Joe Gibbs Racing has had an excellent track record in recent years at New Hampshire and that showed once again as John Hunter Nemechek got the win in the Xfinity Series, as well as his second straight win, and Martin Truex Jr finally scored the win at a track he grew up watching his dad race at.
In the Ambetter Health 200 Xfinity Series race at New Hampshire, John Hunter Nemechek led for 137 laps in the 206-lap race and held off charging rookie Chandler Smith to get his fourth win of the 2023 season. Nemechek now leads the Championship standings by 33 points over Austin Hill. The race ended under the caution flag after front-runners Sheldon Creed and Cole Custer wrecked coming to the white flag.
“They’ve had dominant JGR Supras the last couple of years and I had to hold up my end of the bargain,” said Nemechek after the race. “It’s nerve-wracking for sure [the final restart], so I’m so proud of this No. 20 team and everybody at Joe Gibbs Racing,” Nemechek added, “I think our first clean race of the year and hats off to all our guys.”
“Now it’s time to keep clicking off these victories,” Nemechek also said.
Runner-up Chandler Smith only led the first lap as he started from the pole, but ran up front for most of the race. Smith also had a malfunction with his cool suit that resulted in him receiving IVs at the care center after the race but was alright afterward.
Austin Hill finished third, and Daniel Hemric and Sammy Smith rounded out the top five. Justin Allgaier finished right behind them in sixth after leading 27 laps early on and winning the first stage. A great result despite getting tangled up in a wreck and overcoming a pit road penalty.
Martin Truex Jr scored a momentum-boosting and special win at New Hampshire as he led all but 47 laps of the 301-lap race. This win also marked his third win of the season and pushed the 2017 Champion to the points lead.
A few late cautions made Truex’s crew make the decision to take four or two tires, as they elected to take two tires to keep track position. Truex restarted third behind Kevin Harvick and Austin Dillon after they stayed out. Truex easily passed both immediately after the restart.
“I think it’s no secret that I’ve been after this one for a long time,” Truex said after the race. “It’s always been one that I wanted so bad, and maybe I think too bad at times.”
New Hampshire was on the top of the list of tracks that Truex wanted to win at, as he looked back on watching his father Martin Truex Sr compete in a Busch Grand National Race (now the Xfinity Series) there in the 90s.
On that day, Martin Sr.’s car was parked in the garage across from Dale Earnhardt’s, as Truex Jr recalled Earnhardt being busy at work with his car.
“Just seeing that was really cool because he was one of my favorite drivers growing up,” Truex said. “It was the first time I got around anybody of that caliber of racing, and it was a very, very special memory.”
Joey Logano finished second, while Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick, and Brad Keselowski finished in the top five. Tyler Reddick, Denny Hamlin, Bubba Wallace, Austin Dillon, and Chase Briscoe rounded out the top ten.
Both Xfinity and Cup Series head next to Pocono along with the Craftsman Truck Series.
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