LOUDON, N.H. — Christopher Bell used a three-wide, last-lap pass on Saturday to drive away and win the NASCAR Xfinity Series race for the fourth straight time at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

The 29-year-old Bell needed three extra laps on the 1.058-mile track but remained undefeated at New Hampshire in the Xfinity Series and scored another win for Joe Gibbs Racing in the No. 20 Toyota.

Bell led 43 of 203 laps and added this checkered flag to his collection of Xfinity wins at New Hampshire in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

Sheldon Creed was second and Cole Custer third, both drivers caught up in Bell’s thrilling pass and both drivers fell just shy of keeping Bell out of victory lane.

“I feel so bad for Sheldon,” Bell said. “He’s been really really close to winning these things.”

Creed has two runner-up finishes this season and 10 overall in the Xfinity Series without a win in 86 career races. He’s tied with Dale Jarrett and Daniel Hemric for most second-place finishes before a victory.

“I’m running out of ways to lose these things,” Creed said.

Bell and Custer kept the headlines confined to the track.

Bell blurted out that Chase Briscoe was set to leave Stewart-Haas Racing, which shuts down at the end of the season, and make the move to Joe Gibs Racing in 2025. Briscoe is slated to drive the No. 19 Toyota for JGR.

Custer lost his Cup ride at SHR after the 2022 season and spent the last two years driving for its Xfinity program. He won the series championship last season and leads the points standings this season by 15 points over Zane Smith.

“I felt like we had that one,” Custer said. “We had the best car all day and to have it ripped away with one lap to go is just heartbreaking.”

Custer, who led 114 laps at New Hampshire, could get a return to the Cup next season.

SHR co-owner Gene Haas announced this week he will remain in the Cup Series and field one car in 2025. Haas will keep one of the four charters that belong to Stewart-Haas Racing and will operate next season as the Haas Factory Team.

“I think what Gene Haas has done in this sport, it would be a dream come true to get to run that Cup car,” Custer said.

Stewart-Haas Racing is primarily run by Joe Custer, the chief operating officer and longtime Haas confidant. Custer will remain president of Haas Factory Team — and his son could get the Cup seat.

“Whenever I went back to the Xfinity Series, my goal was always to go back to Cup,” Cole Custer said. “I’ve been trying to work on what I can do to get myself better over the past year and a half. At the end of the day, you try and do as best you can and you hope it all sorts itself out. But I really don’t have much to say or anything right now that’s solidified or anything.”

Justin Bonsignore finished 23rd in his Xfinity Series debut hours after he won a race at the track in NASCAR’s Modified Tour. He’s a three-time NWMT champion. Driving the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, Bonsignore was collected in a late wreck.

The Xfinity race was run on wet-weather tires, a first for the series on the oval.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series is going to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the Sci Aps 200 on June 22, and excitement is in the air. “The Magic Mile” always produces fun racing for the Xfinity Series, with Toyota winning seven of the last eight races in New Hampshire. The action is expected to be just as intense on the 1.058-mile track.

Below, you can find more details about the on-track action at New Hampshire Motor Speedway this week!

New Hampshire NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule

Here are the upcoming practice, qualifying, and race times for the current race weekend on the NASCAR schedule (all ET).

Saturday, June 21

• 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m.: Xfinity Series Autograph Session (Fan Zone)
• 2:55 p.m.: Xfinity Series Driver Introductions
• 3:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Race: Sci Aps 200 (USA Network) – Watch FREE on Fubo

New Hampshire NASCAR XFINITY Series tickets

Tickets are still available for the Sci Aps 200 and other events throughout the New Hampshire NASCAR weekend in 2024, including the USA TODAY 301.

Book your tickets for the USA TODAY 301 today

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CONCORD, NH — Concord police are investigating a gun threat incident on the top floor of the Durgin Block Parking Garage on School Street Friday night, not far from revelers enjoying the 50th Annual Market Days Festival.

Around 8:30 p.m., police dispatch received a report from a caller that an unknown man pulled a gun on them in the garage. The caller gave the dispatcher the plate number of the vehicle the man was occupying. The dispatcher looked at security cameras and confirmed several people were on the top floor of the garage.

Several officers headed to the area while dispatch gave them the license plates, makes, and models of the vehicles leaving. As they headed to the garage, a dispatcher said, “I just saw the gun,” and said the guy with the gun was in a blue Ford. They could not confirm from security cameras if it was real or a BB gun, they said.

Officers intercepted several vehicles while another officer began eyeing security footage for license plates. The suspect vehicle was stopped on the fourth floor of the garage. According to an officer, the driver was detained in handcuffs for officer safety and placed in the back of a cruiser. Witnesses on the first floor of the garage were questioned. A green Mini Cooper that left the scene was stopped outside the Statehouse on North State Street. Two other vehicles were stopped in the Merrimack County Savings Bank parking lot next door.

One officer, while examining the Ford, reported seeing a bullet on the floor of the vehicle, according to scanner chatter.

During the investigation, other officers were sent to the garage, and some headed to other calls, including a Dunkin’ Donuts on South Main Street theft incident and a woman screaming that someone was trying to kill her, which was heard in the area of the dog park on Old Turnpike Road.

One witness claimed the man who pointed the gun at his friend was involved with his ex-girlfriend. Another officer said they believed the man and the ex-girlfriend were associated with a call they were involved with in May.

At least one person was taken into custody.

A tow truck was requested to remove the Ford from the garage.

Concord NH Patch will update this post when more information becomes available.

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