Team Penske NASCAR dominance was on full display at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, as Ryan Blaney’s commanding victory and support from teammates reversed the expected narrative on Sunday afternoon. Blaney, together with his teammates, delivered a performance that not only disrupted Joe Gibbs Racing’s playoff momentum but also reshaped expectations for the remainder of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in Loudon, N.H.
Blaney and Logano Lead a Penske Power Shift
Penske’s resurgence came after Joe Gibbs Racing had swept the opening round of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs and arrived at New Hampshire riding a three-race victory streak at that venue. Despite the Toyota powerhouse’s impressive statistics on the “Magic Mile,” it was Team Penske that controlled Sunday’s Mobil 1 301 from the drop of the green flag.
Pole-winner Joey Logano, a Connecticut native, and Ryan Blaney, known for his “Star Wars” fandom, worked together to secure both stage wins and lead an astounding 263 laps. Their efforts, complemented by closely affiliated Wood Brothers Racing driver Josh Berry finishing second with 10 laps led, reinforced Penske’s assertion as a true championship contender. Austin Cindric, also fighting for postseason survival in the No. 2 Ford, overcame difficulties to record his strongest New Hampshire finish since his rookie year.
“Massive props to all of Team Penske, Wood Brothers. Really great job leading up to this race and preparing for practice, qualifying and the race car’s really fast. And as a whole company, that’s something they should really be proud of,”
Ryan Blaney, Race Winner.
“I’m just in the fortunate situation I get to drive a fast race car, you know? But, yeah, it speaks volumes of the hard work that they’ve done. And I think for us to run first, Josh run second with Joey fourth with a stage win, like, that’s a great day. And so yeah, just huge, huge props to them. And couldn’t be prouder of them. And it’s nice to be able to capitalize on having such guys,”
Ryan Blaney, Race Winner.
Challenging Toyota’s Recent Supremacy
Heading into the race weekend, conversations revolved around Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota, whose drivers had dominated recent playoff outings, especially at New Hampshire. Toyota’s three consecutive race wins and control over race stages at the Magic Mile placed them as favorites, but the race unfolded differently.
Penske’s preparation and execution paid off, flipping the anticipated script. Logano continued his top-five streak at New Hampshire, highlighting a day of significant team achievement.
“Yeah, I mean, I think when you look at Loudon, you expect us to run well, and overall, it was a solid weekend, right? A pole, a race win, two stage wins, if you look at Team Penske as a whole there, so that’s a good day,”
Joey Logano, Driver.
“… overall, I’m proud of the execution. We obviously got a ton of points today. I think we got a second and a first in the first two stages and a top-four finish, so we did what we needed to do. We’re plus to the cutline. I’d rather win. That’s just the greed in me, especially when it’s home,”
Joey Logano, Driver.
Teamwork, Testing, and Confidence Pay Off
Logano, guided by No. 22 crew chief Paul Wolfe, was among just three drivers to test at Loudon in July, which proved advantageous. Wolfe’s confidence in Team Penske’s preparation was clear before the race, and subsequent results validated his optimism.
“No reason to think we shouldn’t be a contender tomorrow,”
Paul Wolfe, Crew Chief.
“Well, I knew this was going to be a strong track for us, like I said yesterday, with the test and what we’re able to come up with there. Obviously, it played out today just like that, which was nice to see,”
Paul Wolfe, Crew Chief.
“Obviously, we had the best cars here, and I’m glad one of our cars got the win and we scored a lot of points. We were in contention all day, and go out of here with a good bit above the cutline. So not the win that obviously we want, but as good a spot, as you could say, aside from winning, as we head to Kansas. … There’s no mistakes. We’re operating at a high level right now,”
Paul Wolfe, Crew Chief.
Toyota’s Challenges and JGR’s Response
Despite placing three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers inside the top 12, Toyota failed to match Penske’s pace or lead laps through their star drivers Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin. Meanwhile, 23XI Racing’s playoff hopefuls Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace struggled, failing to crack the top 20—a disappointing outcome for an organization that previously dominated at the Magic Mile.
Penske’s mastery of the current aerodynamic package, as well as their record at Phoenix Raceway—a similarly flat, one-mile oval where the Cup Series title will be settled—has left rival teams searching for solutions.
“I think the biggest thing you’ve got to take away from today is, with this aero package, with the same tire as Phoenix at a 1-mile race track, the Penske cars are completely untouchable again,”
Chris Gabehart, JGR Competition Director.
“While this is the aero package and the tire we’ll run at Phoenix, this is not Phoenix. It’s Loudon. And they have different race track tendencies. And when we were at Phoenix, the last time they were on the other side of the race track, and when we finished the race, we finished first. So you can’t throw the baby out with the bathwater here. But the reality is, it’s playoff season, and here come the yellow cars, with subpar metrics along the way, but those guys know how to get it done when it counts. And, you know, we’ll just have to race them the rest of the year and see how it goes, I guess,”
Chris Gabehart, JGR Competition Director.
The Playoff Landscape Shifts
Team Penske’s breakthrough at New Hampshire marks a significant shift as the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs continue. Their ability to outpace a previously dominant Joe Gibbs Racing group, particularly on a track with similarities to the soon-to-be championship stage at Phoenix Raceway, sends a powerful message throughout the garage.
With drivers such as Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano operating at peak performance, and strategic efforts from leaders like Paul Wolfe, Team Penske NASCAR dominance looks poised to influence playoff outcomes. As the series heads to Kansas, rivals like Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing face the challenge of reasserting themselves against a surging Penske effort, all while the promise of further drama and intensity hangs over the remaining races in the championship chase.
