LOUDON, N.H. – Christopher Bell has emerged as the top driver at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Bell seized the lead on a restart with two laps remaining to take the checkered flag in Sunday’s running of the USA Today 301 on the Magic Mile. Bell, the operator of the No. 20 Rheem Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, captured his third win in 18 races this season. Bell led the final 82 laps of regulation and four in overtime.
Bell completed the Magic Mile double by winning the SciAps 200 on Saturday, his fourth Xfinity series race victory in as many starts. Bell has won his first Cup Series race at NHMS in 2022 and now has six wins at NHMS in six years.
“I just think Christopher is gifted and the further he goes, we all really appreciate it,” said Gibbs, who won three Super Bowls as the head coach of the Washington Redskins. “I think he is a real talented guy and he is the All-American guy.
“The sponsors love him and he is just a kid that everybody loves. It was great to see him get the success he deserves. He works hard.”
Tyler Reddick, the operator of the No. 45 SiriusXM Toyota for 24XI Racing, was in the lead when the race went under red flag on lap 219. All the drivers pitted with the intention to refit the vehicles with wet weather tires, but NASCAR put the race on hold as a severe weather band emptied the stands.
The race was under red flag for 2:14:49 hours when the cars returned to the track. It was third time wet weather tires were used on an oval track. Reddick lined up in the top lane for the restart.
“I personally love adverse conditions because you are always trying to think outside the box,” said Bell. “When we went back out, I was feeling around and it felt like the normal Loudon groove was really slippery.
“I just tried to run down and run up and Adam (crew chief Stevens) put the tune on this thing and it was running pretty good.”
Chase Briscoe, who started the race in 23rd, was the runner up followed by Josh Berry, Kyle Larson and Chris Buescher, who improved his previous best at NHMS by 10 places.
“It was fun racing there at the end slipping and sliding around,” said Briscoe. “The track was changing a lot and the groove was literally changing lap in and lap out.”
Stage 1
Pole sitter Chase Elliott, operator of the Napa Auto Parts Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, opened a sizable lead on the field from the green flag and enjoyed clean air racing. Elliott had a 3.6 seconds lead on Christopher Bell and Joey Logano 25 laps into the race.
Bell narrowed the gap when Elliott got jammed up in lap traffic and took the lead with a low move on the treacherous turn four on lap 42. Bell had weaved through lap traffic growing his lead on Elliott and Logano. Bell collected his 10 stage points when he reached 70 laps with a 1.9 seconds lead on Logano.
Stage 2
Bell led the parade of drivers onto pit road on lap 71 where he took four tires and topped the tank. Bell was inside on Logano with defending champion Martin Truex Jr. on his bumper on the Stage 2 restart.
The race developing in Bell’s rearview mirror got interesting when Josh Berry in the No. 4 Ford and three-time winner Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 Toyota entered the mix with Logano and Truex.
Bell lost six places when he hit pit road on lap 126. Todd Gilliland in the No. 38 Ford was in the lead when the race went under caution on lap 142. Hamlin took the lead on the restart and remained in front when the race became official with the completion of lap 151.
Hamlin recorded his fourth stage win of the season with the completion of 185 laps. Hamlin lost seven places when he pitted and took four ties. Elliott and Logano took each other out of contention when collided on lap 196. Truex, who lost position on an earlier bad pit stop, spun out on lap 209.
From the edge
Patriots pass rusher Matthew Judon was the honorary pace car passenger for the Super Bowl of auto racing in New England.
Judon is the eighth member of the Patriots organization to set the race in motion. The list includes former offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and players David Andrews, Gunner Olszewski, Patrick Chung, Matt Light, Rob Ninkovich, and Julian Edelman.
An NFL defense involves a lot of moving parts on every play. That’s why Judon could appreciate how a pit crew can change four tires and fill a gas tank in the time it takes to complete a screen pass.
“What these guys do out here is pretty amazing,” said Judon. “It is just timing and teamwork to get the win and how efficient they are doing it.”
