get behind this program to make it a success every year. We’re looking forward to seeing how much we can raise this year and seeing all the names of the cancer heroes riding along with the drivers.”
Proceeds from the online auction will benefit MTJF and The NASCAR Foundation, two organizations recognized as champions for the health and well-being of others. Since 2020, the auction has raised more than $300,000.
“We’re grateful to have partners like the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation and AdventHealth who share the same commitment to celebrating our cancer heroes,” said Nichole Krieger, vice president and executive director of The NASCAR Foundation. “Each year, we’ve seen the NASCAR community rally around these heroes to support such a great cause.”
The Honor a Cancer Hero auction is one of many initiatives supported through The NASCAR Foundation’s online auctions program that features race-used memorabilia and at-track experiences available for fans to bid online.
For more information, including a complete list of participating drivers, please visit NASCARfoundation.org/cancerhero.
NASCAR competition officials postponed a two-day test of a potential new Cup Series rules configuration for short tracks and road courses for 2024 because of the threat of rain at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
RELATED: Weekend schedule: New Hampshire | What to Watch
Six Cup Series teams were scheduled to participate in the test Monday and Tuesday, on the heels of the Crayon 301 that was moved to Monday (Noon ET, USA, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM) at the 1.058-mile track due to inclement weather. According to NASCAR communications representatives, the two-day test has been moved to Monday, July 31 and Tuesday, Aug. 1 after the weekend’s events at Richmond Raceway.
Teams were scheduled to try out aerodynamic changes to the front splitter and underbody at the New Hampshire test, also working with a pair of softer-compound tires from Goodyear. Competition officials have recently conducted wind-tunnel tests and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) computer modeling with the new splitter in an effort to mitigate the turbulence or “dirty air” that affects cars in traffic.
Goodyear officials tested April 25-26 at New Hampshire, with three drivers — Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski — participating to determine the tire compound for Sunday’s Cup Series race.
Although John Hunter Nemechek earned his season-best third victory last week in a dramatic overtime finish in Atlanta, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver was still only able to separate himself from fellow three-race winner, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill by 16 points atop the points standings in what has been a thrilling and tight contention for the 2023 regular-season championship.
The series arrives at the 1.058-mile New Hampshire Motor Speedway for Saturday’s Ambetter Health 200 (3 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, NBC Sports App) where the competition has historically been wide open for the Xfinity Series championship regulars.
RELATED: Xfinity standings | New Hampshire schedule
The NASCAR Xfinity Series there has featured a wide range of race winners — 27 different trophy winners in the event’s 35-race history.
Defending race winner, JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier is the only series full-timer to have hoisted the lobster after an Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire. In fact, he’s been particularly good at the track with eight top-10 finishes in 11 starts, highlighted by that victory last year. He is currently fourth in the series’ tight championship battle, 54 points behind Nemechek, but only nine points behind third-place driver Cole Custer.
The Stewart-Haas Racing driver, Custer, has a similarly positive track record at the “Magic Mile” with top-10 finishes in all three of his previous starts, and he won pole position for the 2019 race. New Hampshire is a significant place for Custer’s career. He earned his first national series win in the 2014 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race there becoming the youngest winner in series history at the age of 16 years, four months and 22 days. He’ll get two chances at the traditional lobster hoist in Loudon, as Custer will also compete in the NASCAR Cup Series race for Rick Ware Racing on Sunday.
With nine races still remaining to set the 12-driver playoff field, not only is the regular-season championship still very much up for grabs, but that playoff list remains hotly contested. There have been seven race winners to secure their postseason bid leaving five more positions still to be decided in the next two-month run.
Custer’s SHR teammate Riley Herbst is currently 12th in the standings — only six points ahead of Parker Kligerman, a Connecticut native who is making his first Xfinity Series start at New Hampshire since 2013 when he finished 20th in his debut there.
Of note, Truck Series regular Rajah Caruth will drive the No. 44 Alpha Prime Racing Chevrolet this weekend — his fifth start in the series.
Crayon 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway
(⏰ Monday, noon ET | 📺 USA, NBC Sports App | 📻 PRN, SiriusXM)
Everything you need to know for Monday’s NASCAR Cup Series race in Loudon, the 20th points-paying race of the 2023 Cup Series campaign.
Weekend schedule | TV schedule | Weather tracker | New Hampshire 101
📍 Location: Loudon, New Hampshire
📐 Track length: 1.058 miles
🎟️ Buy tickets: Find weekend passes, seats for the race
💰 Cup Series race purse: $7,520,319
📏 Race distance: 318.46 miles | 301 laps
🔢 Stages: 70 | 185 | 301
—
🚨 Race postponed: Weather forces move to Monday; get details
🚪 Entry list: Cup Series drivers entered
📋 Starting lineup: Christopher Bell races to pole | See full recap
🚗 Pit stall assignments: Where drivers will pit on Monday
🏆 Most recent winner: Christopher Bell, 2022
Key things to watch 🔑
Saturday’s sessions
Despite his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell capturing the pole position, Martin Truex Jr. looked most consistent during the afternoon’s practice and qualifying sessions. Truex rolled his way to P2 on both results boards, only bested by an incredible showing from Michael McDowell in the lone practice session. Nonetheless, Bell’s pole position should make him the driver to beat as the reigning track winner and already among the favorites to win this weekend. Aric Almirola, who was victorious in Loudon in 2021, will roll off P3 trailed by the Team Penske duo of Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney. Leading the charge for the Chevrolet camp is series points leader William Byron, who rolls off seventh. | Read the full practice, qualifying recap
Big story line
Which driver on the outside of the playoffs looking in will make the biggest statement? Plenty of drivers under the elimination line are searching for a massive win to lock their team into the Round of 16. But for a handful, there’s still a pretty significant points path to the postseason. Only one driver will reach Victory Lane, but others can do their best to maximize what they get out of the race. For instance, Bubba Wallace is only three points behind Daniel Suárez and Michael McDowell, leaving him slightly out of the playoff picture. AJ Allmendinger sits only 13 back from Suárez and McDowell. A big points day, or a faulty finish, from any of these drivers could swing the standings dramatically. And plenty of other drivers are in the mix, as well — including Chase Elliott, who’s surging up the standings after being sidelined for a handful of races. It’s going to be a fight to the finish, every single week. And just one win by a driver below the top 16 could change the entire outlook. | Check out the current playoff outlook
History tells us…
Christopher Bell will get back on track this weekend. Bell has been phenomenal at New Hampshire in the Next Gen era, finishing top two in both races, including a dramatic victory in 2022. Though he managed to ace the Bristol Dirt Race earlier this season, his recent results have left him sliding down the projected playoff standings. In his last eight races, Bell has six finishes outside the top 10, spotlighted by a 36th-place result at Kansas Speedway. The race could not come at a more ideal time for Bell, who has won at New Hampshire at every level of the NASCAR national series — once in Cup, three times in the Xfinity Series and once in the Craftsman Truck Series. He just knows how this place works. At a track that Joe Gibbs Racing has historically dominated, Bell will be a major focus and potentially contend for his second win of 2023.
He may not be the betting favorite to win, but watch out for…
Chris Buescher. At 70-1 opening odds, Buescher jumps off the page as a driver who presents incredible betting value this weekend. While Buescher has never finished better than 15th in his nine starts at Loudon, momentum might be on his side this time around. The No. 17 RFK Racing driver has six top-10 finishes in the last 10 races and is trending upward after a solid run at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Buescher has yet to find Victory Lane this year, though he’s proven he can win in the Next Gen era after a dominant 2022 performance at Bristol Motor Speedway. Like teammate Brad Keselowski, Buescher is currently in the projected playoffs based on points — so he should be trying to maximize his situation every single week. If you’re looking for a long shot, keep your eye on Buescher. | See complete list of DraftKings betting odds
Beef on the track? 🐄 🥩
In this week’s ‘Stacking Pennies’ episode, Corey and crew recount his on-track tangle with Erik Jones and talk about the aftermath.
Familiar favorites ⭐️
Our biggest pieces of the week — get covered for race day from all angles.
• At-track photos: Best shots from New Hampshire race weekend | Scroll through gallery
• Paint Scheme Preview: Lovely paint schemes for Loudon weekend | Pick a favorite
• Power Rankings: Will Martin Truex Jr. check Loudon off bucket list? | Latest driver rankings
• Fantasy Fastlane: Vibes for Christopher Bell at New Hampshire | Fantasy Live plays, lineup advice
• Betting odds: See which driver is favored to win the race | Top bets, underdog picks
• Stacking Pennies: Corey LaJoie recaps Atlanta and unwraps beef with Erik Jones | Listen to the podcast
💎 NASCAR 75: Learn more about the history of the sport, from pioneers to current stars | Visit NASCAR 75 hub
Hot off the press 📰
Key stories and breaking news from the week leading up to the race.
• Playoff Watch: How the 2023 postseason picture looks after Atlanta | Check out latest update
• Hall of Fame: NASCAR reveals nominees for 2024 class | Johnson, Knaus, others
• Kyle Busch: Been eyeing regular season championship since Race 2 or 3 | Watch interview
• Testing: NASCAR officials postpone rules package test at New Hampshire | Read more
• NASCAR Foundation: Teams with Martin Truex Jr. Foundation, AdventHealth to honor cancer heroes | Read more
• Sponsor news: Trackhouse Racing, Chastain announce multi-year with Anheuser-Busch | Read more
• Kaulig Racing: Team owner Matt Kaulig set to host charity golf tournament | Read more
• Davey Allison: Remembering the star on 30th anniversary of his passing | Read more | Davey through the years
• Chase Elliott: Set to compete in Xfinity Series race at Pocono Raceway | Read more
• Ryan Preece: New Englander aims to build on New Hampshire memories | Read more
• Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Hall of Famer launches new podcast series, ‘Becoming Earnhardt’ | Read more
• Garage 56: NASCAR taking program to historic Goodwood Festival of Speed | Read more
Get in on the action 💰
Think you know NASCAR? Put your mettle to the test with gaming, fantasy and Fan Rewards.
• Fantasy Live: Participate in interactive gameplay from week to week | Choose your lineup
• Fan Rewards: New in 2023, get rewarded for your participation | Learn more
• NASCAR BetCenter: Don’t miss your chance to make picks each week | Visit the BetCenter
• Going the distance: 2023 Cup Series championship odds | See them here
• The Action Network: Early betting favorites for Monday’s race | Expert analysis
Landing in Loudon 🦞
From Rusty Wallace’s incredible rally to the iconic lobster celebration in Victory Lane, New Hampshire is filled with NASCAR memories.
• Winner, winner: All-time winners at New Hampshire | See the full list
• Do you remember? Most memorable moments at Loudon | Relive them here
• Loudon legacy: NASCAR racing in New England is centered around New Hampshire | Read more
• Race Rewind: Christopher Bell ignites for winning run at the ‘Magic Mile’ | Watch highlights
Take some notes 📝
Five hard-hitting, race-relevant statistics, brought to you by the experts at Racing Insights.
• Chevrolet has only won one pole position at New Hampshire since 2014.
• Christopher Bell is the only driver under 30 to win at New Hampshire in the last 11 races.
• A driver led 100 laps or more in 15 of the last 17 races at New Hampshire.
• The final green-flag stretch was 83 or more laps in the last three races at New Hampshire.
• Eight races during the 2023 season have had an overtime finish.
🔮 Advance to Victory Lane: Racing Insights projects Monday’s finishing order