After an exciting end to the Round of 16, the NASCAR playoffs continue this weekend in New England.
The Cup Series rolls into Loudon, New Hampshire, just an hour north of Boston, for the first of three races in the Round of 12.
New Hampshire Motor Speedway is on the playoff schedule for the first time since 2017. The “Magic Mile” –which has been held during the summer heat for the last seven years — will add a new wrinkle to the postseason picture, with 12 drivers fighting for eight spots in the upcoming semifinal round.
So, what’s in store for New Hampshire? What’s the TV schedule for the weekend? And who could contend for the win on Sunday? Here’s everything you need to know for the Mobil 1 301.
When is the NASCAR race this weekend in New Hampshire?
Green flag for the Mobil 1 301 is set for Sunday, Sept. 21, at 2 p.m. ET.
Before the race, there will be practice and qualifying on Saturday. The 36 drivers will be split into two groups, with each group getting 25 minutes of free practice. For qualifying, each driver will get one lap to set the starting order based on speed.
NASCAR TV schedule this weekend for New Hampshire
Leigh Diffey (play-by-play), Jeff Burton (analyst) and Steve Letarte (analyst) will be on the call for NBC Sports.
Here’s the full schedule for New Hampshire:
Saturday, Sept. 20 (truTV and HBO Max)
Practice: 3 p.m. ET, truTV and HBO Max
Qualifying: 4:10 p.m. ET, truTV and HBO Max
Sunday, Sept. 21 (USA Network and NBC Sports app)
Countdown to Green: 1:30 p.m. ET, USA Network and NBC Sports app
Mobil 1 301: 2 p.m. ET, USA Network and NBC Sports app
NASCAR Post-Race: 5:30 p.m. ET, USA Network and NBC Sports app
Who is racing in New Hampshire? Here’s the entry list
Thirty-six drivers will race in New Hampshire — just the 36 full-timers, with no additional part-time entries.
Here’s the full entry list for Loudon:
NASCAR playoff standings 2025
The playoff standings are reset for the Round of 12 after Austin Dillon, Shane van Gisbergen, Alex Bowman and Josh Berry were eliminated last week. There are now three more races (New Hampshire, Kansas, Charlotte Road Course) before four more drivers are eliminated. To advance to the Round of 8, a driver must either win one of the next three races or be above the bottom four in the points standings.
Here’s how the playoff standings stack up entering New Hampshire:
Denny Hamlin, +26 above cutline
William Byron, +24
Kyle Larson, +24
Christopher Bell, +20
Ryan Blaney, +19
Chase Briscoe, +10
Chase Elliott, +5
Bubba Wallace, +1
Austin Cindric, -1 below cutline
Joey Logano, -2
Ross Chastain, -2
Tyler Reddick, -3
NASCAR New Hampshire picks and predictions
The race in New Hampshire might be at a different time of year this season, but that shouldn’t impact the favorites.
Whenever NASCAR has come to New Hampshire recently, you can usually eliminate the Chevrolet drivers from victory contention. Ford and Toyota drivers have won 18 of the last 19 races at NHMS dating back to 2012, including nine straight back to 2016. To narrow it down even more, three organizations – Joe Gibbs Racing, Team Penske and now-defunct Stewart-Haas Racing – have won 16 straight NHMS races.
So, with Stewart-Haas out of the equation, all eyes are on Gibbs and Penske.
Gibbs Toyotas have won three straight at NHMS, with last week’s winner Christopher Bell claiming two lobsters. Denny Hamlin has as many wins at this track as any active driver, and Chase Briscoe was second to Bell last year while he was driving for Stewart-Haas.
Joey Logano, a Connecticut native, is the only Penske driver to win in New England — but it’s been over a decade since his two victories (2009 and 2014). Ryan Blaney has two career top-fives but has been outside the top 15 in three straight years, while Austin Cindric has never finished better than 13th.
Outside of those two powerhouses, the 23XI Racing Toyotas and RFK Racing Fords could be in the mix. Tyler Reddick was sixth in 2023 and 2024, and Bubba Wallace was third in 2022. For RFK, Brad Keselowski — who will drive a Boston Red Sox-themed car this week — has two wins (2014, 2020) and Ryan Preece (another Connecticut native) should perform at a track he knows well.
The winning pick for Loudon is Bell, who rides momentum for back-to-back victories at a track he has figured out better than anyone.
NASCAR past winners, race history for New Hampshire
Just five of the 36 drivers in the field are past winners at New Hampshire — and they’ve all won there multiple times.
Hamlin and Busch lead the way with three victories each, followed by Bell, Logano and Keselowski with two apiece.