The NASCAR Cup Series returns to the northeast this weekend for the Crayon 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway's just over one-mile mostly flat oval. The Joe Gibbs Racing stable enters the weekend as heavy favorites, but weather is likely to be a factor for the third straight week.
Here’s everything to know ahead of the Crayon 301:
Crayon 301 TV, streaming, radio schedule
All times Eastern
Saturday12:05 - 12:50 p.m.: Practice (USA, NBC Sports app, PRN)1 - 2:15 p.m.: Qualifying (USA, NBC Sports app, PRN)
Sunday2 - 2:30 p.m.: Pre-race show (USA)2:30 - 5:30 p.m.: Crayon 301 (USA, NBC Sports app, PRN)
MondayNoon - 3:30 p.m.: Crayon 301 (USA, NBC Sports app, PRN)
Crayon 301 starting grid
Christopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Martin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Aric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Joey Logano (22), Team Penske Ford
Ryan Blaney (12), Team Penske Ford
Tyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing Toyota
William Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Bubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing Toyota
Brad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing Ford
Kyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Austin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet
Daniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Kevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
A.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Kyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet
Michael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Chase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Justin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing Chevrolet
Denny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Ryan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Austin Cindric (2), Team Penske Ford
Todd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports Ford
Corey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Alex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Chris Buescher (17), RFK Racing Ford
Chase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing Ford
Harrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing Ford
Nyoah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Erik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club Chevrolet
Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
BJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports Ford
Ryan Newman (15), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Cole Custer (51), Rick Ware Racing Ford
Ty Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Ty Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Crayon 301 details
Track: New Hampshire Motor Speedway (1.056-mile oval), Loudon, New HampshireLength: 301 laps for 318.458 milesBanking: Turns – 2-7 degrees | Straightaways – 1 degreeLast year's winner: Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing
Top drivers and best bets for the Crayon 301
Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas have won six of the last 11 races at Loudon and as such are well-represented among the favorites according to BetMGM. Christopher Bell, Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin all enter the weekend with better than 10-to-1 odds to visit Victory Lane.
Best odds to win• Christopher Bell +600• Martin Truex Jr. +600• Denny Hamlin +800• Kyle Larson +900
Yahoo Sports' Nick Bromberg wrote earlier in the week on the betting outlook for Loudon and suggests staying away from the fourth JGR driver Ty Gibbs (+3500). Gibbs has only driven in one national series event at Loudon – last year's Xfinity race – and turned a second-row start into a 21st-place finish.
Bromberg points to 2021 series champion Chase Elliott (+1200) and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney (+1600) as good mid-tier value bets. Elliott finished second at New Hampshire last year while Blaney has been remarkably consistent there with an average start of 10.5 and average finish of 12.8 in 10 career entries.
Ryan Newman leads list of part-timers
Ryan Newman – who drove full-time in the Cup Series from 2002-2021, winning 18 races – will make just his second start since stepping away from the series when he drives the No. 15 Rick Ware Racing Ford entry this weekend. Cole Custer will make his second-straight start in the No. 15 Ware Racing machine while BJ McLeod makes his 12th start in the No. 78 Live Fast Motorsports Ford as he continues to split time with Josh Bilicki and Anthony Alfredo.
Crayon 301 entry list
Ross Chastain (1), Trackhouse Racing ChevroletAustin Cindric (2), Team Penske FordAustin Dillon (3), Richard Childress Racing ChevroletKevin Harvick (4), Stewart-Haas Racing FordKyle Larson (5), Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletBrad Keselowski (6), RFK Racing FordCorey LaJoie (7), Spire Motorsports ChevroletKyle Busch (8), Richard Childress Racing ChevroletChase Elliott (9), Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletAric Almirola (10), Stewart-Haas Racing FordDenny Hamlin (11), Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaRyan Blaney (12), Team Penske FordChase Briscoe (14), Stewart-Haas Racing FordRyan Newman (15), Rick Ware Racing FordA.J. Allmendinger (16), Kaulig Racing ChevroletChris Buescher (17), RFK Racing FordMartin Truex Jr. (19), Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaChristopher Bell (20), Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaHarrison Burton (21), Wood Brothers Racing FordJoey Logano (22), Team Penske FordBubba Wallace (23), 23XI Racing ToyotaWilliam Byron (24), Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletJustin Haley (31), Kaulig Racing ChevroletMichael McDowell (34), Front Row Motorsports FordTodd Gilliland (38), Front Row Motorsports FordRyan Preece (41), Stewart-Haas Racing FordNoah Gragson (42), Legacy Motor Club ChevroletErik Jones (43), Legacy Motor Club ChevroletTyler Reddick (45), 23XI Racing ToyotaRicky Stenhouse Jr. (47), JTG Daugherty Racing ChevroletAlex Bowman (48), Hendrick Motorsports ChevroletCole Custer (51), Rick Ware Racing FordTy Gibbs (54), Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaTy Dillon (77), Spire Motorsports ChevroletBJ McLeod (78), Live Fast Motorsports FordDaniel Suárez (99), Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Crayon 301 weekend weather forecast
Rain and thunderstorms are in the forecast for the entire weekend, including an 84% chance of rain Sunday. NASCAR does have a wet-weather package that includes brake lights, windshield wipers and grooved tires that allow the cars to race on a damp track, but not anything more than a drizzle.
Given NASCAR’s protocols (see above) for moving race start times combined with the predicted deluge, a postponement to Monday afternoon seems most likely.