NASCAR Cup Series pilot Christopher Bell on Sunday continued his dominance at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in unique fashion.
Leading for a season-high 149 laps and forced into overtime, Bell earned the rain-delayed USA Today 301 checkered flag by becoming the first circuit driver to win while driving on wet weather tires. Bell visited Victory Lane more than six hours after the green flag.
“This is really cool,” Bell told NBC Sports.
Bell is mastering the art of understatement. Including Saturday’s Xfinity Series win at the 1.058-mile oval, Bell has seven national series victories in 11 trips to Loudon, N.H. He is 4-for-4 in Xfinity events.
On Sunday, Bell overcame the weather and curious driving conditions with the wet weather tires. Following a 134-minute delay, NASCAR officials sent the drivers back out on a wet track with the experimental tires.
Bell didn’t mind the uncertainty or the 14 caution periods.
“I personally love adverse conditions because you’re always trying to think outside of the box,” Bell said.
X (twitter) users replied to Bell slickly navigating his way to his third win of the season …
CHRISTOPHER BELL WINS THE WET WEATHER BATTLE AT NEW HAMPSHIRE!
The No. 20 driver sweeps the weekend at @NHMS for his 3rd victory of the 2024 season.
What a wild day of racing at the Magic Mile.#NASCAR pic.twitter.com/6dAH3tSiJv
— NASCAR on TSN (@NASCARonTSN) June 24, 2024
Bell admitted to not being a big fan of one of sport’s liveliest trophies. Here is a brief history …
Christopher Bell has won the #USATODAY301! And with that win comes one of the more unique trophies in NASCAR… a giant lobster!
Earlier this weekend, @MackenzieSalmon asked drivers what they’d do if they won Loudon the lobster. #NHMS #sportsseriously #TheMagicMile pic.twitter.com/NIiv4ljKwg
— USA TODAY Sports (@usatodaysports) June 24, 2024
Bell had an eventful weekend. Sunday’s win likely earned the Joe Gibbs Racing driver some slack after relaying to the press Friday a garage secret. It left an opening for Kyle Larson …
Kyle Larson had some fun with Christopher Bell’s breaking news 😂
More» https://t.co/pCrZWB4lin#NASCAR | @bobpockrass pic.twitter.com/bvOoBZlxwz
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 22, 2024
After Saturday’s Cup qualifying session was cancelled because of rain, the track driers were on the job early Sunday afternoon …
Toyota Track Drying team hard at work here at @NHMS. PRN on air 1:30 eastern will coverage of the USA Today 301 @PRNlive pic.twitter.com/4jNu24kqGS
— Mark Garrow (@GuruGarrow) June 23, 2024
It’s green in Loudon …
The USA TODAY 301 is GREEN from New Hampshire!@AlwaysRaceDay pic.twitter.com/5Au7dLpFkb
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) June 23, 2024
Pole-sitter Chase Elliott and Joey Logano, two former Cup champions, wreck on Lap 194. Logano, who placed P32, locked up his left front tire. Elliott, who led 41 laps, finished P16 …
Another look at the contact between the Nos. 9 and 22. pic.twitter.com/VPpTgunW0Y
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 23, 2024
Martin Truex Jr., who announced his retirement following this season, must be getting grumpy in his old age. He rebounded with a P9 …
.@MartinTruex_Jr was not happy with the No. 6. pic.twitter.com/urNoHY1d2A
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 23, 2024
Talk about a rain shower …
You know that giant bucket that dumps water at amusement parks?
Tyler Reddick’s pit box looks kind of like that. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/Lmi9H1BW8P
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) June 23, 2024
Kenny’s stance on rain tires …
My thoughts on the
“Wet Weather tires” and what they were meant for🏁 #Nascar pic.twitter.com/6B3s7iD4GQ— Kenny Wallace (@Kenny_Wallace) June 23, 2024
Following a two-plus hour rain delay, NASCAR officials ordered teams to put on rain tires and go back racin’ …
NASCAR fans will see this and say “hell yeah” pic.twitter.com/QMK9AfgTgp
— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) June 23, 2024
Finally, back to the on-track action …
This one’s for the NASCAR fans who stuck it out at the track or at home watching on USA Network.
HERE. WE. GO. pic.twitter.com/QB01754CpW
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) June 23, 2024
Can anyone pick a worse four-race stretch for Kyle Busch than the one he’s suffering through now. He placed P35 …
Kyle Busch just crashed under yellow and called it a day pic.twitter.com/bUSCAvbg4q
— Rubbin is Racing (@rubbinisracing) June 23, 2024
Justin Haley ran into Ross Chastain, who recovered and earned a top-10 finish. Haley, however, came in 29th …
Contact between the Nos. 51 and 1 brings out the yellow on Lap 235. pic.twitter.com/8m5FTKQQcC
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 23, 2024
Stage 2 winner Denny Hamlin struggled on the wet weather tires and dropped to 14th place with 47 laps to go. His fall coninued, finishing P24 after leading for 43 rotations …
The No. 11 team bolts on four fresh Goodyear wet weather tires for Denny Hamlin.
An extended stop as they check out something on the right front.#USAToday301 pic.twitter.com/HZXplPqiTc
— Chase Folsom (@cfolsom_racing) June 23, 2024
A spinning Noah Gragson (10) takes out Bubba Wallace, Austin Dillon, Erik Jones, John Hunter Nemechek and Austin Cindric on Lap 265 …
Bubba Wallace is DONE FOR THE NIGHT.
Noah Gragson slides into him and collects the No. 23 and Austin Dillon.
📺 : USA Network pic.twitter.com/U0V7IMcIdm
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) June 23, 2024
An upset Bubba being an upset Bubba …
Bubba Wallace parked his car right in front of Noah Gragson. 👀 pic.twitter.com/2sMVbDB9Zs
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) June 23, 2024
Taken out while in the runner-up positon, Ryan Blaney, who won the circuit’s inaugural event at Iowa Speedway last Sunday, criticized Michael McDowell’s aggressive actions that led to the accident. Imagine Blaney’s situation if the defending Cup champion still had yet to qualify for the playoffs? …
Contact at the front of the field!@Blaney and @Mc_Driver are collected! pic.twitter.com/9uRUnZqed0
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 24, 2024
Bell’s signature performance at NHMS …
Never a doubt! #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/eb2pxDTDES
— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) June 24, 2024
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