‘Here come the yellow cars’ as NASCAR ...

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

That was Joe Gibbs Racing competitors director Chris Gabehart in reference to Team 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 package deal that may resolve the championship in November at Phoenix. Staff Penske has received the previous three championships with Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney.

Logano received the pole this weekend and Blaney won the race after fending off satellite teammate Josh Berry.

“The Penske vehicles have been utterly untouchable once more,” Gabehart mentioned. “I do know what it is wish to be untouchable. We have been lucky sufficient to be on the suitable aspect of that however the actuality is we have now a whole lot of work to do with this package deal and that is the main target. The remainder of it’s simply noise.

“We’ve got to get higher.”

Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Picture by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photos

That’s a telling quote from the competitors director that had received three straight races to open the 2025 Cup Collection Playoffs however none of these races occurred with the package deal that will probably be used at Phoenix both.

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

“Large props to all of Staff Penske, Wooden Brothers,” Blaney mentioned. “We did an incredible job main as much as this race and making ready, via the weekend, follow, qualifying within the race. Our vehicles are actually quick, as in your complete 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 exhausting work that they’ve accomplished, and I feel for us to run first, Josh to run second, was Joey third or fourth? Prime 5, stage win, that is an incredible day. Big props to them. Could not be prouder of them. It was good we have been in a position to 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 reduction to Staff Penske NASCAR president Michael Nelson.

“My stress has been lowered by one-third,” Nelson mentioned with amusing. “We have got two extra to attempt to get in right here these subsequent couple weeks.

“This goes a good distance. It is actually good to see this crew get the win. They’ve had the quickest automobile fairly a bit right here just lately. It is good to deliver it dwelling for them only for the win’s sake, but in addition it is big to clearly have a little bit little bit of respiratory room for the following 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 profitable pedigree that goes again many years for a similar cause 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

Abruptly the Penske vehicles have come to life and 23XI Racing went the opposite means. Even the Hendrick vehicles, which struggled at occasions through the first spherical, every had actually stable showings on Sunday.

The dynamic has flipped from the primary spherical.

Chase Briscoe received 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 incredible day for us,” Briscoe mentioned. “On the race observe, we by no means actually had any points however on pit highway we stored dropping positions. Simply exhausting to do this within the Playoffs and never sacrifice a end due to it. I believed our automobile was okay. We positively didn’t have something for the Penske vehicles. I’d’ve taken a tenth after yesterday but in addition felt like we sort of left rather a lot on the desk right now simply on pit highway and whatnot. We’ll transfer on to Kansas.

“The constructive factor is we’re above the cutline. That was the purpose of right now and we have been ready to do this. We’ll go on to Kansas the place I really feel like our automobile must be means higher and hopefully capitalize on it there.”

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

Picture by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Photos

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 excellent again to no good. I hate it. I felt actually optimistic and marched ahead at first 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 instructed our crew we’re means 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 obtained to do.”

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

“Yeah, I did not count on that, that is for certain,” Reddick mentioned. “The best way the race began, I believed 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 obtained away.

“The stability went away after which, subsequent factor I do know we have been attempting to battle for twentieth so it was only a horrible day.”

For all of the discuss of Penske dominance, that efficiency didn’t lengthen to Austin Cindric, for causes he couldn’t totally perceive instantly after the race both.

“Yeah, I imply that’s an incredible query,” Cindric mentioned. “I can solely discuss myself however I had actually nice future pace however by no means felt like I used to be in a position to capitalize in it and botched my lap in qualifying, which set us again, and you need to restart properly and I struggled with that.

“My guys threw rather a lot on the automobile right now and it’s only a disgrace. A number of different playoff drivers weren’t in a position to 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 following two weeks.

Definitely, if all three carry out the best way 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 just 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 mentioned. “We’re a greater crew than that.”

So can they show it at Kansas the place he received in 2023?

“Guess we’ll see.”

Reddick was as despondent as his teammate.

“I don’t know,” he mentioned. “It’s simply, we have now struggled all 12 months.”

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

“Kansas is a spot to the place we have now a whole 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 Wood Brothers Racing No. 21 within the first spherical. Berry made a mistake from contained in the top-5 on low air stress at first of the Southern 500, was crashed by Chase Elliott at Gateway, after which caught hearth 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 just about 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 Photos

“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 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 a little bit bit, I’ve reduce him loads of breaks over the course of the 12 months. 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 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 a little bit higher,” Berry mentioned. “We struggled a little bit bit firing off on the restarts. He was in a position to 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 occasions 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 rather a lot. He was in a position to play protection after I would get fairly shut after which I’d 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 risk if not for all the pieces that went incorrect within the first spherical.