Wet weather is expected again this weekend as the NASCAR Cup Series rolls into New Hampshire for the Crayon 301.
The NASCAR Cup Series continues its march to the playoffs with the next stop coming in Loudon at the tricky New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Several big-name drivers are still looking for their first wins of the year to clinch that crucial playoff spot, and it looked as if there would be an opportunity last week.
The drivers raced in Atlanta last week, battling the weather in a race that would eventually be called early in Stage 3.
With some unknown weather and differing strategies, there was a chance for someone to snag that first win. But it wasn’t meant to be as William Byron grabbed the victory to give him four on the season.
Byron had to fight for this win. Corey LaJoie spun him early in the race and sent him one lap down. Thanks to an ensuing series of cautions he got back onto the lead lap. Then, at the beginning of Stage 3, he found himself in a great position.
While others came in for fresh tires and fuel, he took the risk of staying out on old tires in hopes that the rain would save him, and save him it did.
After leading the field at the beginning of the final stage, a caution slowed things down again and allowed the rain to creep in. After just a handful of laps in Stage 3 NASCAR red-flagged the race with Byron eventually declared the winner.
Chances like that don’t come around often, and Byron and his team showed just why they’ve been so good this year with yet another good strategy call. Let’s see if any drivers desperate for a win can pull off something similar this weekend.
The one to beat?
In eight national series starts at @NHMS, @CBellRacing has finished outside the top two only once. pic.twitter.com/majmypd28f
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 13, 2023
The Track
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is one of the toughest tracks on the calendar. Located in Loudon, New Hampshire, the 1.058 mile (1.703 km) track features shallow banking of just two to seven degrees in the corners.
While this allows for multiple lines to be run, it also makes it tricky for the drivers as they have to continually search for grip on the near-flat surface.
Christopher Bell won last year’s race, while Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton won four times apiece at Loudon to sit tied atop the all-time list.
Look out for the Toyotas and Fords to be strong this weekend, as they’ve kept Chevrolet out of victory lane in Loudon for over a decade. The last Chevy win in New Hampshire came in 2012 when Kasey Kahne won for Hendrick Motorsports.
On Sunday, Stage 1 will be the first 70 laps of the race while Stage 2 will be the next 115 laps. Stage 3 will consist of the final 116 laps of the race.
Also, stop me if you’ve heard this one before: rain is expected this weekend. Wet weather is again set to affect running for the Cup Series, with the forecast calling for around a 70% chance of rain around the start time of Sunday’s race.
We’ll see just how affected the on-track running becomes, but it’s nothing the drivers aren’t used to given the weather at recent races.
Points Standings
Here’s how the playoff standings look after the rain-shortened race at Atlanta. Bubba Wallace sits just three points below the cutoff line while A.J. Allmendinger and Ty Gibbs are both within 30 points of Michael McDowell for the final playoff spot.
Hendrick’s Alex Bowman and Chase Elliott are 22nd and 23rd respectively. They both still need a win to capture a playoff spot.
- William Byron*, Hendrick Motorsports
- Kyle Busch*, Richard Childress Racing
- Martin Truex Jr.*, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Ross Chastain*, Trackhouse Racing
- Kyle Larson*, Hendrick Motorsports
- Denny Hamlin*, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Christopher Bell*, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Ryan Blaney*, Team Penske
- Joey Logano*, Team Penske
- Tyler Reddick*, 23XI Racing
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.*, JTG Daugherty Racing
- Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing
- Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing
- Chris Buescher, RFK Racing
- Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Racing
- Michael McDowell, Front Row Motorsports
*= 2023 race winner
Predictions
Joe Gibbs Racing leads the way on the odds table with Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, and Martin Truex Jr. listed as the three favorites this weekend. Despite that, I’m looking a bit further down at a driver still looking for his first win of 2023.
Kevin Harvick has historically been strong at New Hampshire, and he’s been on a good run recently. He’s finished in the top six in eight of his last nine races at the track, with three wins in that span.
Harvick is still desperate for that first win, and I think that desperation will fuel a run to victory for him this weekend.
- Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing
- Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing
- Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports
- Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing
- Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing
How To Watch: NASCAR at New Hampshire (All times ET)
- Practice: Saturday, July 15 – 12:05 p.m. – USA
- Qualifying: Saturday, July 15 – 12:50 p.m. – USA
- Crayon 301: Sunday, July 16 – 2:30 p.m. – USA
