Under darkness, Almirola pulls off shock win at NH’s ‘Magic Mile’ >Brad Keselowski makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race in Loudon, N.H., on Sunday. >Denny Hamlin competes at a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa >Chase Elliott competes at a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa >Ryan Blaney competes at a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa >Bubba Wallace, right, smiles while watching New England Patriots wide receiver Gunner Olszewski catch a football thrown by a fan during a rain delay at the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa
Under darkness, Almirola pulls off shocker at New Hampshire >Brad Keselowski makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa >Denny Hamlin competes at a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa >Chase Elliott competes at a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa >Ryan Blaney competes at a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa
Stewart-Haas Racing driver Aric Almirola will honor hero Navy SEAL Michael Monsoor during the Coca-Cola 600 with the fallen veteran s name on his car. Monsoor was awarded the Medal of Honor for throwing himself onto a grenade to save other members of his SEAL team in Iraq.
With darkness closing in, Aric Almirola sprung to life late Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and pulled off the surprise victory, the first one of the year for Stewart-Haas Racing. Aric Almirola smiles as he holds up a giant lobster after winning the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. At left is Dave McGrath, general manager of New Hampshire Motor Speedway. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Ford drivers took five of the top six spots.
NASCAR started the race under wet conditions and that decision turned into a disaster when Kyle Busch, the polesitter, spun on the slick track and wrecked only six laps into the race. Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin also spun and the red flag was waved to stop the race. Truex and Hamlin returned to race. Busch’s race in the No. 18 Toyota was over and he bit his tongue on NASCAR’s call to start the race.
“It never should have gone green to begin with, but then it kept getting worse and worse lap over lap,” Busch said. “We’ve been talking about it for two laps that it was raining. There’s no sense in saying what I want to say, it doesn’t do you any good.”
Under darkness, Almirola pulls off shocker at New Hampshire
Brad Keselowski makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa
Denny Hamlin competes at a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa
Chase Elliott competes at a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa
Ryan Blaney competes at a NASCAR Cup Series auto race, Sunday, July 18, 2021, in Loudon, N.H. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) Charles Krupa