The 2023 Crayon 301 was a NASCAR Cup Series race held on July 17, 2023, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire. Contested over 301 laps on the speedway, it was the 20th race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. The race was postponed from Sunday, July 16 to Monday, July 17, due to rain. Martin Truex Jr. won the race, scoring his 34th and final Cup Series victory as a full time Cup Series driver.
Report
Background
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire, which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as the longest-running motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic. Nicknamed "The Magic Mile", the speedway is often converted into a road course, which includes much of the oval.
The track was originally the site of Bryar Motorsports Park before being purchased and redeveloped by Bob Bahre. The track is currently one of eight major NASCAR tracks owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports.
Entry list (R) denotes rookie driver. (i) denotes the driver ineligible for series driver points.
Driver Team Manufacturer 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 15 Ryan Newman Rick Ware Racing Ford 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 51 Cole Custer (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing ChevroletOfficial entry list
Practice Michael McDowell was the fastest in the practice session with a time of 30.129 seconds and a speed of .
Practice results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Time 1 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 30.129 126.416 2 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 30.131 126.408 3 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 30.210 126.077 Official practice results
Qualifying Christopher Bell scored the pole for the race with a time of 30.524 and a speed of .
Qualifying results Pos Driver Team Manufacturer 1 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 30.425 30.524 2 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 30.375 30.531 3 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 30.423 30.542 4 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 30.318 30.571 5 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 30.468 30.635 6 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 30.572 30.640 7 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.465 30.742 8 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 30.566 30.748 9 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 30.533 30.752 10 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 30.586 0.000 11 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 30.474 — 12 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 30.596 — 13 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 30.598 — 14 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 30.629 — 15 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.638 — 16 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 30.653 — 17 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 30.665 — 18 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.666 — 19 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 30.667 — 20 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 30.689 — 21 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 30.709 — 22 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 30.726 — 23 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 30.754 — 24 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 30.761 — 25 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 30.780 — 26 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 30.786 — 27 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 30.824 — 28 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 30.927 — 29 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 30.931 — 30 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 30.953 — 31 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 30.955 — 32 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 31.073 — 33 15 Ryan Newman Rick Ware Racing Ford 31.087 — 34 51 Cole Custer (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 31.163 — 35 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 31.219 — 36 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 31.408 —Official qualifying results
Race
Race results
Stage results
Stage One Laps: 70
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 84 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 75 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 66 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 57 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 48 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 39 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 210 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 1Official stage one results
Stage Two Laps: 115
Pos Driver Team Manufacturer Points1 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 102 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 93 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 84 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 75 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 66 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 57 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 48 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 39 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 210 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 1Official stage two results
Final Stage results
Stage Three Laps: 116
Pos Grid Driver Team Manufacturer Laps Points1 2 19 Martin Truex Jr. Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 301 602 4 22 Joey Logano Team Penske Ford 301 453 15 5 Kyle Larson Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 301 434 13 4 Kevin Harvick Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 301 385 9 6 Brad Keselowski RFK Racing Ford 301 356 6 45 Tyler Reddick 23XI Racing Toyota 301 417 20 11 Denny Hamlin Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 301 408 8 23 Bubba Wallace 23XI Racing Toyota 301 299 11 3 Austin Dillon Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 301 2810 27 14 Chase Briscoe Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 301 2711 30 43 Erik Jones Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 301 2612 18 9 Chase Elliott Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 301 2513 17 34 Michael McDowell Front Row Motorsports Ford 301 2514 25 48 Alex Bowman Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 301 2715 26 17 Chris Buescher RFK Racing Ford 301 2216 12 99 Daniel Suárez Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 301 2417 19 31 Justin Haley Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 301 2018 16 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet 301 1919 14 16 A. J. Allmendinger Kaulig Racing Chevrolet 301 1820 28 21 Harrison Burton Wood Brothers Racing Ford 301 1721 23 38 Todd Gilliland Front Row Motorsports Ford 301 1622 5 12 Ryan Blaney Team Penske Ford 301 2823 31 1 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet 301 1424 7 24 William Byron Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet 301 2225 22 2 Austin Cindric Team Penske Ford 301 1226 35 77 Ty Dillon Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 301 1127 36 54 Ty Gibbs (R) Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 301 1028 21 41 Ryan Preece Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 300 929 1 20 Christopher Bell Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota 299 1430 33 15 Ryan Newman Rick Ware Racing Ford 299 731 32 78 B. J. McLeod Live Fast Motorsports Chevrolet 295 632 29 42 Noah Gragson (R) Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet 268 533 24 7 Corey LaJoie Spire Motorsports Chevrolet 176 434 3 10 Aric Almirola Stewart-Haas Racing Ford 168 1035 34 51 Cole Custer (i) Rick Ware Racing Ford 130 036 10 8 Kyle Busch Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet 71 1Official race results
Race statistics Lead changes: 13 among 9 different drivers Cautions/Laps: 8 for 41 laps Red flags: 0 Time of race: 3 hours, 8 minutes, and 7 seconds Average speed:
Media
Television USA covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, four-time and all-time Loudon winner Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. called the race from the broadcast booth. Dave Burns, Kim Coon and Marty Snider handled the pit road duties from pit lane.
USABooth announcersPit reporters Lap-by-lap: Rick AllenColor-commentator: Jeff BurtonColor-commentator: Steve LetarteColor-commentator: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dave BurnsKim CoonMarty Snider
Radio PRN had the radio call for the race, which was also simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. Doug Rice and Mark Garrow called the race from the booth when the field races down the frontstretch. Rob Albright called the race from turns 1 & 2 and Pat Patterson called the race from turns 3 & 4. Brad Gillie, Brett McMillan and Wendy Venturini handled the duties on pit lane.
PRNBooth announcersTurn announcersPit reporters Lead announcer: Doug RiceAnnouncer: Mark Garrow Turns 1 & 2: Rob AlbrightTurns 3 & 4: Pat Patterson Brad GillieBrett McMillanWendy Venturini
Standings after the race
Drivers' Championship standings Pos Driver Points 1 1 Martin Truex Jr. 667 1 2 William Byron 650 (–17) 1 3 Christopher Bell 605 (–62) 2 4 Denny Hamlin 601 (–66) 2 5 Kyle Busch 593 (–74) 1 6 Ross Chastain 589 (–78) 7 Ryan Blaney 581 (–86) 8 Kyle Larson 574 (–93) 9 Kevin Harvick 568 (–99) 10 Joey Logano 563 (–104) 1 11 Brad Keselowski 539 (–128) 1 12 Chris Buescher 528 (–139) 13 Tyler Reddick 516 (–151) 14 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 464 (–203) 2 15 Bubba Wallace 433 (–234) 16 Michael McDowell 432 (–235)Official driver's standings
Manufacturers' Championship standings Pos Manufacturer Points 1 Chevrolet 756 2 Toyota 689 (–67) 3 Ford 671 (–85)
Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings. . – Driver has clinched a position in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.
References