NASCAR at New Hampshire results: Christopher Bell captures first win of '22 after strong showing by Martin Truex Jr.

Kevin Skiver

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NASCAR at New Hampshire results: Christopher Bell captures first win of '22 after strong showing by Martin Truex Jr. image

Always the bridesmaid, never the bride.

That will be the sentiment after yet another strong showing by Martin Truex Jr. in New Hampshire. After winning the first two stages of Sunday's Ambetter 301, Truex faltered in the third stage, which allowed Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell and Chase Elliott to battle it out for the win.

Bell ultimately won the race — his first win of 2022 — with a dominant final 20 laps and left Truex with more heartbreak.

Bell is the 14th different winner in the NASCAR Cup Series this year with six regular-season races remaining. As a consolation prize, Truex's two stage wins have moved the playoff cut line in the standings up to him.

For Elliott, it's another impressive notch in his belt this season. Bubba Wallace finished third for his best finish since Daytona in the first race of the season. It also is his third top-10 finish this year.

This was Bell's first win since the O'Reilly Auto Parts 253 in 2021 on the Daytona road course. There are now two spots available in the Cup Series playoffs with his victory.

The early going of the race was marred by crashes that took out Alex Bowman and Ty Dillon.

MORE: Watch NASCAR Cup Series races live with fuboTV (free trial)

NASCAR at New Hampshire live updates, highlights from Ambetter 301

(All times Eastern)

6:54 p.m. -- Christopher Bell gets the checkered flag! Chase Elliott finishes in second, Bubba Wallace finishes third, Martin Truex Jr. in fourth after an outstanding race.

6:50 p.m. -- With under 10 laps to go, Bell is extending his lead. It should be fast & furious down the stretch.

6:47 p.m. -- Bubba Wallace is making a fuel play, sitting about eight seconds back of the front pack.

6:40 p.m. -- Truex is now in fifth place, but over 10 seconds back. Bell is trying to make a move on Bell, but Bell has begun to open a lead.

6:34 p.m. -- Bell finally makes a move around Elliott and builds up a one-second lead.

6:29 p.m. -- It's shaping up to be a two-man race between Elliott and Bell.

6:25 p.m. -- Chase Elliott claims the No. 1 spot on lap 246 for a moment before Busch takes it back.

6:18 p.m. -- Elliott simply won't go away. He's back in the top three with fewer than 70 laps left.

6:16 p.m. -- After a brief stint outside of the Top 10, Truex is back in. He's looking to avoid another heartbreak in New Hampshire, but there's work to do.

6:08 p.m. -- The entire top 10 is now within around three seconds of each other, with Truex in eighth and Harvick in 10th.

6:06 p.m. -- With a restart on Lap 209, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, and George Custer make up 1-2-3. 

5:59 p.m. -- We are within 100 laps. Truex-Elliott-Harvick 1-2-3.

5:56 p.m. -- An ambitious move from Harrison Burton doesn't pay off. He stays out alongside Chase Briscoe and Kyle Busch, but Truex will not be denied. He's back in the lead and Burton is struggling to stay in the Top 5.

5:49 p.m. -- With 114 laps to go, they're back under pace. Should be an interesting final stretch in New Hampshire.

5:46 p.m. -- Truex takes the second stage, continuing his dominance in New Hampshire. He is looking to win his first lobster boil.

5:41 p.m. -- With the second stage winding down, Chase Elliott is in the rear-view mirror in third place. Should be a concern to everyone on the course, particularly Truex.

5:38 p.m. -- Harvick is up to second place behind Truex, who is trying to win his second consecutive stage. They're back under the green flag.

5:35 p.m. -- Tons of problems all over the track now. Aric Almirola went to the garage, and Austin Dillon and Brad Keselowski are fighting with each other with another caution up as the second stage winds down.

5:29 p.m. -- Towards the end of the second stage, the green flag is back up. Truex, Logano, and Harvick make up the Top 3.

5:24 p.m. -- With 32 laps in Stage 2, they're still under caution.

5:16 p.m. -- Ryan Blaney spins out, sending the race back into caution with 40 laps left in the stage.

5:14 p.m. -- Could this be Truex's day? He's nearly five seconds ahead of second place, and with a stage already under his belt, his car is running a difficult track extremely well.

5:06 p.m. -- Chase Elliott is back in the Top 10 with a strong push in this second stage. He's in ninth place, just behind Bubba Wallace.

5:03 p.m. -- Once again we have a lead change, with Truex retaking the lead on the 123rd lap.

4:59 p.m. -- Logano has already forgone a pit stop and he's apparently pushing for a Stage 2 win. He has a pack looking to threaten him, however, with Truex less than a second behind.

4:56 p.m. -- Truex is making a strong push after already winning a stage. He's up to second place with ~75 laps to go.

4:52 p.m. -- With 85 laps to go in Stage 2, they restart. Joey Logano, Chris Buescher, and Austin Cindric make up the top three as they try to gain some ground.

4:39 p.m. -- A big crash near the 90th lap, with Corey LaJoie and Harrison Burton slamming into each other and sending the race into caution.

4:21 p.m. --  Martin Truex Jr. has won the first stage for his sixth stage win this season. He made the most of his pole position and it paid dividends early.

4:16 p.m. -- A shake-up in the top three, as Larson has broken through and is third behind Truex and Wallace with under 10 laps in the first stage. Elliott and Harvick are now fourth and fifth, respectively.

4:01 p.m. -- Kevin Harvick is up three spots to No. 7, behind Aric Almirola. He's got a strong history at New Hampshire, so it could be an aggressive day for No. 4.

3:57 p.m. -- About 25 laps in, the top three remains the same. Truex Jr., Wallace, and Elliott sit 1-2-3. Kurt Busch is fourth. Kyle Larson rounds out the top five.

3:42 p.m. -- We already have a crash early! This course is not going to be a friendly one. Ty Dillon and Alex Bowman get hit hard. Their days are going to be over.

3:40 p.m. -- They're underway in New Hampshire, with Bubba Wallace trailing Truex Jr. early. Chaes Elliott immediately drops to third.

3:30 p.m. -- Grand Marshal Sarah London gives the call for the drivers to start their engines, and we'll be underway on the other side of the break.

3:14 p.m. -- Driver introductions are underway, so we'll be getting a green flag in the near future after a brief delay to dry the track.

What time does the NASCAR race start today?

  • Date: Sunday, July 17
  • Time: 3 p.m. ET

The Ambetter 301 is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Sunday, July 17.

NASCAR LINEUP AT NEW HAMPSHIRE: Starting order, pole

What channel is NASCAR on today?

  • TV channel: USA Network
  • Live stream: NBC Sports App, fuboTV

Sunday's race will be carried by the USA Network in the U.S.

Streamers can watch the race on either the Peacock app or by streaming USA Network's broadcast of the race using fuboTV, which offers a free trial.

NASCAR lineup at New Hampshire

Here is the complete NASCAR starting lineup for the Ambetter 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

Starting pos. Driver Car No. Team
1 Martin Truex Jr. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing
2 Chase Elliott 9 Hendrick Motorsports
3 Kurt Busch 45 23XI Racing
4 Bubba Wallace 23 23XI Racing
5 Christopher Bell 20 Joe Gibbs Racing
6 William Byron 24 Hendrick Motorsports
7 Aric Almirola 10 Stewart-Haas Racing
8 Kyle Larson 5 Hendrick Motorsports
9 Brad Keselowski 6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing
10 Kevin Harvick 4 Stewart-Haas Racing
11 Ryan Blaney 12 Team Penske
12 Joey Logano 22 Team Penske
13 Tyler Reddick 8 Richard Childress Racing
14 Denny Hamlin 11 Joe Gibbs Racing
15 Michael McDowell 34 Front Row Motorsports
16 Chris Buescher 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing
17 Kyle Busch 18 Joe Gibbs Racing
18 Ross Chastain 1 Trackhouse Racing
19 Daniel Suarez 99 Trackhouse Racing
20 AJ Allmendinger 16 Kaulig Racing
21 Corey LaJoie 7 Spire Motorsports
22 Erik Jones 43 Petty GMS Motorsports
23 Cole Custer 41 Stewart-Haas Racing
24 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing
25 Justin Haley 31 Kaulig Racing
26 Todd Gilliland 38 Front Row Motorsports
27 Alex Bowman 48 Hendrick Motorsports
28 Austin Cindric 2 Team Penske
29 Chase Briscoe 14 Stewart-Haas Racing
30 Austin Dillon 3 Richard Childress Racing
31 Harrison Burton 21 Wood Brothers Racing
32 BJ McLeod 78 Live Fast Motorsports
33 JJ Yeley 15 Rick Ware Racing
34 Josh Bilicki 77 Spire Motorsports
35 Ty Dillon 42 Petty GMS Motorsports
36 Cody Ware 51 Rick Ware Racing

Kevin Skiver

Kevin Skiver Photo

Kevin Skiver has been a content producer at Sporting News since 2021. He previously worked at CBS Sports as a trending topics writer, and now writes various pieces on MLB, the NFL, the NBA, and college sports. He enjoys hiking and eating, not necessarily in that order.