Dollar Tree 301
Loudon, New Hampshire – August 23, 2026
AUSTIN CINDRIC No. 2 SNAP-ON FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 26TH STAGE 1: 14TH STAGE 2: 14TH FINISH: 12TH POINTS: 15TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Austin Cindric and the No. 2 Snap-on Ford Mustang Dark Horse team earned a 12th-place finish in Sunday’s Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, gaining 14 positions from their 26th-place starting spot. Inclement weather delayed the start of the race and forced the field to take the green flag on wet weather tires, but Cindric quickly began making his way forward and was scored 12th when the field transitioned to slick tires under the Lap 40 competition caution. He battled a tight-handling condition firing off but went on to finish Stage 1 in the 14th position before pitting for right-side tires and fuel. Cindric continued his charge early in Stage 2, working his way inside the top 10 by Lap 100 before his track position fluctuated as the run progressed. Following a green-flag stop for four tires and fuel on Lap 121, he closed out Stage 2 in 14th while reporting a significant bounce in the left rear of the No. 2 Ford, prompting the team to make adjustments during the stage break. Cindric continued to battle around the top 15 throughout the final segment as a couple cautions created multiple restarts and opportunities to gain ground. After restarting outside the top 15 with less than 70 laps remaining, Cindric worked his way forward over the closing run to take the checkered flag in 12th, completing a 14-position gain from his starting position.
CINDRIC’S THOUGHTS: “We wanted a little more out of our No. 2 Snap-on Ford Mustang today, but we kept fighting and made some decent gains throughout the race. The guys did a good job continuing to work on the car, and we were able to make up some ground by the end from where we started. We’ll take what we can from today and shift our focus to Daytona next weekend.”
RYAN BLANEY No. 12 MENARDS/DUTCH BOY FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 8TH STAGE 1: 6TH STAGE 2: 1ST FINISH: 1ST POINTS: 2ND
RACE RUNDOWN: Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang Dark Horse team scored their second consecutive victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway Sunday afternoon, marking Blaney’s third win of the season and the 20th of his NASCAR Cup Series career. After starting eighth on wet weather tires following an inclement-weather delay, Blaney steadily worked his way forward and was running sixth when the field transitioned to slick tires under the Lap 40 competition caution. He maintained his position through the remainder of the opening segment to finish Stage 1 in sixth before pitting for right-side tires and fuel. Blaney continued his charge toward the front in Stage 2 and was running second shortly after Lap 100 before taking the lead from Ford Racing teammate Josh Berry on Lap 148. He went on to claim the Stage 2 victory and remained a fixture at the front of the field throughout the final stage. A two-tire call under caution with 77 laps remaining helped the No. 12 team regain valuable track position for the closing run, and Blaney capitalized to secure his second-straight victory at the “Magic Mile.” Blaney led a race-high 115 of 301 laps en route to the win, which extended his hold on second in the championship standings with one race remaining before the start of the 10-race Chase.
BLANEY’S THOUGHTS: “It was a great day for our No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang. Once the track dried out, I knew we had a car capable of contending for the win, and our team did a great job continuing to make it better and executing when it mattered. Jonathan (Hassler) made a great call to put two tires on late, and we were able to get back out front and hold on. It’s really special to win here two years in a row, and I’m proud of the effort from everyone on this team.”
JOEY LOGANO No. 22 SHELL-PENNZOIL FORD MUSTANG DARK HORSE
START: 21ST STAGE 1: 21ST STAGE 2: 28TH FINISH: 14TH POINTS: 9TH
RACE RUNDOWN: Joey Logano and the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse team battled back from adversity to finish 14th in Sunday’s Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. After starting 21st on wet weather tires following an inclement-weather delay, Logano battled a tight-handling condition before the field transitioned to slick tires under the Lap 40 competition caution. He finished Stage 1 in the 21st position while reporting that he needed additional grip over the long run and restarted 22nd for Stage 2. Logano’s afternoon took a turn following a Lap 84 caution when the No. 22 Ford sustained front-end damage and a bent toe link, forcing the team to make repairs on pit road before he rejoined the field. Despite the setback, Logano continued to battle through the remainder of Stage 2 and finished the segment in 28th. The Shell-Pennzoil team continued working to improve the handling of the No. 22 Ford throughout the final segment, and Logano steadily made his way forward over the closing laps to take the checkered flag in the 14th position.
LOGANO’S THOUGHTS: “It was a tough day for our Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang. We fought the balance early and then had some damage that put us behind, but the guys did a good job making repairs and sticking with it. We were able to fight our way back to 14th by the end.”
With only one race remaining in the regular season, the Cup Series now heads to Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday, August 29. Coverage of the 400-mile event begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.
