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NASCAR returns to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Crayon 301 Cup Series race. Coming off an exciting rain-affected race in Atlanta, the series heads to Loudon, New Hampshire, this weekend.
The 1.058-mile asphalt and granite oval in Loudon will host the NASCAR Whelen, Xfinity, and Cup Series races over the weekend. The Ambetter Health 200 Xfinity race is scheduled at 3:00 PM ET on July 15. The green flag for the Crayon 301 Cup Series race is set to drop at 2:30 PM ET on July 16.
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The oval in New Hampshire, famously known as 'The Magic Mile', has previously been dominated by Toyota drivers, specifically the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers. There has been a shift of balance from Ford to Toyota as NASCAR moved to the next-gen era.
With the playoffs inching ever closer, there are a few high-profile drivers who are desperately in need of a victory. Although this weekend might not provide a new winner for the season, the unique surface of the track and the new tire compound introduced by Goodyear might throw a few curveballs.
To prep up your appetite for the upcoming Crayon 301 Cup Series race, we give you a shortlist of four drivers that you need to keep your eye on.
#4 Tyler Reddick
In his previous three visits to the New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Tyler Reddick has one top-10 finish and 13th and 21st-place result in the remaining outings. However, these results came in the #8 Chevy for Richard Childress Racing.
This year, Tyler Reddick will be driving the #45 Toyota Camry which finished in the top 10 last year, with Kurt Busch behind the wheel. Reddick is expected to bounce back from the poor string of results in the last five races on a track that favors Toyota machinery.
#3 Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin has two wins and 4 top-five finishes on 'The Magic Mile'. Given the team's dominance on the track in recent times, Hamlin is an easy favorite to challenge for the win.
Hamlin has already won a race at Kansas this season and will be eager to join the multiple race winners club, which includes William Byron, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, and teammate Martin Truex Jr.
#2 Martin Truex Jr.
Ever since breaking his winless streak at Dover, Martin Truex Jr. has been a victory contender on most weekends. Winning his second race at Sonoma, Truex Jr. currently sits second in the drivers' standings, behind Byron, banking on his six top-five results.
The 2017 NASCAR Cup Series champion has been the most consistent Toyota driver this season, and is an easy pick for the race win. The #19 driver has never won at New Hampshire and will be looking forward to taking home the Lobster trophy this year.
#1 Christopher Bell
Last year's race winner in Loudon, Christopher Bell boasts the best record of any NASCAR driver on 'The Magic Mile'. Out of his eight starts on the 1-mile oval, Bell has finished in the top two in every race except one.
The #20 Toyota driver won the Truck Series race in 2017 and three Xfinity races on the track. In his first outing on the track in the 2020 Cup Series, he was classified 28th. Bell bagged runners-up finish with JGR in 2021 and bettered his result by winning the race last season.
This Sunday, Christopher Bell will weave his magic around the track defending his previous year's victory.
