NH NASCAR race delayed storm Sunday; tornado

A severe thunderstorm warning, part of a major series of storms that produced tornado warnings across New England Sunday, stopped a NASCAR race temporarily.

The USA TODAY 301 at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon was halted on the 219th lap, with Tyler Reddick in the lead. Christopher Bell went on to win, with Reddick coming in sixth.

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Tyler Reddick, driver of the #45 SiriusXM Toyota, waits on the grid during a weather delay in the NASCAR Cup Series Today 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon on Sunday, June 23, 2024.

The race track told spectators to seek shelter from severe weather, and that officials were monitoring the weather to see if the race could be restarted.

Speedway and NASCAR officials continue to monitor the situation with the intention of restarting the race if weather allows.

Weather-related updates will be posted here: https://t.co/q3vJUbgdpE https://t.co/pFq3chlQxe
— New Hampshire Motor Speedway (@NHMS) June 23, 2024

But when the threatening weather cleared, the race was okayed to restart.

The threat of lightning has cleared the area and racing with wet-weather tires is anticipated to begin approximately 30 minutes. Drying equipment is currently on track.

Fans are permitted to return to the grandstands in anticipation of a return to racing.

Weather-related… pic.twitter.com/3RF4khfaiN
— New Hampshire Motor Speedway (@NHMS) June 23, 2024

The race contended with severe weather all weekend, with qualifying canceled on Saturday.

The severe storm in the area that prompted the race to be stopped wasn't the cell that prompted a tornado warning in Manchester, New Hampshire.

With a tornado warning in effect for the Manchester, New Hampshire, area Sunday, meteorologist Pete Bouchard uses a radar scan of the clouds, with a 30,000-foot updraft, to explain the science of the severe weather.