Ryan Blaney’s victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway highlighted Team Penske’s playoff resurgence, with the Mobil 1 301 ending in a commanding display of Ford power. Blaney led 116 laps, took the first stage, and captured the final lead with 39 laps remaining, while teammate Joey Logano dominated for 147 laps and won Stage 2. Behind the scenes, Blaney’s crew chief credited Logano’s July tire test as a key factor, revealing how team collaboration and shared insights set up their successful playoff strategy at the Magic Mile.
Key Highlights
- Ryan Blaney wins Mobil 1 301, leading 116 laps and first stage.
- Joey Logano leads 147 laps and wins Stage 2.
- Tire test in July at NHMS credited for Penske success.
- Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick struggle, finishing 26th and 21st.
- Team Penske sweeps top qualifying spots, reinforcing playoff dominance.
Team Penske’s Tire Test Advantage
Two months prior to the Mobil 1 301, Goodyear held a tire test at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Three drivers participated: Joey Logano, Christopher Bell, and Ross Chastain. Logano maximized the session, gathering crucial data that helped Team Penske dominate qualifying and race strategy. Blaney started second, and even Penske affiliate Josh Berry led laps and challenged for the win. Jonathan Hassler, Blaney’s crew chief, credited the success to Logano’s work and team collaboration.
“Yeah, we were fortunate that Joey was able to come here and test. I give Joey and Paul a lot of credit for getting through a lot of things, you know, at the test, that made a lot of our cars faster. We all worked together to kind of go through the things that were tested…And make sure that we were all as competitive as we could be when we showed up.” – Jonathan Hassler
Team Unity and Blaney’s Confidence
The Penske drivers’ success at NHMS highlighted more than raw speed. Blaney praised his team’s consistency and shared vision.
“It’s a championship-contending team. It’s a championship-winning team a couple of years ago. It’s pretty much the same group of guys. My mindset really hasn’t changed. I believed we can do it all season, and this win doesn’t make me believe we can do even more than what I felt like going through the whole year.” – Ryan Blaney
Logano’s tire test insights, combined with Blaney’s execution, created an edge over competitors. The Ford resurgence around playoff time remains a predictable but effective pattern, giving Penske an advantage as the season heats up.
23XI Racing’s Struggles at NHMS
Meanwhile, Toyota’s playoff teams faced challenges. Christopher Bell, Denny Hamlin, and Ty Gibbs had mixed results, with discord surfacing during the race. 23XI Racing drivers Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick qualified 14th and fourth but struggled to convert speed into results. Wallace finished 26th, Reddick 21st, showing the gap between Ford and Toyota teams this weekend. Wallace commented on managing intensity and consistency:
“I think the base hits mentality is just don’t let the highs get too high, lows get too low. Just go out and lap by lap, make the right moves, let the little stuff go to focus on the big stuff later.” – Bubba Wallace
Despite solid preparation, 23XI could not match the top Penske cars, illustrating the impact of prior testing and team coordination.
News in Brief: Ryan Blaney’s Crew Chief Says Joey Logano Key to Penske’s NHMS Success
Ryan Blaney won the Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire, leading 116 laps and claiming Stage 1, while teammate Joey Logano dominated Stage 2 and led 147 laps. Blaney’s crew chief, Jonathan Hassler, credited Logano’s July tire test for giving Team Penske a competitive edge. Josh Berry challenged Blaney for the win but finished second. 23XI Racing struggled with Bubba Wallace in 26th and Tyler Reddick in 21st, despite promising qualifying. Team Penske’s combined data, tire strategy, and teamwork reinforced its playoff strength.
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