Dominant. That’s the perfect word to describe Christopher Bell’s weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Despite difficult weather conditions and numerous delays, the 29-year-old made a real breakthrough by winning both the NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series races.
This was no easy feat, and Bell had to pick up the broom to become one of just four drivers to record three Cup Series wins this season.
As he pulled up the 24-pound lobster in Victory Lane, one couldn’t help but think that a one-two finish at the Magic Mile would not have been possible without rain tires. During the post-race press conference, Christopher Bell detailed his ninth career win, breaking the race down into two events.
Wet tire madness at New Hampshire
The NASCAR Cup Series race in New Hampshire lasted a total of six hours, including a delay of more than two hours. It was only the third time wet tires were used on the oval track, but that didn’t stop Bell, leading 149 of the 305 laps in his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.
He finished the race 1.104 seconds ahead of runner-up Chase Briscoe, who started 23rd. Josh Berry, Kyle Larson and Chris Buescher were next in the Magic Mile. When asked about the race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Christopher Bell said with a big grin, “It was literally a tale of two completely different events.” Of course, the rain totally ruined everything on the track.
We got off to a very good start in dry conditions. I was able to take the lead in the first stage, but Martin really showed his stuff in the second stage. I think we still had room to improve in the dry. ”
Christopher Bell has won seven of his 11 races at this circuit, and it’s clear that he enjoys racing at the Magic Mile. “I definitely didn’t have a dominant car,” Bell said of the performance of his No. 20 Toyota Camry. Every time it rained, it felt like I was somewhere else.
Whatever it was, it was really fun to go through this series with wet tires and wet, humid conditions, doing 80 laps. It was just a lot of fun, a lot of fun.
The race in New Hampshire was a milestone not only for Christopher Bell, but for NASCAR. In the past, it wasn’t uncommon for a race to be canceled due to weather conditions if it had completed enough laps to be a legitimate points race.
However, NASCAR decided to wait, even if it meant a two-hour delay, for the development of rain tires. Without rain tires, the race would have been canceled, that’s for sure. But thanks to NASCAR’s preparation, Christopher Bell had another chance to show off his handling in difficult conditions.
Christopher Bell thrives in difficult weather conditions
This is not the first time Christopher Bell has won a NASCAR Cup Series race in adverse weather conditions. Earlier this season, he won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but the result was rather disappointing. With over 151 laps remaining, the race was red-flagged for more than two hours due to persistent rain. At the 1,058-mile oval speedway in Loudon, New Hampshire, Christopher Bell has won not once, but twice.
Regarding his achievement in difficult weather conditions, Christopher Bell said, “Personally, I love adverse conditions because it always forces you to think outside the box.” Every time I went back and felt around, the usual Loudon groove felt really, really slippery.
So I just tried to go down and up, and (crew chief Adam Stevens) gave it the momentum it needed, so I turned really nicely…. Guys, this isn’t shortened!
And it’s not without reason that I like these adverse conditions. Bell was pretty confident about the rain tires. He said: “When they changed to rain tires, my chances increased significantly.” Bell held the lead throughout a race that required five restarts on a wet track.
In a race that featured multiple strategies, ever-changing track conditions, a two-hour rain delay and multiple accidents that sidelined some of NASCAR’s biggest stars, Christopher Bell held his own almost effortlessly to win New Hampshire in a commanding victory.
With NASCAR heading to Nashville next weekend, it wouldn’t be surprising if Bell prayed to the rain gods for another thunderstorm at Tennessee’s 1,330-mile tri-oval. Do you think Christopher Bell will win the race at Nashville Superspeedway? Let us know in the comments!
