Penske favored at New Hampshire as Playoff strain rises

There are a number of causes to really feel just like the Mobil 1 301 on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway runs by way of Crew Penske.

Joey Logano was the Ford consultant throughout a July tire take a look at
Then Logano wins the pole
Ryan Blaney was quickest in lengthy runs in observe
Crew Penske captured the top-3 spots in qualifying

So yeah, it’s not a provided that this race runs by way of a Penske Ford as a result of Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell and Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain additionally examined however there was a standard reply in regards to the anticipated hierarchy for Sunday.

For instance, William Byron was quickest general in single-lap occasions in observe however says the Penske automobiles did not fall off the best way his did.

“Effectively, it seems that manner in regards to the Penskes in qualifying for positive,” Byron stated. “I believed (Blaney) was actually robust in race trim and he was simply in a position to plateau and keep under my velocity the entire run. I believed I used to be good for what our requirements right here. I don’t understand how good it’s however I’m optimistic about how our automotive feels and what we are able to get out of it.”

Joe Gibbs Racing has swept all three playoff races to date at Darlington, Gateway and Bristol however Southern 500 Chase Briscoe instructed the Penske automobiles seemingly had one of the best steadiness on Saturday.

“Positively,” Briscoe stated. “On the take a look at, it’s onerous to inform as a result of a staff comes again and it’s not apples-to-apples, however Bell stated they didn’t really feel superb and the Penske automobiles have been unbelievable. So we get right here and the Penske automobiles appear to be unbelievable. I believe we now have one thing for them, and there isn’t quite a bit we are able to change now, however coming again subsequent yr for positive if not tomorrow.”

Bell referenced that take a look at too.

“On the take a look at, we weren’t the quickest one right here for positive,” Bell stated. “I’m glad that we weren’t racing that day in July on the tire take a look at and hopefully we made efficiency features. I believe that the automobiles are actually good – now. (Penske) is absolutely good now. I believe we’ve made an uptick in efficiency now versus what we had within the tire take a look at, however I’m positive the remainder of the rivals may say the identical factor.”

And it’s not like Penske was universally ‘unbelievable’ on Saturday as a result of playoff driver Austin Cindric was amongst the again half of the sector and can begin

“Our first run was fairly far off,” Cindric stated. “We in all probability simply overshot however was in a position to get our automotive turning throughout the middle fairly properly by the tip.”

What in regards to the different Toyotas, Bubba Wallace?

“I do not actually know what our expectation was,” Wallace stated. “We anticipated to be sooner than what we have been at that tire take a look at is paying off for Penske, 1-2-3.”

With that stated, Wallace isn’t sweating it if Penske wins, except (jokingly) it’s Blaney.

“I might be extra ticked off if Blaney wins as a result of I must anticipate him to get finished earlier than we fly again,” Wallace stated together with his signature giggle. “That’s going to be essentially the most irritating half.

“However no critically, the race hasn’t occurred but, and we now have to simply roll with it. We’re 14 so sort of terrible as a result of I’ve been qualifying manner higher than that currently. We’ll determine what we want. This place is difficult. I’m not going to settle and we’re going to go to work tomorrow.”

Beginning on pole, Logano feels assured.

“I believe we’ve acquired a superb shot there’s little doubt,” he stated. “Once I take a look at Loudon on the schedule, I really feel prefer it’s a type of racetracks that’s in our wheelhouse – flat one-mile kind tracks looks like it’s a Crew Penske sort of factor. Hopefully, we are able to translate this pole right into a win as a result of that’s what actually issues.”

Logano expects to should race Blaney for the win and even gave Byron some credit score as a possible competitor for Victory Lane too.

“The 12 seemed actually quick. I believe we are able to get there with some changes, hopefully, and be capable to compete with him, however with that stated the 24 seemed fairly robust too,” Logano stated. “There are another automobiles which can be positively within the combine, so we’ve acquired to be excellent. That’s how it’s to win these races lately. Everyone seems to be shut.

“It’s not like somebody is simply two-tenths sooner than the sector like we’ve seen right here within the outdated automotive. First to twentieth is fairly shut, so quite a lot of occasions you possibly can put one of the best automotive and put it twentieth and it’s gonna run twentieth. It’s simply actually onerous to maneuver by way of the sector when everyone seems to be operating the identical velocity, so that you’ve simply acquired to be actually good.

“We’ve acquired the observe place to start out. There’s quite a lot of alternatives on this race if cautions fall in attention-grabbing locations the place two tires are choices, no tires. We’ve seen that occur quite a bit right here, the place the sector can get jumbled out fairly rapidly, so that you’ve acquired to be nice on technique, which I’ve acquired a extremely good staff with regards to that piece of it.”

Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet

Photograph by: Michael Bush – Icon Sportswire through Getty Photos

Strain is on

It didn’t seem to be an excellent day for Chase Elliott and the Hendrick Motorsports No. 9 on Saturday.

On one hand, the automotive appeared to have future velocity based mostly on the ten and 20 lap averages however the short-run velocity wasn’t there based mostly on the twentieth quickest observe lap and a twenty seventh quickest qualifying run.

And as soon as he accomplished his stated qualifying run, Elliott reported to the media middle for a short availability that it was very apparent he wasn’t excited about taking part on this weekend.

Q: What is the problem beginning the place you’re tomorrow?
A: It is customary.

Q: How do you make your manner ahead?
A: Simply grind it out. Maintain the correct rear on it. Profit from no matter it’s. Struggle to the loss of life.

Q: Was the automotive higher than it was in observe?
A: Yeah, I believed we have been respectable in observe however (qualifying) was what it was; hopefully higher tomorrow.

Q: New Hampshire isn’t a typical observe you go to so does something change within the preparation?
A: I am not, we have raced right here sufficient

Q: Are you able to study something for Phoenix this weekend?
A: I am not fearful about Phoenix proper now.

A variety of these questions weren’t from regulars, a number of native media members, and he did give an extended response from a beat author in regards to the swing of feelings final week at Bristol the place he briefly thought he was eradicated after a crash.

“For me, it was simply being within the second there,” he stated. “I didn’t know what the scenario was and nobody had fallen out but, and I simply thought we have been solely going to get one level, and felt no manner that will be sufficient.

“I acquired tremendous lucky and fortunate that it purchased us three extra weeks, so attempt to benefit from them.”

Is that depth or strain, or reflective of a tricky day, why he appeared uncharacteristically quick?

“No, feeling regular,” he stated after which walked off.

The complete availability was lower than three minutes, which is greater than his proper however it additionally appears to be a mirrored image of the strain and depth of the second after practically falling out of the playoffs and needing to seek out one other figurative gear the subsequent three weeks to chase a second championship.

Playoff grid

Denny Hamlin +26
Kyle Larson +24
William Byron +24
Christopher Bell +20
Ryan Blaney +19
Chase Briscoe +10
Chase Elliott +5
Bubba Wallace +1
—
Austin Cindric -1
Ross Chastain -2
Joey Logano -2
Tyler Reddick -3

Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota

Photograph by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Photos

Setting the stage

On one hand, Joey Logano seems liable to elimination however on the opposite, he additionally appears like that is the championship caliber program he has had in any of his six earlier Closing 4 campaigns.

“Every of these seasons have been the identical, in that we turn out to be a grind it out sort of race staff,” Logano stated. “We simply maintain plugging away and successful the races that matter and capitalizing on conditions, even when we’re not the quickest automotive.

“A variety of occasions we’re in a position to one way or the other manipulate one thing to place ourselves in place.”

Wallace referenced that in his personal scrum too.

“And getting in when the 48 will get disqualified.”

It was a joke … with a component of reality.

Anyway, Logano …

“It’s so cliche’ – by no means stop – however it looks like our staff simply retains grinding and grinding and finally you end up there,” Logano stated. “There’s one thing to say for us being constant and prepping the identical manner and doing every little thing all-out on a regular basis.

“You may not see the rewards instantly, however over time you begin to see a few of that. I believe that’s simply the sort of staff we’re. You simply maintain going. You retain asking the onerous questions. You retain difficult your self. You problem your teammates. It’s not enjoyable to do it that manner.”

That is Wallace’s finest season, and one which he’s changing into a low-key menace to make the ultimate 4, and he’s not letting the strain exceed the pleasure. It could be straightforward to really feel annoyed going from a primary spherical efficiency that had him 52 above the cutline to proper again on the bubble.

“It’s what it’s,” Wallace stated, shrugging. “We maintain doing what we’ve been doing and we’re going to be advantageous.”

Ross Chastain says nothing has modified within the Trackhouse store.

“We’re a staff full of execs and we don’t get too excessive and we don’t get too low.”

After sweeping the primary spherical, Bell says Gibbs drivers have each expectation of maintaining it going.

“I believe, you take a look at the race tracks on paper and so they say that we ought to be actually good in any respect of those tracks, and we should always be capable to have good efficiency,” Bell stated. “The hardest factor is simply going to be going on the market and doing it and never eliminating your self. I believe that each one of us, myself, Denny and Chase – even Bubba and Tyler – all the Toyotas, they’re going to have velocity.

‘We’re going to be succesful so simply acquired to dot your i’s and cross your t’s and do your job. I believe if it’s as much as automotive efficiency, we’ll in all probability be advantageous however the execution aspect and ending the races out, ensuring that you simply make the correct selections on restarts, the correct technique calls, not making errors on lengthy inexperienced flag runs – stuff like that — goes to be the distinction maker within the Spherical of 12.”