Ryan Blaney wins, dream day for Team Penske

Having been rather discreet since the start of the season, the Ford Mustangs dominated this thirtieth round of the season in Loudon, New Hampshire. From Joey Logano's pole position to Ryan Blaney's victory, the Team Penske machines were uncompromising.

Yet, it was more than likely Josh Berry, of Penske's satellite team, Wood Brothers Racing, who had the best car this Sunday. Sent into a spin at the start of the second segment by Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing), Berry came back from the back of the pack to push Blaney to his limits in the closing laps of the race. Unfortunately, a slip on the entry to Turn 3 overheated his rear tires, and he had to settle for second place. A convincing first result in these playoffs for him, eliminated in the first round after three consecutive last-place finishes...

“Probably the toughest 20 laps I’ve ever run.”, Blaney said. “I was trying to save my strength and he [Berry] really started to come back. He started getting really fast, and there was nothing I could do to hold him back. It was a good race. A clean race, and I appreciate Josh not hitting me when he could have.”

Third, William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) was the only one able to break the Ford hegemony at the top of the standings, by slipping in front of Joey Logano. One of the strong men of the season, Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) had a more difficult race, notably marked by his frustration with his teammate Ty Gibbs, who was ostentatiously blocking him for a modest twelfth place. The young gun quickly ended up spinning, a sign that the veteran, who is in his twentieth season, should not be messed with. Hamlin finished twelfth, but remains in the top five of the championship.

At the end of this first race of the second phase of the playoffs, Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing), Austin Cindric (Team Penske), and the two 23XI drivers, Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, are in elimination position and will have two races to try to get back on the right side of the cut zone.

Next meeting this Sunday, at the Kansas Speedway.

NASCAR – New Hampshire
The classification of the race

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