Aric Almirola found some magic and turned his 2021 season around and shook up the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Outlook by winning the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Sunday’s race (7/18/21) on the track known as the “Magic Mile” started with drama and seemed to have a shifting story line from that point on. Kyle Busch started on the pole with Martin Truex Jr. next to him on the front row. There was a mist as the green flag waived. That mist kept getting harder over the first few laps. On lap six of the race it became a hard rain in turn one causing both Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jt. to slide up the track and hit the wall. The crash ended Kyle’s day. Martin had severe damage and would not be able to contend for the win, but was able to continue in the race.
The rain came causing the cars to be parked on pit row and a red flag issued. The rain delay was nearly two hours before racing could resume. Since New Hampshire Motor Speedway is not a lighted track, that put being able to run the complete 301 laps scheduled in question. After the race has passed the half-way point, NASCAR informed the teams that should darkness threaten the safety of the race they would inform all teams that there would be ten more laps to determine the outcome of the race.
Ryan Blaney was the winner of the first stage of the race. Brad Keselowski would be the winner of stage two of the race. Both of these drivers would be contenders for the win at the end of the race.
Aric Almirola has had a terrible 2021 season to date. It seemed like whenever he would look like he could have a good race luck was not on his side. Something would happen to take even a decent finish away from him. Sunday his car was good and kept getting better. In the third and final stage Aric began challenging for the lead and win. He was able to take the lead and hold it for quite awhile. When he finally had to pit for fuel as the end of the race was nearing he lost the lead to Brad Keselowski following the green flag pit stop sequence. However, he was able to race forward and regain the lead.
With just 18 laps remaining in the race Christopher Bell looked as though he might be able to catch Aric and challenge for the win. That is when NASCAR had to make the decision to shorten the race due to impending darkness for safety. They announced that the race would end in 10 laps. Aric was able to continue to be the race leader for those laps and eight laps shy of 301 laps become the winner of the race.
This is Aric Almirola’s third career win in the NASCAR Cup Series. It is his first win on a non-restrictor plate track. It is his first win since October of 2018, 98 races ago. It is his first win of the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season. The win moves him from 27th in the point standings and not in contention for the playoffs to in the NASCAR Playoffs.
Christopher Bell finished in the runner-up position with Brad Keselowski in third. Jory Logano rallied back to claim fourth after a serious issue early in the race put him two laps down. Ryan Blaney rounded out the top five. See the complete race results for the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 here.
Following the race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Denny Hamlin remains the leader in the point standings. Kyle Larson remains second with William Byron moving up a spot to third. Kyle Busch slips back a spot to fourth with Chase Elliott remaining in fifth. See the complete NASCAR Cup Series point standings here.
As far as the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Outlook goes, there are now only three spots in the top 16 remaining that are not filled by a driver with at least one win. There are four races remaining. The pressure has been increased again for those drivers not locked in the post-season. The next chance to get a win to get in will be on the road course of Watkins Glen International in the Go Bowling at the Glen Sunday, August 8th as NASCAR takes a two-week break for the Olympics.
By: Buck Stevens
