NASCAR: 5 drivers most likely to win the Crayon 301 at Loudon

NASCAR is set for its lone trip to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend. Who are the favorites to win Sunday’s Crayon 301 Cup Series race at Loudon?

For the sixth NASCAR Cup Series season in a row, there is just one race scheduled to take place at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

That race, the Crayon 301, is scheduled to take place this Sunday afternoon. It is the 20th of 26 regular season races and 36 total races on the 2023 schedule.

Since New Hampshire Motor Speedway lost its second race date after 2017, five races have been contested at the track, one each year. The race winner has gone onto the Championship 4 in four of those five seasons.

So while upsets are certainly possible, like we saw in 2021 with Stewart-Haas Racing’s Aric Almirola scoring a surprise win from well below the playoff cut line to end a nearly three-year win drought, the four-turn, 1.058-mile (1.703-kilometer) Loudon, New Hampshire oval has generally been a venue at which the cream rises to the top.

Who will be victorious in Sunday’s 301-lap race?

FanDuel Sportsbook is currently offering fans an instant $200 just for signing up and betting $20. Listed as the favorite to win Sunday’s race is Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell at +650 odds.

Here are the five drivers most likely to win, according to the odds.

Odds and availability are subject to change, so lock in your $200 today!

Bell as the favorite is no surprise, given the fact that he won this race last year to end a win drought of a season and a half. He is also a three-time winner at the track in the Xfinity Series, having won every race in which he competed there from 2018 to 2021.

Additionally, Toyota as a whole have been particularly strong at this venue as of late, taking three of the top four spots last year, so it’s no surprise to see teammates Denny Hamlin, a three-time winner at the track, and Martin Truex Jr. also listed in the top three.

Interestingly, Truex is still seeking his first Loudon win after it eluded him last year, when he led the most laps from the pole position and won both of the first two stages.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway is scheduled to host the Crayon 301 this Sunday, July 16. USA Network is set to broadcast the race live beginning at 2:30 p.m. ET. If you have not yet done so, begin a free trial of FuboTV now!