Following the Cup race at New Hampshire on Sunday, it was clear which drivers emerged victorious and which ones fell short. Christopher Bell secured his second win of the season, following up his Xfinity race victory. This success allowed car owner Joe Gibbs to forgive Bell for revealing ahead of schedule who would be taking over the No. 19 ride next year.
Meanwhile, Joe Gibbs Racing continued their impressive streak at New Hampshire by having a car finish first or second for the 13th consecutive race. Chase Briscoe, who finished 23rd when the race was stopped due to rain, managed to secure a season-best second place finish. He attributed the rain to saving their race. With eight races remaining in the regular season, Briscoe sits just 25 points below the playoff cutline. Josh Berry also had a strong day, tying his season-best finish by coming in third after the race resumed after being 20th when it was halted by rain.
However, not all drivers were able to celebrate their successes. Bubba Wallace found himself in the losing column after getting involved in a crash triggered by Noah Gragson. He finished 34th and fell out of a playoff spot, now sitting 13 points below the cutline. Justin Haley had been in a strong position at fifth when the race was halted by rain but suffered damage after contact with Michael McDowell upon resumption of racing, resulting in a 29th place finish. Kyle Busch also struggled during the race, being lapped early and involved in three accidents before finishing 35th – this marks three out of four races where he has finished 35th or worse.
Hendrick Motorsports also faced losses as they have not won at New Hampshire since July 2012 and are currently experiencing an 18-race losing streak at the track