{"id":60198,"date":"2026-08-22T12:45:55","date_gmt":"2026-08-22T17:45:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=60198"},"modified":"2026-08-22T20:53:01","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T01:53:01","slug":"nascar-saturday-new-hampshire-notebook-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2026\/08\/22\/nascar-saturday-new-hampshire-notebook-4\/","title":{"rendered":"NASCAR: Saturday New Hampshire Notebook"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service<\/em><\/p>\n

Christopher Bell likes his chances at New Hampshire<\/b><\/p>\n

LOUDON, N.H. \u2013 With seven runner-up finishes in NASCAR Cup Series competition this season, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell smiles and anticipates the question: how close is he to finally hoisting a trophy in 2026?<\/p>\n

\"\"

Christopher Bell. (Photo by Jonathan Bachman\/Getty Images)<\/p><\/div>\n

For what it\u2019s worth, this week\u2019s stop at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway one-miler has been a particularly strong venue for the 31-year-old Oklahoman native. He\u2019s won two of the last four races in his No. 20 JGR Toyota and was strong in Saturday\u2019s practice with top-five single lap speed early in the session and tops on 10-lap speed. It\u2019s one of only two tracks (also Phoenix) where Bell has won multiple races.<\/p>\n

Bell will roll off the grid from sixth position and comes into the weekend ranked seventh in the championship standings \u2013 tied with sixth place, Hendrick Motorsports\u2019 Chase Elliott – with a reasonable opportunity to move up in points considering he\u2019s only 20 points behind fifth place, his JGR teammate Chase Briscoe.<\/p>\n

Bell\u2019s finished top-five in five of the last seven races \u2013 turning in four of his season\u2019s seven runner-up efforts in that span.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe know that this is a huge opportunity for us and then Daytona is going to be a complete unknown,” Bell said of the two remaining regular season races to formally set the 16-driver Chase-eligible standings.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think this one is kind of in our hands to where we can control our own destiny. And then Daytona, we’re just going to go out there and basically \u2018go to Vegas and gamble\u2019 and see what happens.<\/p>\n

\u201cObviously with Briscoe having that huge day at Richmond [runner-up], we got some ground to make up on him. Myself and Chase Elliott, are tied for sixth place. I think we’re in as good a spot as we could have asked for given the circumstances of 2026 for us.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Team Penske drivers have been lobster rolled<\/b><\/p>\n

Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano laughed sharing their memories of receiving and celebrating with the traditional New Hampshire Motor Speedway winner\u2019s trophy \u2013 a giant live lobster.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t eat them,” said defending New Hampshire race winner Blaney. \u201cThey\u2019re too old. I learned that in Victory Lane. \u2026 He took a visit to the taxidermist and they put him on a nice little plaque, so I get it tomorrow. I\u2019ll find a place in my house for him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Logano laughed recalling his first lobster hoist in 2009 \u2013 his first career NASCAR Cup Series win and one of two he has now here.<\/p>\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t know what I was gonna do with this huge lobster, and so it was like, \u2018Why don\u2019t you just put it on a plaque,'” the three-time series champion Logano recalled. \u201cThey kind of thought I was crazy the first time, but who is laughing now? Everyone does it, I guess, so there you go.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve got a couple on the wall at this point. It\u2019s a good icebreaker when people come to your house and see a lobster on the wall. You have a cool story.\u201d<\/p>\n

The teammates would love to add another chapter to their \u201ccool stories\u201d this week \u2013 a good showing Sunday could mean a lot heading into the 10-race Chase to decide the 2026 series champion. Blaney, a two-time race winner, is ranked second to Joe Gibbs Racing\u2019s Denny Hamlin in the championship, a full 115 points behind.<\/p>\n

He holds only a 12-point edge on Hamlin\u2019s teammate Ty Gibbs in third and only a 23-point advantage on five-race winner \u2013 and Sunday\u2019s polesitter – Tyler Reddick in fourth before the points reset for that championship run following the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway next Saturday night.<\/p>\n

\u201cI look at the points once or twice a week, usually the night after the race to see where everyone is at, and then I remind myself where everyone is at before the weekend comes,” the 2024 series champion Blaney explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey don\u2019t consume my whole race, but I notice where those guys are running just because we are in the fight with those guys for the second spot, but it doesn\u2019t change our race. We won\u2019t strategize our race around the 45 [Reddick] or the 54 [Gibbs].<\/p>\n

\u201cWe strategize to try to win the race and then the points stuff takes care of itself. You do know that and we do know from second to fourth is a decent chunk of points, so that\u2019s goal number one outside of winning the race the next two weeks \u2013 try to stay ahead of those two guys.\u201d<\/p>\nhttp:\/\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/BlaneyLogano8.22.mp3<\/a><\/audio>\n

 <\/p>\n

Deciding the final Chase position<\/b><\/p>\n

Trackhouse Racing driver Shane Van Gisbergen is a two-time winner this season, and heads into Sunday\u2019s race ranked 16th \u2013 holding onto the final Chase transfer position \u2013 50 points up on 17th place, Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing\u2019s Ryan Preece and 63 points up on his Trackhouse teammate Ross Chastain in 18th place.<\/p>\n

The New Zealander Van Gisbergen said Saturday at New Hampshire that nothing really changes in his approach as the regular season closes out. He always races to maximize points \u2013 in both the two mid-race stages as well as his ultimate finishing position. And he does not ask for in-race updates on his closest competitors, saying he\u2019s just \u2018mindful\u2019 of who he\u2019s racing.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery week we\u2019re thinking about points,” said Van Gisbergen a multi-time Australian Supercars Series champion before his move to NASCAR fulltime who concedes that championship experience is helpful.<\/p>\n

\u201cA lot of unknown next week [at Daytona] so would be nice to have a good week [this weekend] and try not to have big pressure next week. Execute and be mindful of the guys we\u2019re points racing and see where we end up after the weekend.”<\/p>\n

Van Gisbergen\u2019s Trackhouse teammate Chastain is taking a similarly broad view of the weekend, not focusing on his closest competitors but simply trying to get the best out of his No. 1 Trackhouse Chevrolet and letting the chips fall where they may.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust looking for speed, just trying to go faster,” Chastain said. \u201cI\u2019m surprised that qualifying effort ended as well as it did. I thought we\u2019d be ten spots back based on how it felt in the car. So that\u2019s nice to end up there.<\/p>\n

\u201cPoints-wise,” he added with a smile, \u201cI\u2019ve just got to go faster.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zilisch signs with Hendrick for 2028<\/b><\/p>\n

Hendrick Motorsports announced this week that 20-year-old NASCAR Cup Series rookie Connor Zilisch will drive the team\u2019s famed No. 48 Chevrolet beginning in the 2028 season. The young phenom will complete his current tenure driving the No. 88 Chevrolet with Trackhouse Racing before moving into the No. 48 steered by Alex Bowman for six of his nine seasons at Hendrick.<\/p>\n

Zilisch, NASCAR Hall of Fame owner Rick Hendrick and team executive, fellow NASCAR Hall of famer Jeff Gordon \u2013 met with the media this week to make the announcement. Hendrick conceded as soon as he knew of Zilisch\u2019s availability, he was intent to bring him onto the championship team.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know who I want and when I see talent like Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and all of the drivers that have driven for me before,” Hendrick said. \u201cI think about Connor’s age and what his ability is, watching him at JRM [NASCAR O\u2019Reilly Auto Parts Series team – JR Motorsports], meeting him and pulling for him in the garage area.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Alex made his decision, I’ve had my eye on Connor. But as Jeff said, all the stars had to align. \u2026. We wanted it to be on Alex’s [Bowman] term. And so, with his kind of farewell tour, that opened the seat. It just worked out. I think Jeff Gordon and I both look at talent.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe want to see our company grow in the years to come, so if you can align with someone with the talent this young man has, the future is pretty bright.\u201d<\/p>\n

Gordon echoed the optimism about Zilisch fitting in with the team\u2019s high expectations and continued culture of excellence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat’s a big key element of it,” Gordon said. \u201cIt’s not just his talent\u2026 that’s pretty obvious. But it’s really making sure that it\u2019s somebody that has great communication skills and wants to be a great team player.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe way that Hendrick Motorsports works, I feel like, is unlike any other organization out there. I get the pleasure to sit in on those debriefs with the drivers, the crew chiefs, and the engineers. You know, the more transparent you are, the more confident you are, the more information that you can add to the conversation, it elevates the entire organization.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all knew how talented he was on the road courses. To me, I think a lot of it was –well, what can he do on ovals? He\u2019s proved and is continuing to prove that he’s good behind the wheel at any track that you put him at.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zilisch earned his only top-10 finish \u2013 seventh-place \u2013 at the Sonoma, Calif. road course and his 11th-place showing at Iowa Speedway two races ago is his best on an oval. This week marks the first time he\u2019s ever turned laps at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and is maximizing his time here, racing in Saturday\u2019s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race too.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service Christopher Bell likes his chances at New Hampshire LOUDON, N.H. \u2013 With seven runner-up finishes in NASCAR Cup Series competition this season, Joe Gibbs Racing driver Christopher Bell smiles and anticipates the question: how close is he to finally hoisting a trophy in 2026? For what it\u2019s worth, this […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":676,"featured_media":48950,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[16,466],"class_list":["post-60198","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nascar","tag-nascar","tag-new-hampshire-motor-speedway"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-fEW","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/GettyImages-2182736271-scaled.jpg?fit=2560%2C1706&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60198","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/676"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=60198"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60198\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":60233,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/60198\/revisions\/60233"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/48950"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=60198"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=60198"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=60198"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}