Joey Logano claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series pole at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Saturday, thrilling local fans and setting the stage for Sunday’s Mobil 1 301. The three-time series champion posted a lap of 29.159 seconds, averaging 130.622 mph in the No. 22 Team Penske Ford. Logano’s performance was a full tenth-and-a-half second faster than teammate Ryan Blaney, who will join him on the front row. Fords swept the top three starting positions, giving Team Penske a strong advantage heading into the first Round of 12 playoff race.
Key Highlights
- Joey Logano earns his first pole at New Hampshire and second of the 2025 season.
- Ryan Blaney will start alongside Logano on the front row.
- Josh Berry, Tyler Reddick, and William Byron complete the top five starters.
- Six of 12 playoff drivers qualified in the top 10.
- Practice session led by William Byron, with AJ Allmendinger, Ryan Preece, Riley Herbst, and Cole Custer close behind.
Joey Logano Leads the Way
Logano’s lap of 29.159 seconds marked the 33rd pole of his Cup Series career and his fastest at New Hampshire, a track where he previously won in 2009 and 2014. The Connecticut native said the Team Penske Ford was capable of strong performance, reflecting on past seasons.
“The expectation is to win all the time, that’s why I’m here, that’s why [crew chief] Paul [Wolfe] is here, and [team owner] Roger [Penske] is here and they expect us to win. The expectation is always to be first, but it’s a hard sport and there’s one in 40 chances to make it happen. At Loudon, we expect to be fast.” – Joey Logano
Logano emphasized that converting pole position into a race win is the ultimate goal. The race will kick off the first of three Round of 12 playoff events, and strong positioning is critical to advancing toward the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway.
Front Row and Key Contenders
Team Penske teammates Logano and Blaney set the pace, with Blaney posting a 29.329-second lap to secure the second spot on the grid. Josh Berry, Tyler Reddick, and William Byron make up the second row, giving fans a mix of playoff competitors and eliminated drivers in strong starting positions. Six playoff drivers—Logano, Blaney, Reddick, Byron, Ross Chastain, and Denny Hamlin—qualified among the top 10, indicating a competitive Sunday.
Hamlin, leading the championship points heading into New Hampshire, will start ninth alongside Shane van Gisbergen, both posting identical 29.409-second laps. Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell, Austin Cindric, and Chase Elliott complete the remaining playoff contenders on the grid.
| Pos | # | Driver | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | Joey Logano | 29.159 |
| 2 | 12 | Ryan Blaney | 29.329 |
| 3 | 21 | Josh Berry | 29.354 |
| 4 | 45 | Tyler Reddick | 29.356 |
| 5 | 24 | William Byron | 29.373 |
| 6 | 77 | Carson Hocevar | 29.398 |
| 7 | 48 | Alex Bowman | 29.402 |
| 8 | 1 | Ross Chastain | 29.405 |
| 9 | 11 | Denny Hamlin | 29.409 |
| 10 | 88 | Shane van Gisbergen | 29.409 |
| 11 | 71 | Michael McDowell | 29.424 |
| 12 | 16 | A.J. Allmendinger | 29.467 |
| 13 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | 29.477 |
| 14 | 23 | Bubba Wallace | 29.485 |
| 15 | 17 | Chris Buescher | 29.488 |
| 16 | 5 | Kyle Larson | 29.496 |
| 17 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 29.500 |
| 18 | 19 | Chase Briscoe | 29.511 |
| 19 | 20 | Christopher Bell | 29.527 |
| 20 | 38 | Zane Smith | 29.547 |
| 21 | 7 | Justin Haley | 29.559 |
| 22 | 2 | Austin Cindric | 29.592 |
| 23 | 60 | Ryan Preece | 29.601 |
| 24 | 8 | Kyle Busch | 29.614 |
| 25 | 35 | Riley Herbst | 29.620 |
| 26 | 43 | Erik Jones | 29.632 |
| 27 | 9 | Chase Elliott | 29.659 |
| 28 | 3 | Austin Dillon | 29.681 |
| 29 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | 29.756 |
| 30 | 10 | Ty Dillon | 29.760 |
| 31 | 41 | Cole Custer | 29.773 |
| 32 | 99 | Daniel Suarez | 29.788 |
| 33 | 4 | Noah Gragson | 29.940 |
| 34 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. | 29.995 |
| 35 | 51 | Cody Ware | 30.123 |
| 36 | 34 | Todd Gilliland | 30.254 |
Practice Insights and Performance Notes
William Byron led Saturday’s practice session with a speed of 127.834 mph, demonstrating the Chevrolet team’s pace early in the weekend. AJ Allmendinger, Ryan Preece, Riley Herbst, and Cole Custer were close behind in the top five fastest laps, while Blaney recorded the best averages across 10-, 15-, 20-, 25-, and 30-lap stints. Ross Chastain was the slowest among playoff drivers, posting the 30th quickest lap at 126.245 mph, indicating potential adjustments for Sunday’s race.
The last Ford victory at New Hampshire came in 2021 with Aric Almirola, and the last Chevrolet win was Kevin Harvick in 2016. Logano’s pole provides momentum for Team Penske, but race strategy and in-race execution will determine if the Fords can end the win drought at the track.
News in Brief: Mobil 1 301 Starting Grid: Top Five Starters and Playoff Positioning
Joey Logano earned his first New Hampshire pole with a 29.159-second lap, joined on the front row by teammate Ryan Blaney. Josh Berry, Tyler Reddick, and William Byron complete the top five starters. Six playoff drivers are in the top 10, including Logano, Blaney, Reddick, Byron, Ross Chastain, and Denny Hamlin. Practice leaders were William Byron, AJ Allmendinger, Ryan Preece, Riley Herbst, and Cole Custer. The Mobil 1 301 begins Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on USA Network.
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