'Right here come the yellow vehicles' as NASCAR playoffs shift at Loudon

“Right here come the yellow vehicles with subpar metrics, alongside the best way, however man do these guys know how one can get it executed when it counts.”

That was Joe Gibbs Racing competitors director Chris Gabehart in reference to Staff Penske after a very 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 package deal that may determine the championship in November at Phoenix. Staff 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 mentioned. “I do know what it is wish to be untouchable. We have been lucky sufficient to be on the best facet of that however the actuality is now we have quite a lot of work to do with this package deal and that is the main target. The remainder of it’s simply noise.

“We now have to get higher.”

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Pictures

That’s a telling quote from the competitors director that had gained three straight races to open the 2025 Cup Sequence Playoffs however none of these races befell with the package deal that might be used at Phoenix both.

It’s additionally a telling end result as a result of Gibbs had additionally gained the earlier three Cup Sequence races at New Hampshire utilizing this automobile till Blaney snapped the streak on Sunday.

“Huge props to all of Staff Penske, Wooden Brothers,” Blaney mentioned. “We did an excellent job main as much as this race and getting ready, by means of the weekend, observe, qualifying within the race. Our vehicles are actually quick, as in the whole firm. That is one thing they need to actually be happy with.

“I am simply within the lucky state of affairs I get to drive a quick race automobile. Yeah, it speaks volumes of the exhausting work that they’ve executed, and I believe for us to run first, Josh to run second, was Joey third or fourth? Prime 5, stage win, that is an excellent 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 ultimate 4 look. It’s a aid to Staff Penske NASCAR president Michael Nelson.

“My stress has been diminished by one-third,” Nelson mentioned with fun. “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 deliver it dwelling for them only for the win’s sake, but additionally it is enormous to clearly have somewhat 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 truth that Gibbs is not simply going to let Penske have it both.

“It’s going to be powerful,” Gabehart mentioned. “They’re actually good. They’ve a championship successful pedigree that goes again a long time for a similar purpose that Hendrick Motorsports goes to be powerful. It truly is a pedigree. So on the subject of late race playoff season, we’re all going to be powerful.”

Playoff Grid

Ryan Blaney Adv
Kyle Larson +47
Christopher Bell +29
Denny Hamlin +27
Joey Logano +24
Chase Elliott +14
Chase Briscoe +12
—
Ross Chastain -12
Austin Cindric -19
Tyler Reddick -23
Bubba Wallace -27

The sport has modified

Out of the blue the Penske vehicles have come to life and 23XI Racing went the opposite approach. Even the Hendrick vehicles, which struggled at instances in the course of 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 rapidly issues can change on this format.

“It was not an excellent day for us,” Briscoe mentioned. “On the race observe, we by no means actually had any points however on pit street we stored shedding positions. Simply exhausting 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 might’ve taken a tenth after yesterday but additionally felt like we sort of left lots on the desk at this time simply on pit street and whatnot. We’ll transfer on to Kansas.

“The optimistic factor is we’re above the cutline. That was the aim of at this time and we have been in a position to do this. We’ll go on to Kansas the place I really feel like our automobile ought to be approach higher and hopefully capitalize on it there.”

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota; Riley Herbst, 23XI Racing Toyota

Picture by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Pictures

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 mentioned. “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 good again to no good. I hate it. I felt actually optimistic and marched ahead in the beginning and it simply by no means actually went anyplace.

“We sort of plateaued on lap 5 and that was it. I hate that. It’s only a head scratcher. I informed our staff we’re approach 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 bought to do.”

Reddick fought a stiff brake pedal early within the race but additionally merely didn’t have pace.

“Yeah, I did not anticipate that, that is for positive,” Reddick mentioned. “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 bought 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 an excellent query,” Cindric mentioned. “I can solely discuss myself however I had actually nice long term pace 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 important to restart properly and I struggled with that.

“My guys threw lots on the automobile at this time 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 wished.”

What now?

Cindric, Reddick and Wallace are in an more and more powerful spot barring some fortunate breaks over the subsequent two weeks.

Definitely, if all three carry out the best way they did the final spherical, it is not 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 technique as they are saying.

“I want it was simple to say ‘simply transfer on from it’ nevertheless it’s not,” Wallace mentioned. “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 mentioned. “It’s simply, now we have struggled all yr.”

Cindric, true to character, was essentially the most upbeat.

“Kansas is a spot to the place now we have quite a lot of potential and I’m wanting ahead to it.”

And Kansas is so necessary as a result of nobody desires to go to the Charlotte Roval feeling like they should make it occur there.

“One week at a time,” Cindric mentioned. “Let’s get there first.”

Berry impresses

The playoffs are a narrative of what may have been for Josh Berry and the primary race after his elimination was a narrative of what may have been too.

It was not an absence of efficiency or pace 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 in the beginning 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? Effectively, he as soon as once more was concerned in an early incident from inside the top-10 but additionally rebounded to almost outright defeating Blaney on older tires at New Hampshire.

Berry was tagged by Shane Van Gisbergen on Lap 82.

Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford, Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Josh Berry, Wooden Brothers Racing Ford, Shane van Gisbergen, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet

Picture by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Pictures

“These issues occur right here on a regular basis – and it’s a alternative,” Berry mentioned. “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 reside to combat one other day.

“On all of those restarts, there’s alternative after alternative after alternative. Even when I did come down somewhat bit, I’ve reduce him loads of breaks over the course of the yr. Simply reside to race one other lap – there’s 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 rapidly 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 somewhat higher,” Berry mentioned. “We struggled somewhat 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 mentioned. “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 might slip. All in all, it was a enjoyable battle and Ryan is a superb 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 may have made him a legit championship menace if not for every thing that went incorrect within the first spherical.