Venue: New Hampshire Motor Speedway (“The Magic Mile”), Loudon, New Hampshire Race Details
Scheduled Start: 2:00 p.m. ET (moved up one hour from the original 3:00 p.m. ET due to forecasted late-afternoon/evening inclement weather). Green flag expected around 2:10–2:20 p.m. ET.
Distance: 301 laps / 318.458 miles on the 1.058-mile oval.
Stages: 70 / 185 / 301.
TV/Radio: USA Network (also available on HBO Max in some packages); PRN Radio and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Purse: Approximately $11.2 million.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is a flat 1.058-mile D-shaped oval. Banking is minimal (approximately 2–7 degrees in the turns and near-flat on the straights), placing a premium on braking, throttle control, car rotation through the center of the corners, long-run handling, and tire management. The relatively short straights and tight turns reward precision over pure horsepower. The backstretch is a key area for setting up passes into Turns 3–4.
Weather Forecast
Sunday’s forecast calls for a significant chance of precipitation (reports cite 60%+ chance of showers, with some sources noting higher probabilities later in the afternoon/evening and possible thunderstorms). Temperatures are expected in the low-to-mid 70s°F. The earlier start is designed to complete the race before the worst of the weather arrives. Teams have wet-weather tires available. Track conditions could range from dry to damp, potentially affecting strategy and making the race weather-dependent.
Track Characteristics Summary
Length: 1.058 miles
Type: Intermediate flat oval (“Magic Mile”)
Turns: Four relatively tight, low-banked corners
Emphasis: Handling, restarts, pit strategy, and consistency over 301 laps
Key Driver Matchups & Recent Form
This is a critical race with only one regular-season event remaining after New Hampshire (Daytona). Playoff positioning and bubble battles intensify the competition.
Notable contenders and form notes:
Ryan Blaney (Team Penske No. 12): Defending race winner and a top favorite. Strong recent form and excellent at this style of track.
Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20): Consistent high finisher with strong historical results at New Hampshire.
Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11): Points leader in many reports; excellent average finishes and stage-point producer at the track.
Joey Logano (Team Penske No. 22): Hot streak with recent wins; multiple career victories at New Hampshire and strong short-track/flat-track form.
Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing No. 19): Excellent recent form (multiple top-six finishes, including a win earlier and strong Richmond run). Frequently cited as a strong value/sleeper.
Other notables: Tyler Reddick, Ty Gibbs, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, Josh Berry, and Carson Hocevar have been mentioned in sleeper or value conversations depending on recent performances.
Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske cars have historically performed well at this flat, technical track. Long-run speed and restart execution will be decisive.
Race History
New Hampshire has hosted Cup Series racing since the early 1990s. Recent winners at the track include Ryan Blaney (defending) and strong performances from drivers such as Christopher Bell and Joey Logano in prior years. The flat nature often produces competitive, strategy-heavy races with multiple lead changes and late-race restarts deciding the outcome. It is traditionally one of the final opportunities to lock in playoff spots or improve seeding before the regular-season finale.
Betting Trends & Outlook
Trends favor drivers with strong flat-track and short-to-intermediate oval résumés, recent short-track success, and teams that excel at tire management and restarts. Weather introduces additional variables (possible wet tires, shortened race risk, or strategy swings). Stage points and finishing position will be heavily scrutinized given the proximity to the playoffs.
DRIVER ODDS
Ryan Blaney + 450
Christopher Bell + 500
Joey Logano + 550
Denny Hamlin + 600
Chase Briscoe + 850
Kyle Larson + 900
William Byron + 1200
Ty Gibbs + 1200
Josh Berry + 1600
Tyler Reddick + 1800
Chase Elliott + 2200
Austin Cindric + 3000
Bubba Wallace + 3500
Ross Chastain + 3500
Chris Buescher + 6000
Carson Hocevar + 6500
Brad Keselowski + 6500
Shane Van Gisbergen + 6500
Ryan Preece + 8000
Austin Dillon + 9000
Alex Bowman + 9000
Daniel Suarez + 10000
Connor Zilisch + 10000
Michael McDowell + 13000
Erik Jones + 13000
Riley Herbst + 15000
AJ Allmendinger + 20000
Zane Smith + 20000
Todd Gilliland + 20000
John Hunter Nemechek + 20000
Austin Hill + 25000
Noah Gragson + 25000
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. + 30000
Ty Dillon + 50000
Cole Custer + 50000
Cody Ware + 100000
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Saturday, August 22, 2026
