It’s no secret that Roger Penske’s boys haven’t had the best start to the playoffs. Ryan Blaney sits in 5th; however, both Joey Logano and Austin Cindric are in the elimination zone entering the round of 12.
NASCAR is kicking off this round with New Hampshire Motor Speedway, and Team Penske might have found the retribution they are looking for.
Can Joey Logano Be the First One Into the Top 8?
Since the next-gen car debuted in 2022, Team Penske has been dominant. They bagged three back-to-back championships: Logano in 2022 and 2024, and Blaney in 2023. However, in the 2025 playoffs so far, Joe Gibbs Racing has been the frontrunner through and through.
Chase Briscoe won the opener at Darlington, followed by Denny Hamlin, who won Gateway. Lastly, Christopher Bell joined the list, winning the Bristol Motor Speedway race. However, in the round of 12, things might change, as in the opener, Logano managed to bag the pole start with a 29.159s lap.
Heck of a lap for @JoeyLogano in qualifying for Sunday’s #NASCAR Cup Series Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire. Logano takes the pole, and @Team_Penske sweeps the front row with @Blaney in P2. pic.twitter.com/v2DTuxkqDy
— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) September 20, 2025
In fact, on the front grid, he’s got all familiar faces. Blaney is starting in P2, and Team Penske’s Ford ally Josh Berry, with the Wood Brothers Racing, has wrapped up the top 3.
Surely Logano would be pleased with a Ford top-3. The three-time Cup Series champion is hopeful for his chances there, especially since it’s also his home race.
He said, “I got a great group of guys.”Paul [Wolfe, crew chief] knows how to help me get the car good and where it needs to be … It’s the home track. Feels so good to run well here. It’s a good starting spot, obviously. Hopefully, we’re able to capitalize tomorrow. We got a good pit stall, if nothing else.”
Even though it’s Logano’s home race, he hasn’t won there as much as you’d expect. In fact, his last win at New Hampshire came more than a decade ago in 2014 and the one before that in 2009. And with the next-gen car, the results for him have been two extremes. Either finishing out of the top 20 in 2022 and 2023, or narrowly missing out at the checkered flag in 2023, bagging a P2.
Track position hasn’t been much of a safety net at NHMS, so Logano would have a tough time keeping that lead. In the past three races, the pole winner at New Hampshire has never won the race. But that’s the trouble for race day, currently, Logano’s soaking his dominant pole run.
This is Logano’s 33rd career pole, but his first one at NHMS, and winning it here is a whole different feeling for him. He said, “I think part of the emotion is that we’re in New Hampshire. The fans cheer me. It’s freaking cool. That doesn’t happen everywhere. Like, only here, so I love that. It’s a little bit more exciting when you’re able to win the pole when the whole grandstand is happy for you. That’s kind of neat.”
Well, time will tell if Logano can convert this pole into a spot in the round of eight. No matter what, the race is set to be thrilling, as all 12 playoff drivers have the same goal.
