The NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series (NCTS) head to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend. The CRAFTSMAN Truck Series starts off the weekend with qualifying for the Team EJP 175 on Friday at 5:05 p.m., and then the race is on Saturday, August 22, at 1:30 p.m. ET on FS1. Then on Sunday, the Cup Series qualifies for the Dollar Tree 301 on Saturday at 11:35 a.m., and the race is on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. ET on the USA Network.
Cup Series Notes for New Hampshire Motor Speedway:
Only one race remains after New Hampshire before the Chase: Daytona. Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney, Ty Gibbs, Tyler Reddick, Chase Briscoe, Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell have clinched Chase spots.
Five of the last six races were won from a top-five starting position, and the stage one winner went on to win the last three. But there has only been one overtime finish in the last 14 races (2024).
Christopher Bell won two of the last four races, and five total past active drivers are entered for the race: Denny Hamlin (3), Joey Logano (2), Brad Keselowski (2), Christopher Bell (2), and Ryan Blaney (1).
NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series Notes for New Hampshire Motor Speedway:
This is the 18th race of 2026 and the final race in the regular season. The top-6 in the series points have clinched a Chase spot: Layne Riggs, Kaden Honeycutt, Chandler Smith, Christian Eckes, Gio Ruggiero, and Ty Majeski.
All drivers 16th in points or better are still mathematically eligible to make the Chase.
Clinching Scenarios:
- Layne Riggs would clinch the first seed with 15 points.
- Grant Enfinger would clinch a Chase spot with 10 points.
- Ben Rhodes would clinch a Chase spot with 22 points.
- Daniel Hemric would clinch a Chase spot with 40 points.
- Tyler Ankrum would clinch a Chase spot with 55 points.
- Stewart Friesen would clinch a Chase spot with 75 points.
- Jake Garcia would clinch a Chase spot with 75 points.
At New Hampshire, 66% of the races have been won from the front row (14 of 21), and the driver who led the most laps won 10 of the last 11 races, including the last seven.
The Weekend Schedule for New Hampshire Motor Speedway:
FRIDAY, AUGUST 21
4:00 PM – 4:50 PM: NCTS PRACTICE
5:05 PM – 6:00 PM: NCTS QUALIFYING (IMPOUND)
SATURDAY, AUGUST 22
10:30 AM – 11:20 AM: NCS PRACTICE (IMPOUND) (ALL ENTRIES)
11:00 AM – 11:45 AM: NCTS AUTOGRAPH SESSION (FAN ZONE)
11:35 AM – 12:30 PM: NCS QUALIFYING (IMPOUND)
1:10 PM: NCTS DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS – FS1
1:30 PM: NCTS TEAM EJP 175 RACE (STAGES 55/110/175 = 185.15 MILES) – FS1
SUNDAY, AUGUST 23
2:25 PM: NCS DRIVER INTRODUCTIONS – USA Network
3:00 PM: NCS DOLLAR TREE 301 RACE (STAGES 70/185/301 LAPS = 318.46 MILES) – USA Network
*All times are Eastern. NASCAR Cup Series (NCS), NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series (NCTS)
