Bell Rides High at New Hampshire: Can Anyone Dethrone the King of the Magic Mile?
This afternoon in the quiet little town of Loudon, New Hampshire, all 6,000 souls become the red-hot center of the NASCAR universe, and Christopher Bell is here for it.The Cup Series is rolling in for its first playoff dance at the “Magic Mile” in eight long years, and buddy, the stakes couldn’t be higher. We’ve whittled a field of 16 down to the Round of 12, and with a fresh slate, it’s anybody’s game over 301 grueling laps.
But let’s be honest, all eyes are on one guy. After last week’s domination at Bristol, the smart money is on Bell to do it all over again and hoist that glorious lobster in Victory Lane. Racing Insights has him pegged as the man to beat, and why wouldn’t they? A win would be his fifth of 2025 and a successful defense of his “Granite State” crown. It almost feels inevitable.
Joe Gibbs Racing: The Unstoppable Force at Loudon
You can’t talk about New Hampshire without talking about Joe Gibbs Racing. Their record here with the Next Gen car is simply off the charts. They’re a perfect three-for-three, with Bell grabbing two wins and Martin Truex Jr. snagging one in 2023—his last trip to Victory Lane, if you can believe it. The numbers are staggering: JGR has led 661 of the 907 laps run in this car, a mind-boggling 73%. They’ve won every single stage. Look back even further, and you’ll find a JGR Toyota has finished in the top two in the last 13 races at this track. Thirteen!
And if that wasn’t enough, they’ve started these playoffs on an absolute tear, sweeping the first three races. So yeah, calling JGR the team to beat on Sunday is the understatement of the year. Racing Insights even has Denny Hamlin, who won the last flat track race at Gateway, finishing right behind Bell in second. Hamlin’s a three-time winner here, but it’s been a minute since his last victory back in 2017. You know he’s hungry to change that.
Don’t sleep on the rest of the Toyota camp, either. Bubba Wallace, who quietly advanced to the Round of 16, has two top-10 finishes here in the Next Gen era. And Tyler Reddick, who desperately needs a good run after starting the Round of 12 at the bottom of the grid, has finished sixth in his last two trips to Loudon. The Toyota brigade is strong, and they’ve shown they own this place.
Can Team Penske or Hendrick Play Spoiler?
So, who can possibly challenge Bell and this Toyota dynasty? Team Penske has shown they can hang on flat tracks, but Loudon has been a bit of a thorn in their side. Ryan Blaney, riding a hot streak of eight top-10s in his last nine races, is projected for a solid third-place finish. But his record here is spotty, with no finish better than 15th in the Next Gen car.
Is this the weekend he finally tames New England? Meanwhile, Joey Logano, a two-time winner here, has struggled recently, but you can never count out a guy with his experience. This is the last flat-track tune-up before the championship race at Phoenix, and you can bet Roger Penske wants to see his Fords flexing their muscle.
Then there’s Hendrick Motorsports. Man, it feels like they’re just trying to survive these playoffs. Alex Bowman is already out, and it’s been a dog’s age since an HMS car won here. We’re talking 2012 with Kasey Kahne. Since then, Hendrick has won 114 races at 28 other tracks, but not here. They’ve finished in every spot inside the top 15 at Loudon except first.
It’s a statistical anomaly. Kyle Larson has three runner-up finishes at New Hampshire in his career, but he has yet to seal the deal. William Byron, the Regular Season Champ, is in a slump, and this is the only track on the schedule where he’s never scored a top 10. A good run is crucial for him to build a cushion.
The Pressure Intensifies
The pressure is on. While there is no guarantee of Bell winning the championship on Sunday, a bad day at the Magic Mile can certainly keep fans guessing. For the drivers in the Round of 12, every position and every point will feel like a battle. It’s time to see who has the magic and who’s just chasing ghosts.
