After an eventful race on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s 1.54-mile track that saw John Hunter Nemechek snag his third win of the season in an impressive overtime finish, the NASCAR Xfinity Series is heading to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Ambetter Health 200 on Saturday, July 15 at 3 p.m. ET (USA Network, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR radio) – the 18th event of the 26-race regular season.
There have been 35 NASCAR Xfinity Series races on New Hampshire’s “Magic Mile”, producing 27 different race winners and 20 different pole winners. Nine races have been won from the pole or first starting position, most recently by Kyle Busch in 2017.
Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Kyle Busch, set quite a few records at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in his stints in the Xfinity Series. He has posted the most wins (six), led the most laps (740) and is tied with Kevin Harvick for most top fives with nine each. He also set the track’s race record in 2009 with his speed of 111.925 mph and the qualifying record with his 2013 speed of 131.916 mph.
Cup Series regular Christopher Bell was on a winning streak at the track, snagging the checkered flag in three consecutive races (2018, 2019, 2021). Bell didn’t race in last year’s Xfinity Series, leaving space for JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier to post his first New Hampshire Motor Speedway win. He is the only previous winner entered in this weekend’s Ambetter Health 200.
The NASCAR Xfinity Series drivers will take to the grid for practice at 5:05 p.m. ET on Friday, July 14, followed by qualifying at 5:35 p.m. ET on the USA Network and streamed on the NBC Sports App.
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Next Race: Ambetter Health 200
The Place: New Hampshire Motor Speedway
The Date: Saturday, July 15
The Time: 3 p.m. ET
The Purse: $1,226,689
TV: USA Network, 2:30 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Distance: 211.6 miles (200 laps); Stage 1 (Ends on Lap 45),
Stage 2 (Ends on Lap 90), Final Stage (Ends on Lap 200)
Drivers that make the ‘magic’ on New Hampshire’s mile
With time winding down before the Playoffs, all drivers, especially those who haven’t secured their postseason spot, will be sure to put on a show for fans as they race to the finish line this weekend. But there are some drivers who have an edge heading into New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
As the only driver in the field that has landed in Victory Lane at the 1.058-mile New Hampshire track, JR Motorsport’s Justin Allgaier definitely has an advantage, and will be looking to post his second win of the season to move up in the standings this weekend. In 11 starts at New Hampshire, he has put up one win (2022), three top fives and eight top 10s. If Allgaier wins this weekend, he will become just the third driver all-time to win consecutive races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, joining Kyle Busch (2009-11 and 2016-17) and Christopher Bell (2019-21).
Although Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer has yet to post a win at the New Hampshire 1.058-mile track in the Xfinity Series, he’s put up some good numbers. In his three starts, he’s posted one top five, three top 10s and snagged the pole in 2019. The 25-year-old driver also heads into the weekend riding a wave of 11 consecutive top-10 finishes this season. Plus, keep in mind that Custer won his first NASCAR national series race at New Hampshire in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2014, and the win set the record for the youngest winner in Truck Series history at the age of 16 years, 4 months and 22 days.
Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill only has one start at New Hampshire Motor Speedway (2022) where he posted a seventh-place finish, but he’s done well on other one-mile tracks this season. He finished seventh at Phoenix Raceway and fourth at Dover Motor Speedway. He currently sits in second in the Xfinity Series standings just -16 points behind the standings lead. This season, Hill has amassed three wins (Daytona, Las Vegas, Atlanta), nine top fives, 13 top 10s and 236 laps led.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway: A place of firsts for many
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a memorable and special place for several drivers as it provided ‘firsts’ in their NASCAR Xfinity Series careers. They don’t call it the ‘Magic Mile’ for nothing.
A total of 47 different drivers have made their first NASCAR Xfinity Series career start at New Hampshire, including most recently Julia Landauer in 2022.
| Drivers | Date | Drivers | Date | ||
| 1 | Julia Landauer | Saturday, July 16, 2022 | 25 | Mark McFarland | Saturday, May 9, 1998 |
| 2 | Dawson Cram | Saturday, July 17, 2021 | 26 | Brad Leighton | Saturday, May 10, 1997 |
| 3 | CJ McLaughlin | Saturday, July 20, 2019 | 27 | Kevin Grubb | Saturday, May 10, 1997 |
| 4 | Donald Theetge | Saturday, July 21, 2018 | 28 | Wayne Grubb | Saturday, May 10, 1997 |
| 5 | Scott Heckert | Saturday, July 16, 2016 | 29 | Bill Hoff | Friday, July 12, 1996 |
| 6 | Matt Wallace | Saturday, July 18, 2015 | 30 | Mike Cope | Friday, July 12, 1996 |
| 7 | Todd Peck | Saturday, July 18, 2015 | 31 | Jerry Marquis | Saturday, May 13, 1995 |
| 8 | Brennan Newberry | Saturday, July 12, 2014 | 32 | Jeff Neal | Saturday, May 7, 1994 |
| 9 | Brett Butler | Saturday, July 13, 2013 | 33 | Tom Rosati | Saturday, May 7, 1994 |
| 10 | Chad Hackenbracht | Saturday, July 13, 2013 | 34 | Andy Santerre | Sunday, August 22, 1993 |
| 11 | Ryan Preece | Saturday, July 13, 2013 | 35 | Brian Ross | Sunday, August 22, 1993 |
| 12 | Matt Frahm | Saturday, July 16, 2011 | 36 | Gary Clark | Sunday, August 22, 1993 |
| 13 | Kevin Swindell | Saturday, June 26, 2010 | 37 | Tom Bolles | Sunday, August 23, 1992 |
| 14 | Chase Mattioli | Saturday, June 27, 2009 | 38 | Babe Branscombe | Sunday, July 12, 1992 |
| 15 | Charles Lewandoski | Saturday, June 28, 2008 | 39 | Mike Barry | Sunday, July 12, 1992 |
| 16 | Danny Efland | Saturday, June 30, 2007 | 40 | Mike Stefanik | Sunday, July 12, 1992 |
| 17 | Eddie MacDonald | Saturday, June 30, 2007 | 41 | Glenn Sullivan | Sunday, October 13, 1991 |
| 18 | Peyton Sellers | Saturday, July 15, 2006 | 42 | Jamie Tomaino | Sunday, October 13, 1991 |
| 19 | Dale Quarterley | Saturday, July 16, 2005 | 43 | Bob Brunell | Sunday, July 14, 1991 |
| 20 | Ryan Moore | Saturday, July 16, 2005 | 44 | Barney McRae | Sunday, October 14, 1990 |
| 21 | Matt Kobyluck | Saturday, July 24, 2004 | 45 | Tommy Kendall | Sunday, October 14, 1990 |
| 22 | Tammy Jo Kirk | Saturday, July 19, 2003 | 46 | Derrike Cope | Sunday, July 15, 1990 |
| 23 | Mike Johnson | Saturday, May 11, 2002 | 47 | Rodney Franklin | Sunday, July 15, 1990 |
| 24 | Jamie Skinner | Saturday, May 8, 1999 |
Four drivers earned their first pole in the series at the New Hampshire track: Josh Berry (2022), Landon Cassill (2008), Jamie McMurray (2004) and Michael McLaughlin (1995).
Another two drivers have earned their first Xfinity Series career win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Bobby Hamilton Jr. posted his first Xfinity win in 2002 and 1990 DAYTONA 500 winner Derrike Cope posted his first Xfinity Series win in 1994.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs Standings: Nine to go, five spots still remain
With another win by Joe Gibb’s Racing’s John Hunter Nemechek last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway, five spots are still up for grabs for the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs as the regular season only has nine races left.
The following seven drivers have already earned their spot in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs by virtue of their wins: John Hunter Nemechek, Austin Hill, Cole Custer, Justin Allgaier, Chandler Smith, Sammy Smith and Jeb Burton.
Currently in the eighth spot in the Playoff outlook is JR Motorsport’s Josh Berry, who made it the Championship 4 Round of the Playoffs last season. Berry has posted seven top fives and 11 top 10s this season thus far and is currently 84 points above the postseason cutline. Berry has made two starts at New Hampshire in the Xfinity Series posting one top-10 finish (eighth).
After a fifth-place finish last weekend at Atlanta, JR Motorsport’s Sam Mayer has moved up in the standings, now sitting in the ninth spot in the Playoff outlook +46 points above the cutline. Like his JRM teammate Berry, Mayer has made just two starts at New Hampshire, but his best finish at the 1.058-mile track is 15th (2022).
Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric is next in the Playoff outlook in the 10th spot, up +41 points on Parker Kligerman in the first spot outside the Playoff cutoff (13th). The 2021 Xfinity Series champion has put up two top fives and nine top 10s this season, and if he can hold on to a postseason spot, he will look to make the Playoffs for the fifth-time in his career (2017-18 and 2012-22).
Richard Childress Racing’s Sheldon Creed slides in 11th position in the Playoff outlook, up +26 points on the postseason cutline. This season, the California native has collected two top fives, six top 10s and a pole in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Creed will be one to watch this weekend, he made his Xfinity Series New Hampshire Motor Speedway debut last season posting a fifth-place finish.
Sitting in the final transfer spot on points (12th) in the Playoff outlook is Stewart-Haas Racing’s Riley Herbst. Herbst is in his fourth full-time season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series and is still looking for his first win, but that’s not slowing him down. Herbst heads into this weekend just six points up on Parker Kligerman in 13th – the first spot outside the Playoff cut line. Herbst, from Las Vegas, Nevada, has posted three top fives and seven top 10s this season. Herbst has made just two starts at New Hampshire in the Xfinity Series posting a top-10 finish in 2021.
Herbst closest competition, Parker Kligerman in 13th in the Playoff outlook, sits six points back from 12th, and Kligerman also has put up three top fives and seven top 10s this season. It’s been a while since Kligerman has run in the Xfinity Series at the 1.058-mile track, he made his one and only start in his series track debut at New Hampshire in 2013 and finished 20th.
NASCAR Xfinity Series, Etc.
Cole Custer heads to his second Cup Series start of 2023 – Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer, who ran a full-time NASCAR Cup Series schedule last season, made a deal to pilot the No. 51 Ford for Rick Ware Racing for three Cup Series races this season. His first race came last weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway where he finished 32nd in the rain shortened event.
Custer will join the RWR team again this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and will then wrap up at Pocono Raceway. He’s made three Cup Series starts at the New Hampshire track, posting one top 10-finish.
Rajah Caruth to race at New Hampshire – NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series regular Rajah Caruth will be joining Alpha Prime Racing this weekend for his fifth NASCAR Xfinity Series start of the 2023 season. He will get behind the wheel of the No. 44 Chevrolet.
This will be his first start in the Xfinity Series at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. In his previous four starts this season, he’s posted a best finish of 21st (Auto Club).