Ryan Blaney Holds Off Josh Berry for New Hampshire Win

Ryan Blaney stepped up on Sunday at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, taking the lead late and holding off Josh Berry for the victory in the Mobil 1 301.

Blaney took the lead from Berry on lap 263, shortly after a restart following a caution for a Cody Ware spin. Blaney pitted for two right-side tires under that caution, while Berry stayed out on the tires he had put on 12 laps earlier during the final scheduled round of green-flag pit stops.

With the tire advantage, Blaney expected to pull away from Berry. However, Berry fought back, applying pressure to Blaney throughout the final 39 circuits of the race. Ultimately, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion persevered and pulled away for the win.

Race Results: NASCAR Cup Series Mobil 1 301 at New Hampshire

"That was probably the hardest 20 laps that I drove," said Blaney. "I was trying to kind of bide my stuff and pull Josh a little bit, and then he really started coming. I started to get super free, and it was all I could do to hold him off.

"I was trying new lanes. That was good racing and clean racing. I appreciate Josh for not throwing me the bumper when he could have."

Despite the alliance between Team Penske and Wood Brothers Racing under the Ford Racing banner and Berry's elimination from playoff contention one week ago, Blaney fully expected Berry to compete for the victory.

"I expect [Berry] to go out and try to win the race," said Blaney. "I knew he wasn’t going to lay over from me, but I didn’t think I was ever going to get the bumper. We raced just super clean.

"I would do the same if I was him, right? You go and try to win the race. That’s what this thing is all about."

While the end of the race may have been stressful, Blaney and his No. 12 Team Penske group showed speed all weekend long at New Hampshire. Blaney was sixth-fastest in practice and qualified on the front row alongside teammate Joey Logano for Sunday's race.

He led 116 of the race's 301 laps en route to the victory. Now, he's secured a spot in the Round of 8 for the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, which begins on October 12 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"What a cool day, what a cool weekend," said Blaney. "Fast car all weekend. I can't believe the 12 boys, they're unbelievable. We're really having a strong, good Playoffs, and it's great to get a win."

Despite finishing second, Berry's performance was a much-needed one after a miserable start to the Playoffs. Clinching his spot in the postseason field with an early win at Las Vegas, the Tennessee driver finished last in all three of the races during the Round of 16.

Berry and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing team rebounded on Sunday at New Hampshire, overcoming an early spin after contact with Shane van Gisbergen to contend for an upset win.

"It was definitely an awesome day," said Berry. "We had a really good car. Hats off to Ryan at the end. All of our cars were really strong. Ryan did a great job there. I was honestly surprised. I was a little worried when he got around me as good as he did, but it seemed like it leveled out. I was able to keep him honest at the end.

"We were down a set of tires after the spin, so I think it kind of forced our hand. We didn't want to take our last rights, at least that early, with that many laps left. We made the most of it."

While Berry was hungry for his second win of the season, he was also fully aware of the stakes at hand for Blaney and wasn't willing to cross the line for that victory.

"I was going to race him, but it's definitely a tough situation," Berry explained. "You've got to take care of him, right? That's how I try to race anyways. On these restarts, you know, I try to do the best I can, be smart and tough out there sometimes. I was going to race him hard but clean."

William Byron finished third, followed by Logano, who led a race-high 147 laps. Chase Elliott rounded out the top five.

Kansas Speedway is the next stop for the NASCAR Cup Series for the Hollywood Casino 400 Presented by ESPN Bet. The green flag waves at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, September 28, with coverage on USA Network, the Motor Racing Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

-Photo credit: Sean Gardner/Getty Images