NASCAR
Stratta’s Six: Who Can Find the Winning Magic in New Hampshire?
Sunday will see drivers take the extra mile, figuratively and literally, to earn their keep at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. ‘The Magic Mile’ lies ahead for 301 laps of hard fought NASCAR Playoff action. The Mobil1 301 kicks off the Round of 12 and could send its winner halfway to the Bill France Cup. Here are a few contenders who hope to lift the Lobster trophy high in Loudon victory lane.
Christopher Bell
Perhaps New Hampshire comes in perfect timing this year for Christopher Bell. The winner in two of the last three years at Loudon, Bell enters New Hampshire fresh off of another victory at Bristol. Bell is not bashful to call New Hampshire one of his best tracks, and is hopeful to kickstart another winning streak in New England.
“I’m obviously excited about Loudon,” Bell said. “It’s a great track for us. Super important race kicking off the Round of 12. So we need to go there and most importantly get a lot of points, score a lot of points, got to qualify well, got to qualify better than we’ve been qualifying, and have a great race.”
“I think we’re every bit as capable as any of the other 12 out there. It’s a good racetrack for us as a group and we know what it takes to be good there, and it seems like our cars are really good. I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead.”
Simply put, Bell’s Loudon numbers are unbelievable single-track stats for any modern NASCAR driver. When counting Xfinity and Truck success here, Bell boasts seven Magic Mile victories. His 12.2 average finish is only brought down due to a 2023 wreck after starting out strong. Combined with almost 200 laps led here over the last three years, Bell is deservedly the overwhelming favorite this weekend. Even harsh weather could not rain on Bell’s New Hampshire parade last year. Joe Gibbs Racing appears in peak Playoff form after a Round of 16 sweep. Can Bell keep the good times rolling for Toyota on the flat mile?
Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Rheem Toyota Camry on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, August 31. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Kyle Larson
If anyone can stop Joe Gibbs Racing’s reign of Playoff terror, Kyle Larson may have the magic touch. Driver 5 may be winless across 14 career New Hampshire starts, but he’s been trending towards victory here. The last two years have seen Larson earn back-to-back Loudon top-fives. Combined with a strong Gateway run two weeks ago, Larson should be seen as a strong contender for the Lobster trophy.
“Everyone at (Hendrick Motorsports) has been putting a lot of emphasis on short tracks for awhile now, really focusing on improving our performance,” Larson said. “The speed we had at (WWT Raceway) was encouraging. I felt we were a top-two or three car, maybe even better. That gives us a lot of optimism for the rest of the year, especially at the shorter, flatter tracks like New Hampshire and Phoenix.”
Larson enters the Round of 12 tied at second in points with teammate William Byron. Following a disappointing Bristol Night Race, the 5 team has yet to fully execute a flawless race in these Playoffs. Can New Hampshire be where this championship-caliber crew turns their season around? Larson hopes to bring Hendrick their first Loudon victory in over a dozen years.
Kyle Larson’s No. 5 HendrickCars.Com Chevrolet on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, August 31. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Ryan Blaney
Another man shockingly still winless at New Hampshire is 2023 Cup champion Ryan Blaney. Driver 12’s Penske crew has seen a Loudon high point of fourth, but no result better than 18th in the Next Gen era. On paper, New Hampshire should play right into Blaney and Team Penske’s wheelhouse as a flat, short oval. Thanks to tire testing data from teammate Joey Logano, Blaney has high hopes for a breakout result this weekend.
“I feel like New Hampshire has been one of those tracks to where we have run well and just not really finished where we deserved,” Blaney said. “I felt really good there last year. We were running up front before the rain. We were running second during the rain and got turned around there on one of the last restarts, but I think just trying to stay in the mix. The first part of it is trying to have a car that runs up towards the front. I am happy that New Hampshire has gotten a Playoff race. It’s always been that way for a while, and I was a part of a couple New Hampshire races in the Playoffs. I’m happy it’s back because they do a great job and the crowd up there is always fantastic. But I think navigating the turn three bump is always pretty big.”
“The 22 group was able to go test there, do a tire test there about a month ago. They thought that went really well, so hopefully we can learn some stuff from those guys. What they figured out up there and apply it in our own way and see. It’s been a good place for us. Hopefully, we can get the finish that I feel like we deserve there and just try to stay out of trouble.”
“I love the area itself. I feel it’s really pretty and there’s something about the northeast that I really enjoy. Now you get into September and the leaves are changing, so I always enjoy the looks of it driving to the racetrack from the airport. And then I feel like the track itself just puts on a good race. It’s pretty wide, especially for whatever reason now like the last two or three years we’ve been up in that fourth lane a good bit. So that adds another lane of racing, which is always good. I feel like it’s wide enough to where the cars there have places to go and that’s what this car is really good at, like when there are multiple lanes, like three or four lanes, this car will put on really good races.”
“And then the crowd atmosphere there is always fantastic. We have tons of fans in the northeast. You see it when we go there. You see it when we go to Dover, Watkins Glen, there are a lot of great fans that love motorsports and love NASCAR. That definitely makes the atmosphere pretty fun. And then you throw a Playoff race in there and it’s even more ramped up, everyone’s weekend. So just everything about the area, the racetrack I’ve always enjoyed it and the people there have always been really great to me. That definitely adds an element to it.”
“[Loudon] was a pretty decent track for us before. There’s a new tire, so we’ll figure out what happens there as well. There’s only one way to find out.”
Blaney has already been on the cusp of Playoff greatness, finishing fourth in each of the last two weeks. Now reset to the fifth seed, Blaney finds himself leading the Penske trio for the Round of 12. Out of all Ford teams, the No. 12 Mustang is perhaps best poised to start a championship run at The Magic Mile.
Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Dutch Boy/Menards Ford Mustang on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, August 31. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing owns all three Next Gen era wins at New Hampshire, but surprisingly none have come from Denny Hamlin. 2025’s winningest Cup driver owns three Loudon wins, and a series-best 9.9 average finish here. His last win here, though, came all the way back in 2017. Hamlin has not been far off of another Loudon victory recently, however. The No. 11 has seen a top-10 in two of the last three Loudon races and led several laps here a year ago. Hamlin is well aware that New Hampshire is a JGR powerhouse track and is optimistic of a strong run ahead.
“I don’t have a great recollection of it,” Hamlin said of last year’s race. “It is not part of my mindset totally, quite yet as far as going back and learning track history. Certainly, it is on the forefront of our team and what we are focused on. It is always an interesting track, but that was the first time I remember being on a higher speed oval, I guess we did at Richmond, but on a higher speed oval – with these rain tires and the wet conditions, it was very, very sketchy from my standpoint. I just hope it stays dry from my point.”
“I mean, we’re we’re starting off in a good spot. We certainly got some good tracks here at New Hampshire coming up, so we’ll see. I think CBell tested there, so we should have some good sort of baseline going to that track anyway. And it’s another flat racetrack, one that we typically excel at.”
Now reseeded atop the points standings, Hamlin enters New Hampshire in the best position possible for the Round of 8. The opening two races in this round come at two of Hamlin’s best statistical venues–do not be shocked to see the 11 in contention on Sunday. If not Bell, expect Hamlin to be carrying the banner for Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota. Should Hamlin find Loudon victory lane again, it would fulfill his personal milestone 60th career Cup triumph.
Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Sport Clips Toyota Camry on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, August 31. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Chase Briscoe
Despite not being with Joe Gibbs Racing, Chase Briscoe nearly took the New Hampshire win a season ago. The water-logged Loudon day saw Briscoe wheel it to a runner-up finish not far off of Bell’s bumper. Now well ingrained within New Hampshire’s winningest team, Briscoe is poised for greater Loudon success. The No. 19 crew especially has always been strong here with Martin Truex Jr. behind the wheel, the sight of his final win two years ago. With all of this in mind plus his elevated Playoff results, Briscoe is aiming high for another big Sunday ahead.
Even with a win and three top-10s in his banner Round of 16 run, Briscoe only finds himself 10 points above the cut line. Team 19 must reset expectations and chase points if not an outright win at New Hampshire. If their Playoff speed and performance remains constant, this will be little issue. Briscoe has a prime opportunity ahead to further cement himself in many championship discussions after Loudon.
Chase Briscoe’s No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry on the grid at Darlington Raceway before winning the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, August 31. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
Tyler Reddick
Speaking of drivers who need to score points, Tyler Reddick enters New Hampshire as the Playoffs’ basement boy. 23XI Racing’s No. 45 is the 12 seed, falling three points below the cut line in this round. Reddick’s New Hampshire record is nothing to scoff over, with three top-10s across five starts. This stretch includes a sixth-place run in each of the last two years with 23XI.
Still winless in 2025, Reddick saw a high-water mark of second in Darlington three weeks ago. Toyota strength in Loudon is hardly ever in doubt. In short, Reddick has one of his best chances possible at breaking back into victory lane. 2024’s Championship 4 finalist will try and advance back into the Round of 8 starting off from the back foot by finding some Loudon magic.
Tyler Reddick’s No. 45 Pinnacle Toyota Camry on the grid at Darlington Raceway before the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, August 31. Photo Credit: Peter Stratta/TSJSports
In a similar vein to Gateway last round, New Hampshire provides a bit of a finale preview for Phoenix Raceway. Joe Gibbs Racing have come out of the gates swinging in these Playoffs so far. Alas, The Magic Mile has many contenders who can take the Lobster trophy. The Mobil1 301 goes green Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on USA, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. For the first time in eight years, New Hampshire has the chance to define a driver’s championship path and put them within eyesight of the Bill France Cup.
Written by Peter Stratta
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