NASCAR: Bell wins Cup pole in Loudon

Christopher Bell won the Busch Light Pole Award during Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session for the NASCAR Cup Series in Loudon, NH.

Bell — the Cup Series’ most recent winner at the Granite State track — registered a best lap of 124.781 mph in the final round of qualifying, placing the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in the first starting spot for Sunday’s Crayon 301 (2:30 p.m. ET, USA, NBC Sports App, PRN, SiriusXM). The pole position is his first of the season and the fifth of his Cup Series career.

JGR teammate Martin Truex Jr. was second-fastest in qualifying on the 1.058-mile track, and his No. 19 Toyota will share the front row for Sunday’s 301-lap event. Aric Almirola qualified third in the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford as Team Penske teammates Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney went fourth and fifth, respectively.

Kyle Busch crashed during his qualifying lap, sustaining rear-end damage on his No. 8 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet after contact with the outside wall through Turns 1 and 2. Busch advanced to the final round of qualifying after an earlier wall scrape in practice; he will be credited with the 10th starting spot.

Martin Truex Jr. was the fastest in the Group A session, and Joey Logano led Group B. AJ Allmendinger brushed the outside retaining wall exiting Turn 4 during his Group B qualifying attempt; he will start 14th in the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.

Qualifying Results