NASCAR is already having to battle the elements with the Cup Series race in New Hampshire still a day away.
Rain in Loudon, N.H., canceled Saturday's qualifying race, meaning the starting lineup and pole position were determined based on NASCAR's rule book. It wasn't just qualifying that was impacted by the elements. NASCAR has already moved up the start of Sunday's race from 2:30 p.m. ET to 2:06 p.m. ET.
The race on the New Hampshire Motor Speedway is once again rebranded. It has gone through eight different title sponsors since the last year of the Camping World RV Sales 301 in 2014, cycling through these names: 5-hour Energy (2015), New Hampshire (2016), Overton's (2017), Foxwood Resort Casino (2018-21), Ambetter (2022) and Crayon (2023). In 2024, USA Today is the title sponsor for the race.
Which driver will take the field to green in Loudon? Here's what you need to know.
MORE: Watch NASCAR at New Hampshire live with Fubo (free trial)
Who won the USA Today 301 pole for 2024?
Chase Elliott will be driving from the pole position in Sunday's race in New Hampshire. He will be joined on the top line by Ryan Blaney.
Qualifying was canceled due to rain, which meant the lineup was set based on NASCAR's rules for rainouts. Elliott takes the top spot thanks to his position as the regular-season points leader and his third-place finish at Iowa Speedway last weekend.
Elliott has never raced from the pole position at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He has finished no higher than second on the track, which he accomplished in 2022 in the Ambetter 301.
"Yeah, I mean obviously we'd rather have an actual pole, for sure," Elliott said, according to NASCAR. "But you know, circumstances being what they are, fortunately our team has been performing at a really solid level over the past couple of months. The reality of it is that it put us in a position to have a good starting spot for a rainout situation. That's just the reality of the weekend.
"Certainly, we'll take a good starting spot, and more importantly, take a really good pit pick there on pit road."
USA Today 301 starting lineup
Pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
1 | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
2 | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
3 | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
4 | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
5 | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
6 | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
7 | Martin Truex Jr. | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
8 | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
9 | Brad Keselowski | 6 | RFK Racing |
10 | Josh Berry | 4 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
11 | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
12 | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 23XI Racing |
13 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 47 | JTG Daugherty Racing |
14 | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
15 | Chris Buescher | 17 | RFK Racing |
16 | Todd Gilliland | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
17 | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
18 | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
19 | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
20 | Carson Hocevar | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
21 | Noah Gragson | 10 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
22 | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
23 | Chase Briscoe | 14 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
24 | Justin Haley | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
25 | Michael McDowell | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
26 | Corey LaJoie | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
27 | Harrison Burton | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
28 | John H. Nemechek | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
29 | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
30 | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
31 | Ryan Preece | 41 | Stewart-Haas Racing |
32 | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |
33 | Daniel Hemric | 31 | Kaulig Racing |
34 | Zane Smith | 71 | Spire Motorsports |
35 | Kaz Grala | 15 | Rick Ware Racing |
36 | Ty Dillon | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
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