Ryan Blaney wins Loudon Cup race, locked into next playoff round

After locking out the front row in qualifying, Team Penske dominated Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race at NHMS. Ryan Blaney claimed victory, fending off Josh Berry in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford.

This is Blaney’s 16th career Cup win and third of the 2025 season with a victory that also locks him into the penultimate round of the playoffs as he hunts his second championship.

“Yeah, that was probably the hardest 20 laps that I drove,” said Blaney. “I was trying to kind of bide my stuff and kind of pull Josh a little bit. Then he really started coming, and I started to get super free. It was all I could do to hold him off, trying new lanes. That was good racing and clean racing. I appreciate Josh for not throwing me the bumper when he could have.

“What a cool day. What a cool weekend. Super-fast car all weekend. Can’t believe the 12 boys, they’re unbelievable. Really have been strong through the playoffs. It’s great to get a win, first race of this round.”

After a trio of last-place finishes eliminated him from title contention in the Round of 16, Josh Berry fought back from an early spin at Loudon to finish second. William Byron was third, pole-sitter Joey Logano fourth, and Chase Elliott fifth.

Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Michael McDowell, Ross Chastain, and Chase Briscoe filled out the remainder of the top ten. Briscoe is now on the playoff bubble, 12 points up on Chastain.

All playoff drivers reached the finish, but 23XI Racing had a difficult day as Tyler Reddick (21st) and Bubba Wallace (26th) were the worst of the 12 remaining contenders. They are now in the drop zone, along with Austin Cindric and Chastain.

Stage 1

Joey Logano, Team Penske Ford, Josh Berry, Wood Brothers Racing Ford, Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

Photo by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

While pole-sitter Logano shot away, his teammate Blaney quickly slipped back outside the top five. Berry stayed close to Logano for most of  the opening run, but eventually, Blaney’s car came to life.

He charged forward, and after a brief battle, took the lead with 18 laps left in the first stage. The #12 car was cruising out when trouble nearly found him, as Austin Dillon spun Cody Ware out directly in front of the leaders.

Blaney made slight contact with Dillon and had to lock up his two front tires to avoid getting collected in the wreck. 

With the tire falloff, the entire field chose to pit, setting up a one-lap dash. Not much changed up front as Blaney won Stage 1 in front of Logano and Byron.

Stage 2

Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Photo by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

At the start of the second stage, Shane van Gisbergen, who had just scored his first stage points on an oval, sent Josh Berry spinning. The No. 21 was able to continue without damage, which is at least better than what he experienced throughout the Round of 16.

The most shocking moment of the race took place between teammates, as Denny Hamlin became frustrated with the way Ty Gibbs was racing himself and Christopher Bell, ultimately spinning Gibbs out. Gibbs declined to address the wreck directly in his TV interviews.

On the restart, SVG’s competitive day on an oval came to an end after Brad Keselowski tried to force it five-wide on the apron. Contact was made, resulting in a multi-car pileup. Along with van Gisbergen and Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Daniel Suarez, and Justin Haley were also involved.

John-Hunter Nemechek’s day came to an abrupt end in Stage 2 as well, when he spun and slammed the outside wall in a big impact for the No. 42.

While teams started to experiment with two-tire calls, there was still no stopping Team Penske as Logano won Stage 2 over Larson and Blaney.

Stage 3

Logano was in control for the start of the final stage, but Blaney took the lead away with 74 laps to go in the race. Soon after, a critical round of green-flag pit stops began.

Blaney was among the first to pit, and he cycled back into the lead once the entire field came down pit road.

With 48 laps to go, Ware appeared to try and get payback on Dillon for their earlier incident, but only managed to wreck himself.

Elliott and Berry chose to stay out while the rest of the leaders choosing to pit, although many took just two right-side tires.

Berry stayed close to Blaney after losing the lead, but nearly spun out as he tried to keep pace with him in the closing laps.

Fittingly, in the post-race interview, Blaney gave a shout-out to his 4-year-old nephew — who had accidentally gotten on the live team radio during the race a week ago, saying “Hi Uncle Ryan … win the race.”

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