Ryan Blaney turned New Hampshire Motor Speedway into a statement stage Sunday, controlling the Mobil 1 301 and tightening his grip on a second NASCAR Cup Series championship. In the first race of the Round of 12, the 2023 champion led 116 of 301 laps and outlasted a furious late charge from Josh Berry to secure his third win of the season and 16th of his career. The result vaulted Blaney directly into the Round of 8 while highlighting a powerful Team Penske performance against a stout playoff field.
Key Highlights
- Ryan Blaney leads 116 laps and wins the Mobil 1 301, advancing to the Round of 8.
- Josh Berry rallies from an early spin to finish second, 0.937 seconds behind Blaney.
- Team Penske dominates with Joey Logano leading a race-high 147 laps and finishing fourth.
- William Byron earns his first career New Hampshire top-10 with a third-place run.
- Denny Hamlin drops from the playoff points lead after a 12th-place finish following mid-race contact with Ty Gibbs.
Ryan Blaney Holds Off Berry’s Charge
Team Penske’s No. 12 Ford was fast all weekend, starting outside the front row and showing unmatched balance in the closing laps. Blaney seized the lead for good on Lap 263, then defended his position as Berry’s Wood Brothers Ford closed rapidly.
“Probably the hardest 20 laps I drove. Was trying to bide my stuff and he really started coming. He started to get super free, and it was all I could do to hold him off. It was good racing. Clean racing and I appreciate Josh not throwing me the bumper when he could have.” – Ryan Blaney
Berry, who spun on Lap 82 after contact with Shane van Gisbergen, clawed back through the field to nearly snatch his first career win. His 0.937-second deficit was a career-best Cup Series finish.
Penske Power and Manufacturer Battle
Blaney’s victory underscored a resurgent day for Ford. Three Fords finished inside the top five, with Logano’s pole-winning No. 22 leading 147 laps and finishing fourth. The strength marked a notable shift after a Toyota sweep in the Round of 16. Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron placed third and Chase Elliott charged from 27th to fifth, while Christopher Bell was the highest Toyota in sixth.
“We ran well, we just weren’t the fastest car. The 12 was fastest in practice and he showed that again in the race. Our only chance to beat him was on pit road and beat him on details. But they were able to make up their track position when they put four [tires] on. That last restart I could have started behind him and finished third in the race, but if I was behind the 12 I wasn’t going to win.” – Joey Logano
Playoff Picture Tightens
Blaney’s win locked him into the Round of 8, while Byron’s third-place effort pushed him 47 points above the cutoff line. Kyle Larson sits 41 points clear, and Bell is 29 points up. Hamlin slipped from first to fifth in the standings, now holding a 27-point cushion despite contact with teammate Ty Gibbs that ended Gibbs’ day after 134 laps. Chase Briscoe, finishing 10th, holds a 12-point advantage over Ross Chastain for the final transfer spot heading into Kansas and the Charlotte Roval.
“The Penske cars were super-fast, kind of in another zip code. If we can just build on this, all our short tracks are coming together. It’s no breathing room because you have to go out there and execute every week and keep your foot on the gas in this deal. But hopefully we can go to Kansas and be up front contending for a win.” – William Byron
Austin Cindric (-19), Tyler Reddick (-23), and Bubba Wallace (-27) find themselves below the cutoff after finishes of 17th, 21st, and 26th respectively.
| Pos. | No | Driver | Laps | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | Ryan Blaney (P) | 301 | — |
| 2 | 21 | Josh Berry | 301 | 0.937 |
| 3 | 24 | William Byron (P) | 301 | 3.082 |
| 4 | 22 | Joey Logano (P) | 301 | 5.365 |
| 5 | 9 | Chase Elliott (P) | 301 | 6.838 |
| 6 | 20 | Christopher Bell (P) | 301 | 7.138 |
| 7 | 5 | Kyle Larson (P) | 301 | 8.745 |
| 8 | 71 | Michael McDowell | 301 | 9.016 |
| 9 | 1 | Ross Chastain (P) | 301 | 10.435 |
| 10 | 19 | Chase Briscoe (P) | 301 | 11.945 |
| 11 | 77 | Carson Hocevar | 301 | 12.481 |
| 12 | 11 | Denny Hamlin (P) | 301 | 12.488 |
| 13 | 3 | Austin Dillon | 301 | 13.347 |
| 14 | 60 | Ryan Preece | 301 | 14.154 |
| 15 | 48 | Alex Bowman | 301 | 15.231 |
| 16 | 4 | *Noah Gragson | 301 | 15.886 |
| 17 | 2 | Austin Cindric (P) | 301 | 16.955 |
| 18 | 17 | Chris Buescher | 301 | 17.312 |
| 19 | 34 | Todd Gilliland | 301 | 17.658 |
| 20 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger | 301 | 18.198 |
| 21 | 45 | Tyler Reddick (P) | 301 | 19.652 |
| 22 | 35 | Riley Herbst | 301 | 23.006 |
| 23 | 6 | Brad Keselowski | 301 | 26.316 |
| 24 | 41 | Cole Custer | 301 | 27.520 |
| 25 | 47 | Ricky Stenhouse Jr. | 300 | 1 lap |
| 26 | 23 | Bubba Wallace (P) | 300 | 1 lap |
| 27 | 38 | Zane Smith | 300 | 1 lap |
| 28 | 43 | Erik Jones | 300 | 1 lap |
| 29 | 10 | Ty Dillon | 300 | 1 lap |
| 30 | 8 | Kyle Busch | 297 | 4 laps |
| 31 | 51 | Cody Ware | 296 | 5 laps |
| 32 | 88 | Shane Van Gisbergen | 250 | 51 laps |
| 33 | 7 | Justin Haley | 207 | 94 laps |
| 34 | 42 | John Hunter Nemechek | 146 | OUT |
| 35 | 54 | Ty Gibbs | 134 | OUT |
| 36 | 99 | Daniel Suarez | 117 | OUT |
Kansas and Beyond
The Cup Series moves to Kansas Speedway next Sunday for the Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet. Defending winner Ross Chastain faces an uphill fight to stay alive in the playoffs. Meanwhile, inspection in the NASCAR garage revealed no issues, confirming Blaney as the official victor and keeping all teams focused on the next challenge.
News in Brief: Mobil 1 301 Full Finishing Order and Playoff Implications
Ryan Blaney dominated the Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, leading 116 laps and defeating Josh Berry by 0.937 seconds to capture his third win of the season and 16th career victory. Joey Logano led 147 laps and finished fourth, while William Byron’s third-place run secured his first New Hampshire top-10. The result advances Blaney into the Round of 8, tightening the playoff field heading to Kansas. Follow the NASCAR Cup Series to Kansas Speedway on September 28 for live updates, standings shifts, and every critical playoff moment.
ALSO READ: Mobil 1 301 Starting Grid: Top Five Starters and Playoff Positioning
