Ryan Blaney captured his first-ever win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, marking a significant achievement for Team Penske during the start of the second round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Achieving the Ryan Blaney New Hampshire win, the 2023 Cup champion controlled the event by leading 116 laps, including the final 39, ultimately finishing 0.937 seconds ahead of Josh Berry in the No. 12 Ford.
This victory allowed Blaney to secure a spot as the first driver to advance into the eight available positions for the third round of the Cup playoffs, reinforcing his intent to make a third consecutive appearance in the Championship 4 season finale. Following his strong finish, NBC Sports broadcasted,
“His first ever win in New Hampshire.What a moment for @Blaney 👏 pic.twitter.com/cR8AjjAGFh”
—NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC).
Penske Outshines Rivals as Playoff Picture Shifts
The day proved monumental not only for Blaney but for Penske as a whole. Joey Logano, Blaney’s teammate, finished fourth after leading a race-high 147 of 301 laps, signaling the team’s impressive speed and strategic execution. William Byron took third, while Chase Elliott, starting 27th—the lowest among the 12 playoff contenders—used a strong rebound to secure fifth. Christopher Bell, the top Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) finisher, claimed sixth. Other playoff contenders such as Kyle Larson and Ross Chastain also placed in the top eight, demonstrating the playoff drivers’ dominance on the 1.058-mile oval in New Hampshire.
Team Penske’s advantage was apparent from Saturday’s qualifying, when Logano earned the pole, leading a top-three sweep that included Blaney and Berry. Notably, Berry’s No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford enjoys a competitive alliance with Penske, further underscoring the organization’s current technical edge.
Controversy Erupts at Joe Gibbs Racing After Costly Incident
Tensions ran high during Lap 110 when JGR drivers Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs collided while battling for 11th place, resulting in Gibbs being sent into the Turn 2 wall. This incident emerged after Gibbs, the only JGR driver omitted from the playoffs, seemed to hold up teammates Hamlin and Christopher Bell’s progress during the contest. Hamlin’s frustration was clear over the radio:
“Does Ty know we’re running for a championship?”
—Denny Hamlin, Driver. Hamlin continued,
“What the (expletive) is he doing?”
—Denny Hamlin, Driver.
The frustrations didn’t stop there, as Hamlin speculated post-incident about whether any staff dare confront the team owner’s grandson:
“Are they afraid to talk to him? That’s what I feel like,”
—Denny Hamlin, Driver. After briefly returning to the race, Ty Gibbs was forced to retire his No. 54 Camry due to damage, finishing 34th and declining to comment when approached by NBC Sports reporter Kim Coon.
Gibbs Looks Ahead as Joe Gibbs Racing Falters in Early Stages
Reflecting on the incident, Gibbs said,
“It’s unfortunate, but I’m excited to go race next week and looking forward to it,”
—Ty Gibbs, 2022 Xfinity Series Champion. The setback was part of a broader disappointment for Joe Gibbs Racing, which had entered the weekend after sweeping the previous three Cup races and six consecutive stages at New Hampshire. Surprisingly, the team failed to secure any stage points in the opening segment, with Hamlin, Bell, and Chase Briscoe all finishing outside the top ten after 70 laps.
The momentum Team Penske generated in New Hampshire, especially with Blaney’s stage 1 win and Logano’s stage 2 victory, shifted the competitive landscape heading into the next playoff race.
What Lies Ahead in the NASCAR Cup Playoffs
As Ryan Blaney celebrates his first New Hampshire win, he becomes the first driver advancing into the third round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, strengthening Team Penske’s pursuit of another title. The playoff race continues with the next event scheduled on Sunday, September 28, at Kansas Speedway, as contenders like Blaney, Logano, and their rivals strive to secure coveted spots in the Championship 4 amidst heightened competition and lingering team tensions.
His first ever win in New Hampshire.
What a moment for @Blaney 👏 pic.twitter.com/cR8AjjAGFh
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 21, 2025
Ty Gibbs on the incident with Denny Hamlin 👀 https://t.co/WhTNTz1h3H pic.twitter.com/sIsY7Hkan9
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 21, 2025
