Ryan Blaney absolutely roared to his third victory of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a win that instantly bumped him up the power rankings and solidified his spot as a driver to watch heading into the regular-season finale. What a performance! He, along with Denny Hamlin, battled through issues on pit road to get the job done, showing some serious grit.
Blaney’s Win, Hamlin’s Crown, and the Daytona Showdown
Blaney’s third win of the year at New Hampshire was nothing short of clutch. Imagine facing pit road issues and still finding a way to wheel it to victory lane. That’s championship material right there. This victory propelled him up the power rankings. But here’s the kicker, folks: questions are already swirling about the state of his pit crew. Are they going to be a preoccupation as “The Chase” rapidly approaches? That’s a huge, high-stakes question as we eye the postseason.
Meanwhile, Denny Hamlin, even after finishing seventh at Loudon, is firmly holding onto the top spot in the rankings because he officially clinched the regular-season title! He also locked up the top seed for “The Chase,” which is massive. This means Hamlin can roll into Daytona International Speedway for the regular-season finale on Saturday with zero worries, playing with house money while everyone else is scrambling.
Big Moves, Big Finishes, and Drivers Finding Their Groove
Beyond the top two, plenty of drivers made some serious noise at New Hampshire. Bubba Wallace, who has been bouncing in and out of the rankings all year, slammed the door shut on any doubts with a second-place finish. That performance all but secured his spot in “The Chase,” and you love to see it! Joey Logano got tangled up in a skirmish with Carson Hocevar and Connor Zilisch but rallied like a pro to finish 14th, a respectable effort that also clinched him a spot in “The Chase.”
Kyle Larson brought home a fifth-place finish at Loudon, making it back-to-back top-six finishes. It really feels like he’s finding his rhythm at the perfect time with “The Chase” around the corner. Christopher Bell, who typically crushes it at New Hampshire, landed in fourth for his sixth top-five finish in his last eight races. Bell and Larson are probably the two drivers without wins right now who could legitimately be championship threats. And let’s not forget Ty Gibbs, who finished sixth, marking his sixth top-10 finish in his last eight races. He’s still riding high on momentum from his Iowa victory a couple of weeks back. Tyler Reddick, after winning the pole, endured a spin on the opening lap that could’ve ruined his day, but he fought back to finish eighth. It wasn’t the win he aimed for, but that kind of rebound is tough to complain about.
On the Brink and Looking Ahead to Daytona
While some are celebrating, others are feeling the pressure. William Byron, who was seventh last week, unfortunately dropped out of the rankings entirely. And then you have the guys “on the verge”: Chris Buescher, William Byron, Austin Cindric, Chase Elliott, Ryan Preece, and Zane Smith. Every single one of them is going to be fighting tooth and nail.
Josh Berry, despite a great turnaround with his fourth consecutive finish of eighth or better, including a third at New Hampshire, is still looking for a ride for 2027. Man, sometimes it’s just a little too late. Chase Briscoe had a rough day, finishing 26th after a two-tire stop gamble for track position didn’t pay off.
All eyes are now locked on Saturday’s regular-season finale at Daytona. With Hamlin chilling at the top, it’s going to be an absolute brawl for everyone else on the bubble. Who’s going to seize their moment? You absolutely cannot miss it!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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