2017 Overton's 301

File:New Hampshire International Speedway (2007).jpg, the track where the race was held]]

New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a {{convert|1.058|mi|adj=on}} oval speedway located in Loudon, New Hampshire, which has hosted NASCAR racing annually since the early 1990s, as well as the longest-running motorcycle race in North America, the Loudon Classic. Nicknamed "The Magic Mile", the speedway is often converted into a {{convert|1.6|mi|adj=on}} road course, which includes much of the oval.

The track was originally the site of Bryar Motorsports Park before being purchased and redeveloped by Bob Bahre. The track is currently one of eight major NASCAR tracks owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports.

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Kyle Larson was the fastest in the first practice session with a time of 28.430 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|133.971|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Lee|title=Larson leads opening Cup practice at NHMS, Hamlin crashes|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-larson-hamlin-loudon-practice-930645/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=July 14, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire|date=July 14, 2017}}

File:Martin Truex Jr. - 2017 Camping World 500 (cropped).jpg scored the pole position.]]

Martin Truex Jr. scored the pole for the race with a time of 28.621 and a speed of {{Convert|133.077|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} after Kyle Larson was disqualified after failing post-qualifying inspection.{{cite news|last=Gelston|first=Dan|title=Larson's NASCAR pole tossed out with inspection failure|url=http://racing.ap.org/article/larsons-nascar-pole-tossed-out-inspection-failure|access-date=July 14, 2017|work=Associated Press|agency=Associated Press|publisher=AP Sports|date=July 14, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170718152030/http://racing.ap.org/article/larsons-nascar-pole-tossed-out-inspection-failure|archive-date=July 18, 2017|url-status=dead}}

Martin Truex Jr. was the fastest in the second practice session with a time of 29.000 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|131.338|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Lee|title=Truex tops second practice session in New Hampshire|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/truex-tops-second-practice-session-in-new-hampshire-931093/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=July 15, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire|date=July 15, 2017}}

Kyle Busch was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 29.086 seconds and a speed of {{Convert|131.338|mph|km/h|abbr=on}}.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Lee|title=Kyle Busch leads final Cup practice at NHMS|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-kyle-busch-final-practice-nhms-931239/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=July 15, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire|date=July 15, 2017}}

Martin Truex Jr. led the field to the green flag at 3:17 p.m. Jimmie Johnson, who started second, beat him to the line on the initial start, earning him a pass-through penalty.{{cite web|last=Jackson|first=James|title=Johnson recovers from penalty to finish in the top 10|url=http://theracingexperts.com/johnson-recovers-from-penalty-top-10-nhms.php|website=TheRacingExperts.com|publisher=The Racing Experts|access-date=July 19, 2017|date=July 16, 2017}}{{Dead link|date=August 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Kyle Larson, who started last after failing post-qualifying inspection, broke into the top-10 on Lap 30. Truex had a lead of six seconds when caution flew for the first time on Lap 36, a scheduled competition caution. He and most of the cars near the front opted to stay out, while a few cars pitted. Erik Jones made contact with Kasey Kahne exiting pit road, cutting down his left-front tire that went undetected.

When the race restarted on Lap 41, the left-front tire on Jones' car failed entering Turn 3 and with no inner-liner in the left-front, which NASCAR doesn't run at tracks the size of and/or smaller than Loudon, rather than the tire simply un-chord, it sent his car into the outside wall, bringing out the second caution.{{cite web|last=White|first=Tucker|title=Jones exits early after wreck at Loudon|url=http://www.speedwaymedia.com/?p=125980|website=SpeedwayMedia.com|publisher=Speedway Media|access-date=July 19, 2017|date=July 16, 2017}}

Back to green on Lap 47, this green run went 21 laps before caution flew for the third time when Cole Whitt blew an engine in Turn 1. A few of the lead cars, such as Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick, short-pitted the end of the first stage.

The first stage ended on a two-lap dash to the finish that was won by Truex, with caution #4 flying moments later on Lap 76 for the end of the stage. Busch, who pitted under the previous caution, took the lead when Truex hit pit road. The race was red-flagged for five minutes and 29 seconds under this caution for a hole in Turn 3.{{cite news|last=Horrow|first=Ellen|title=NASCAR race red-flagged for pothole repair in New Hampshire|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2017/07/16/nascar-race-red-flagged-pothole-repair-new-hampshire-motor-speedway/483022001/|access-date=July 18, 2017|work=USA Today|publisher=Gannett Company|date=July 16, 2017}}

The race went back green on Lap 84, only for caution #5 to fly four laps later when Austin Dillon made contact with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and spun out in Turn 4. Returning to green on Lap 93, it went green the remainder of the second stage that concluded on Lap 151, won by Busch. That brought out the sixth caution, though. Hamlin exited pit road with the race lead.

File:Denny hamlin (33673636552).jpg won the race.]]

Restarting on Lap 158, Truex reeled in and passed Hamlin to retake the lead on Lap 175. The race was totally in his control, until a flat right-front tire forced him to hit pit road earlier than planned, handing the lead to Busch with 83 laps to go.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Reid|title=Truex Jr. extends points lead, but could have had much more|url=http://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/07/16/truex-jr-extends-lead-finished-better-third/|website=NASCAR.com|publisher=NASCAR Wire Service|access-date=July 18, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire|date=July 16, 2017}} Running on much fresher tires, he quickly un-lapped himself with 71 to go just as the leaders started hitting pit road. Busch pitted from the lead with 63 to go, handing the lead to Dale Earnhardt Jr., who pitted with 55 to go, cycling the lead back to Truex. During the pit cycle, Busch was handed a pass-through penalty for speeding on pit road.{{cite web|last=Spencer|first=Reid|title=Speeding penalties ruin Kyle Busch’s shot at victory|url=http://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/07/16/kyle-busch-new-hampshire-recap-speeding-penalties-end-shot-at-win/|website=NASCAR.com|publisher=NASCAR Wire Service|access-date=July 18, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire|date=July 16, 2017}}

But while the tire advantage played in his favor in the 28 laps he worked to get back to the lead, it turned against him after the pit cycle. Matt Kenseth cut the gap and edged out Truex at the line to take the lead with 41 to go.{{cite web|last=Utter|first=Jim|title=Two-tire call upends Matt Kenseth's chance at victory at NHMS|url=https://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/nascar-matt-kenseth-two-tire-call-932190/|website=Motorsport.com|publisher=Motorsport Network|access-date=July 18, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire|date=July 16, 2017}} Caution flew for the seventh time a lap later when Ryan Newman spun out in Turn 2.{{cite web|last=Catanzareti|first=Zach|title=Matt Kenseth Misses Out on New Hampshire Win After Late Yellow|url=https://www.frontstretch.com/2017/07/16/matt-kenseth-misses-out-on-new-hampshire-win-after-late-yellow/|website=Frontstretch.com|publisher=Frontstretch|access-date=July 19, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire|date=July 16, 2017}} Kenseth exited pit road first, but did so taking only right-side tires, which proved costly.{{cite web|last=Ryan|first=Nate|title=How the final call for two tires cost Matt Kenseth a victory at New Hampshire|url=http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/07/16/how-the-final-call-for-two-tires-cost-matt-kenseth-a-victory-at-new-hampshire/|website=NASCARTalk.com|publisher=NBC Sports|access-date=July 18, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire|date=July 16, 2017}} Hamlin and Truex, who both took four, followed Kenseth out in second and third. Dale Earnhardt Jr. stayed out to assume the lead.

Restarting with 35 to go, Hamlin took the lead from Kenseth exiting Turn 4 with 33 to go.{{cite news|last=Courchesne|first=Shawn|title=Hamlin Ends Winless Streak With Win In New Hampshire|url=http://www.courant.com/sports/auto-racing/hc-nascar-new-hampshire-0717-20170716-story.html|access-date=July 18, 2017|work=Hartford Courant|publisher=Tronc|date=July 16, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire}} Larson took over second with 23 to go, closed the gap to less than two seconds with 16 to go and less than a second with nine to go.{{cite news|last=Thompson|first=Rich|title=Denny Hamlin eats up field to capture third NASCAR win in New Hampshire|url=http://www.bostonherald.com/sports/other/auto_racing/2017/07/denny_hamlin_eats_up_field_to_capture_third_nascar_win_in_new|access-date=July 18, 2017|work=Boston Herald|publisher=Herald Media|date=July 16, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire}} He ran into lapped traffic with seven to go and the gap didn't change for a lap.{{cite news|last=Pence|first=Owen|title=Unfazed by penalties, Kyle Larson finishes second in New Hampshire|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/other/2017/07/16/nhmssider/7z3Ypvl8oNPFpoXl04LOKJ/story.html|access-date=July 18, 2017|work=The Boston Globe|publisher=Globe Media Partners, LLC.|date=July 16, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170722213641/http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/other/2017/07/16/nhmssider/7z3Ypvl8oNPFpoXl04LOKJ/story.html|archive-date=July 22, 2017|url-status=dead}} This proved key to Hamlin pulling away, even when Larson closed the gap to three car-lengths with three to go, and driving on to victory.{{cite news|last=Gelston|first=Dan|title=Hamlin wins at New Hampshire, ends JGR's winless streak|url=http://racing.ap.org/article/hamlin-wins-new-hampshire-ends-jgrs-winless-streak|access-date=July 16, 2017|work=Associated Press|agency=Associated Press|publisher=AP Sports|date=July 16, 2017|location=Loudon, New Hampshire|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170718145530/http://racing.ap.org/article/hamlin-wins-new-hampshire-ends-jgrs-winless-streak|archive-date=July 18, 2017|url-status=dead}}

During the pre-race show, Daniel Suárez gave a fan a box of Dunkin' Donuts, a competitor brand and food product of one of his sponsors, Subway. As a result, Subway terminated their sponsorship with Suárez in September.{{cite web |last1=Bromberg |first1=Nick |title=Subway ends sponsorship of Daniel Suarez after NBC spot involving Dunkin' Donuts |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/subway-ends-sponsorship-daniel-suarez-nbc-spot-involving-dunkin-donuts-193621836.html |website=Yahoo! Sports |access-date=February 8, 2023 |date=September 5, 2017}}

Hamlin said after the race that he was doing all he "could to pace (Larson). I knew he had a very fast car. It just seemed like we were able to get off the corner pretty good and I just ran kind of a pace there which I felt comfortable with. And just in case we had a restart, they wanted to burn the tires up."{{cite web|last=White|first=Tucker|title=Hamlin holds off Larson in closing laps of Cup race at Loudon|url=http://www.speedwaymedia.com/?p=125965|website=SpeedwayMedia.com|publisher=Speedway Media|access-date=July 19, 2017|date=July 16, 2017}}

Larson said of "another hard-fought race" it was "the third time" his team started from the rear and "drove up to second. I wish we could have been a spot better again, but really proud of my team and proud of the cars that they’re bringing for me to drive each and every week. It’s been a tough couple weeks through the tech line, so if we make it through here and then have a good Tuesday at NASCAR, but we’ll see.”{{cite web|last=Bearden|first=Aaron|title=Kyle Larson overcomes qualifying penalty for New Hampshire runner-up|url=http://kickinthetires.net/index.php/2017/07/16/kyle-larson-overcomes-qualifying-penalty-for-new-hampshire-runner-up/|website=KickinTheTires.net|publisher=Kickin' The Tires|access-date=July 19, 2017|date=July 16, 2017|archive-date=September 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170917193009/http://kickinthetires.net/index.php/2017/07/16/kyle-larson-overcomes-qualifying-penalty-for-new-hampshire-runner-up/|url-status=dead}}

Stage 1

Laps: 75

Stage 2

Laps: 75

Stage 3

Laps: 151

• Lead changes: 6 among different drivers
• Cautions/Laps: 7 for 34
• Red flags: 1 for 5 minutes and 29 seconds
• Time of race: 3 hours, 0 minutes and 36 seconds
• Average speed: {{convert|105.800|mph|km/h}}

NBC Sports covered the race on the television side. Rick Allen, Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte had the call in the booth for the race. Dave Burns, Marty Snider and Kelli Stavast reported from pit lane during the race.

PRN had the radio call for the race, which was simulcast on Sirius XM NASCAR Radio.

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;Drivers' Championship standings

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;Manufacturers' Championship standings

• Note: Only the first 16 positions are included for the driver standings.
• . – Driver has clinched a position in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

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{{Reflist}}

{{NASCAR next race

| Series = Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

| Monsteryear = 2017

| Previous_race = 2017 Quaker State 400

| Next_race = 2017 Brickyard 400

}}

{{2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Overton's 301}}

2017 Overton's 301

Category:2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series

Category:2017 in sports in New Hampshire

Category:July 2017 sports events in the United States