“Right here come the yellow vehicles with subpar metrics, alongside the way in which, however man do these guys know get it finished when it counts.”
That was Joe Gibbs Racing competitors director Chris Gabehart in reference to Crew Penske after a extremely dominant efficiency by the Ford Racing flagship on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
That is particularly related as a result of that is the right-side tire compound and guidelines bundle that may determine the championship in November at Phoenix. Crew Penske has gained the previous three championships with Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney.
Logano gained the pole this weekend and Blaney gained the race after warding off satellite tv for pc teammate Josh Berry.
“The Penske vehicles have been fully untouchable once more,” Gabehart stated. “I do know what it is prefer to be untouchable. We have been lucky sufficient to be on the correct aspect of that however the actuality is now we have loads of work to do with this bundle and that is the main focus. The remainder of it’s simply noise.
“We now have to get higher.”
Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photographs
That’s a telling quote from the competitors director that had gained three straight races to open the 2025 Cup Collection Playoffs however none of these races befell with the bundle that can be used at Phoenix both.
It’s additionally a telling consequence as a result of Gibbs had additionally gained the earlier three Cup Collection races at New Hampshire utilizing this automobile till Blaney snapped the streak on Sunday.
“Huge props to all of Crew Penske, Wooden Brothers,” Blaney stated. “We did a terrific job main as much as this race and getting ready, by way of the weekend, apply, qualifying within the race. Our vehicles are actually quick, as in all the firm. That is one thing they need to actually be happy with.
“I am simply within the lucky scenario I get to drive a quick race automobile. Yeah, it speaks volumes of the laborious work that they’ve finished, and I feel for us to run first, Josh to run second, was Joey third or fourth? Prime 5, stage win, that is a terrific day. Enormous props to them. Could not be prouder of them. It was good we have been capable of capitalize on having such quick vehicles.”
And with that, Blaney is now only one stage away from racing for his second championship in three years and a 3rd straight last 4 look. It’s a aid to Crew Penske NASCAR president Michael Nelson.
“My stress has been lowered by one-third,” Nelson stated with amusing. “We have got two extra to attempt to get in right here these subsequent couple weeks.
“This goes a great distance. It is actually good to see this staff get the win. They’ve had the quickest automobile fairly a bit right here not too long ago. It is good to carry it house for them only for the win’s sake, but in addition it is large to clearly have slightly little bit of respiratory room for the subsequent spherical.”
That’s very true given the unpredictability of the ultimate race of this spherical, the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval.
And the fact that Gibbs is not simply going to let Penske have it both.
“It’s going to be robust,” Gabehart stated. “They’re actually good. They’ve a championship successful pedigree that goes again many years for a similar motive that Hendrick Motorsports goes to be robust. It truly is a pedigree. So in terms of late race playoff season, we’re all going to be robust.”
Playoff Grid
Ryan Blaney AdvKyle Larson +47Christopher Bell +29Denny Hamlin +27Joey Logano +24Chase Elliott +14Chase Briscoe +12–Ross Chastain -12Austin Cindric -19Tyler Reddick -23Bubba Wallace -27
The sport has modified
Out of the blue the Penske vehicles have come to life and 23XI Racing went the opposite method. Even the Hendrick vehicles, which struggled at instances through the first spherical, every had actually strong showings on Sunday.
The dynamic has flipped from the primary spherical.
Chase Briscoe gained the Southern 500 and was instantly locked into the second spherical however leaves this primary race on the bubble as a result of he didn’t rating any stage factors to alongside a top-10.
That is how shortly issues can change on this format.
“It was not a terrific day for us,” Briscoe stated. “On the race observe, we by no means actually had any points however on pit street we saved shedding positions. Simply laborious to do this within the Playoffs and never sacrifice a end due to it. I assumed our automobile was okay. We undoubtedly didn’t have something for the Penske vehicles. I’d’ve taken a tenth after yesterday but in addition felt like we form of left lots on the desk at present simply on pit street and whatnot. We’ll transfer on to Kansas.
“The optimistic factor is we’re above the cutline. That was the purpose of at present and we have been ready to do this. We’ll go on to Kansas the place I really feel like our automobile ought to be method higher and hopefully capitalize on it there.”
Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota; Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing Toyota
Picture by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Photographs
In the meantime, the 23XI Racing Toyotas pushed by Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace, have been nowhere near the figurative ballpark with finishes of twenty first and twenty sixth.
“Only a miss throughout actually,” Wallace stated. “We couldn’t actually appear to get issues going. Our greatest run lasted for 5 laps, the warning got here out after which it was excellent again to no good. I hate it. I felt actually optimistic and marched ahead initially and it simply by no means actually went wherever.
“We form of plateaued on lap 5 and that was it. I hate that. It’s only a head scratcher. I instructed our staff we’re method higher than that. We all know it. As a lot of a intestine punch as this one is, we’ll transfer on. That is what we’ve received to do.”
Reddick fought a stiff brake pedal early within the race but in addition merely didn’t have velocity.
“Yeah, I did not count on that, that is for certain,” Reddick stated. “The best way the race began, I assumed we have been going to have the ability to run (inside) the top-10 all day however between the brake points we had, it simply received away.
“The stability went away after which, subsequent factor I do know we have been making an attempt to battle for twentieth so it was only a horrible day.”
For all of the discuss of Penske dominance, that efficiency didn’t prolong to Austin Cindric, for causes he couldn’t totally perceive instantly after the race both.
“Yeah, I imply that’s a terrific query,” Cindric stated. “I can solely discuss myself however I had actually nice long term velocity however by no means felt like I used to be capable of capitalize in it and botched my lap in qualifying, which set us again, and it’s a must to restart nicely and I struggled with that.
“My guys threw lots on the automobile at present and it’s only a disgrace. A number of different playoff drivers weren’t capable of get stage factors and that retains us within the hunt however not the day we needed.”
What now?
Cindric, Reddick and Wallace are in an more and more robust spot barring some fortunate breaks over the subsequent two weeks.
Actually, if all three carry out the way in which they did the final spherical, it isn’t insurmountable however the hurdle in giving up a race on this three-race spherical is that they now will want the likes of Penske, Hendrick and Gibbs drivers both faltering or having a problem.
Luck isn’t a method as they are saying.
“I want it was straightforward to say ‘simply transfer on from it’ nevertheless it’s not,” Wallace stated. “We’re a greater staff than that.”
So can they show it at Kansas the place he gained in 2023?
“Guess we’ll see.”
Reddick was as despondent as his teammate.
“I don’t know,” he stated. “It’s simply, now we have struggled all yr.”
Cindric, true to character, was probably the most upbeat.
“Kansas is a spot to the place now we have loads of potential and I’m trying ahead to it.”
And Kansas is so essential as a result of nobody needs to go to the Charlotte Roval feeling like they need to make it occur there.
“One week at a time,” Cindric stated. “Let’s get there first.”
Berry impresses
The playoffs are a narrative of what might have been for Josh Berry and the primary race after his elimination was a narrative of what might have been too.
It was not an absence of efficiency or velocity that eradicated the Wooden Brothers Racing No. 21 within the first spherical. Berry made a mistake from contained in the top-5 on low air stress initially of the Southern 500, was crashed by Chase Elliott at Gateway, after which caught fireplace at Bristol.
How did he reply the very subsequent spherical? Nicely, he as soon as once more was concerned in an early incident from throughout the top-10 but in addition rebounded to almost outright defeating Blaney on older tires at New Hampshire.
Berry was tagged by Shane Van Gisbergen on Lap 82.
Josh Berry, Wooden Brothers Racing Ford, Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Picture by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Photographs
“These issues occur right here on a regular basis – and it’s a alternative,” Berry stated. “It’s a alternative on a restart, whether or not you’re going to depart your proper entrance in there and wreck him otherwise you’re going to stay to struggle one other day.
“On all of those restarts, there may be alternative after alternative after alternative. Even when I did come down slightly bit, I’ve minimize him loads of breaks over the course of the yr. Simply stay to race one other lap – there may be nonetheless 200-something laps to go.”
Berry rebounded to tenth within the second stage and didn’t pit when the ultimate warning waved. He inherited the lead however was shortly handed by Blaney on more energizing right-side tires by simply 9 laps.
“I imply clearly, he had the 2 tires and people fired off slightly higher,” Berry stated. “We struggled slightly bit firing off on the restarts. He was capable of get round us there, however then it appeared like I used to be going to make a run at him.”
Berry did get to the bumper a few instances however slipped up the observe and needed to accept second.
“It is simply, it is a battle there,” he stated. “We have been each slipping and sliding and clearly having the clear air helps lots. He was capable of play protection once I would get fairly shut after which I’d slip. All in all, it was a enjoyable battle and Ryan is a good race automobile driver. I’ve a ton of respect for him. And if I couldn’t do it, I’m glad it was him.”
It was a day that will have made him a legit championship menace if not for all the pieces that went mistaken within the first spherical.
