Ryan Blaney claims third NASCAR Cup win of the season at New Hampshire
Ryan Blaney overcame a major pit-stop error to secure his third NASCAR Cup Series victory of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday.
The Team Penske driver fended off Bubba Wallace by just 0.586 seconds to claim his second consecutive win at the Loudon circuit.
He led for a race-high 115 of the 301 laps but was forced to fight his way back to the front from 17th place.
Pit lane drama and recovery
The 2023 Cup Series champion had cruised to a substantial lead before a lug nut fell off the left-front tyre of his Ford during a caution period with 111 laps remaining.
This crucial error dropped the American down the field, but he meticulously picked his way through the traffic.
When a three-car crash brought out the yellow flag on lap 226, crew chief Jonathan Hassler made an aggressive call for a two-tyre change.
This strategic masterstroke allowed Blaney to gain six spots in the pits and retake a lead he would not relinquish.
Berry secures season-best finish
Behind the front two, Josh Berry finished a season-best third for Wood Brothers Racing as he continues his search for a 2027 seat.
Christopher Bell and Kyle Larson rounded out the top five following a race that began on wet-weather tyres due to a mid-afternoon rain shower.
Further down the order, Ryan Preece finished ninth to keep his Chase qualification hopes alive by gaining 19 points on Shane van Gisbergen.
The New Zealander crossed the line in 20th and currently holds the 16th and final spot for the 10-race title run.
Chastain suffers mechanical failure
A last-place finish extinguished any lingering Chase hopes for Ross Chastain.
His Chevrolet suffered a terminal mechanical problem after just 40 laps on the track.
“The speed has gotten better, so we’ll hopefully keep moving forward on that,” said Chastain.
“That’s the important part. With the things in our control, we were able to make them better through the summer.”
“I’ve learned that’s really tough to do in the NASCAR Cup Series. We did get better, but we’ve got a ways to go.”
The NASCAR Cup Series regular season concludes next Saturday at Daytona International Speedway, where the final 16-driver field will be set.