LOUDON, N.H. – The inclement weather that visited the Lakes Region on Saturday forced NASCAR officials to cancel the qualifying runs for Sunday’s USA Today 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

When the elements interfere with the time trials, the starting order is determined by NASCAR’s Performance Metric. The NPM is a mathematical formula of percentages derived from the previous event on the Cup Series schedule.

The 17th event on the 2024 NASCAR schedule was the Iowa Corn Powered by Ethanol 350 at Iowa Speedway on June 16, a race won by Ryan Blaney in the No. 16 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford for Team Penske.

The metric includes the fastest lap position (15%), the driver’s finishing position (25%) and the team owners finishing position (25%) at Iowa. The owner points accrued by each race team accounts for the final 35 percent the formula. The race teams are divided into two equal groups from which the rows are set.

When the numbers got crunched the pole position was awarded to Chase Elliott, the operator of the 9 Napa Auto Parts Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsport. Blaney will start alongside Elliott in Row 1 followed by William Bryon and Christopher Bell, the 2022 Cup Series winner at NHMS. Defending champion Martin Truex Jr. will start on the inside of Row 4.

“Obviously I would rather have an actual pole for sure, but circumstances being what they are and fortunately our team has been performing at a really solid level over the past couple months,” said Elliott. “The reality of it put us in a position to have a good starting spot in the rainout situation.

“It’s just the reality of the weekend and we will certainly take a good starting spot and more importantly take a really good pit pick there on pit road.”

Elliott leads the driver’s standings with 591 points that includes one win, seven finishes in the top-5 and nine in the top 10. Hendrick Motorsports has three drivers in the top five in owner’s points, Kyle Larson (1st), Elliot (2nd) and Bryon (4th).

“It is nice to be leading in points but there is a lot of racing left,” said Elliott. “I think we have room for improvement still yet and we would like to be in a position to get more points and that’s where I’m at.”

Elliott will be making his 11th Cup Series start on the Magic Mile, all under the Hendrick banner. He has two top-5 finishes and three top 10 that includes a second-place finish in 2022. Track position is key to a successful run at NHMS, with its four low-banked turns and long narrow straights.

“The toughest thing with Loudon always is the lack of banking that it has and the straightaways are really long,” said Elliott. “Trying to have your car in a position where it you are comfortable enough to get yourself in the corner.

“That’s why it is tough, the corner entries are flat, the straightaways are long and you going pretty fast. Just finding that right balance for what you are looking for in your car is really important.”

The Bell Tolls

Christopher Bell made it four-for-four in Xfinity races on the Magic Mile.

Bell took the lead in the final lap of overtime to take the checkered flag in the SciAps 200. Bell, who operates the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, recorded previous wins in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

“I was very fortunate to keep my undefeated streak alive,” said Bell.

A light rain was falling when NASCAR made the weighty decision before the start to have each car mounted with softer wet weather tires, the first time they have ever been used on an oval track. Wet weather tires have been used on road and street courses in the past.

The race went under caution after 10 laps when NASCAR ordered a competitive pit stop to have the cars remounted with slick (dry weather) tires. The race resumed on lap 16 with Cole Custer in the lead. Sam Mayer was out front at the end of Stage One and Bell at the end of Stage 2.

Bonsignore wins third

Dueling cousins Justin and Kyle Bonsignore finished 1-2 in the caution filled running of the Whelen Modified Tour Mohegan Sun 100.

The race had originally been scheduled for 6:40 p.m., but due to expected bad weather conditions, went off at 10 a.m. Justin Bonsignore, who operates the No. 51 for owner Ken Massa, notched his third win in 26 runs at New Hampshire.

“Right from the start the car fired off really good,” said Bonsignore. “There was a lot of aggression on that front of controlling the race and the second half of the race just played with cautions.”

The race devolved into a three-car affair on the 27th lap with Bonsignore contesting, three-time NHMS winner Ron Silk and Jake Johnson of Rehoboth, Mass.

The pack reformed under caution on the 42st lap when the leaders visited pit road. Bonsignore was back in front on the 55th lap when Silk drove Craig Lutz high onto the wall on turn three causing the fourth caution of the run. Silk had his car examined on Pit Road and resumed racing from the back of the pack and finished 10th.