Reddick Edges Berry for NASCAR Cup Pole at New Hampshire Tyler Reddick secured the pole position for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, overcoming a slow practice session to deliver a strong qualifying performance. The 23XI Racing driver posted a lap time of 29.054 seconds (131.094 mph) in his No. 45 Toyota, edging out Josh Berry by 0.015 seconds. William Byron, Denny Hamlin, and Shane van Gisbergen followed in the top four positions. Reddick’s performance marked his fourth pole of the season but his first since April at Kansas Speedway. The 26-year-old had struggled in recent races, plummeting from a 129-point lead in the standings after winning five of the first nine races—including the Daytona 500—to fourth place following a six-race stretch with four finishes of 30th or worse. His team made critical adjustments during the weekend, allowing him to capitalize on his speed during qualifying. “I was really unhappy with practice,” Reddick admitted after the session. “I can’t recall a practice when I’ve complained like that. But we figured out what we needed to work on. It’s a big deal because it’s easy after a practice like that to just have a mediocre qualifying effort. The way we did it today was really awesome.” Reddick’s turnaround came after a pep talk and strategic adjustments from NBA legend Michael Jordan, who co-owns his car with Hamlin. The visit helped boost his confidence, leading to a strong 11th-place finish at Richmond Raceway, where he led seven laps despite starting 32nd. Berry, who qualified second at New Hampshire—a career-best—also showed signs of progress. The Wood Brothers Racing driver has posted three consecutive top-10 finishes, positioning him as a contender for a full-time ride in 2027. “We’re fighting hard,” Berry said.#denny_hamlin #tyler_reddick #william_byron #shane_van_gisbergen #josh_berry
William Byron Secures Top-Five Finish at Pocono After Nine-Race Drought LONG POND, Pa. — A season marred by missed opportunities and inconsistent results found a glimmer of hope for William Byron as he claimed his first top-five finish since March at Pocono Raceway. The Great American Getaway 400 saw Byron finish third, marking a significant breakthrough after a challenging 2026 campaign. The result came as a relief for the driver, who had struggled to find consistency since his last top-five finish at Martinsville Speedway in early March. Byron’s podium finish was the culmination of adjustments and renewed focus within his team, as he reflected on the race’s significance. “Everything has started to click,” he said after the event, acknowledging the nervousness that accompanied the effort. The driver admitted to moments of doubt during the race, particularly given the season’s struggles. “I was a little bit nervous in portions of the race because of the way the season has gone,” Byron explained. “But this weekend, everything started to make more sense for us with adjustments and the way we attack the weekend.” The race itself was a test of resilience for Byron, who spent much of the final laps chasing down race leader Denny Hamlin. Tyler Reddick ultimately passed Byron’s car in the closing stages to secure second place, while Hamlin crossed the finish line first. Byron’s third-place finish was his third-best points haul of the season, surpassing his previous best result from the Las Vegas Motor Speedway event. “I guess the last four laps you start to think about that,” he said, “but until then, you can taste a win. So you feel like if you can just get the right run and my balance stays with me, I could have an opportunity.#denny_hamlin #hendrick_motorsports #pocono_raceway #william_byron #great_american_getaway_400
William Byron Finishes Third at Pocono NASCAR Cup Series LONG POND, Pa. — The 2026 NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway concluded on Sunday afternoon with William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports securing a third-place finish, marking his fourth top-five result of the season. The race, held at the track’s lone date on the 2026 schedule, featured a variety of strategies as teams navigated the challenging layout. Byron and crew chief Rudy Fugle regained positions after scoring stage points in the opening segment. Their efficiency on pit road, despite teams using different tire and fuel strategies, helped them remain competitive. Byron nearly caught eventual race winner Denny Hamlin in the closing laps but settled for third. Kyle Larson of the No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet team finished fifth, achieving his seventh top-five result of the season. The No. 5 team led laps early in segment one and earned nine stage points. While a win has not yet come for Larson this season, his consistent top-five finishes indicate growing momentum for the team. Chase Elliott, driving the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, narrowly missed a top-10 result, finishing 11th. Starting from the 23rd position, Elliott made significant progress in the early stages of the race. A fuel strategy earned the team a stage point in the second segment, but a late-race balance shift prevented him from securing another top-10 finish. Alex Bowman finished 27th in Sunday’s race. The race results included the following placements: Denny Hamlin, No. 11 Tyler Reddick, No. 45 William Byron, No. 24 RAPTOR Chevrolet John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 Kyle Larson, No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Erik Jones, No. 43 Chris Buescher, No. 17 Ross Chastain, No. 1 Ty Gibbs, No. 54 Ryan Blaney, No. 12 Chase Elliott, No.#denny_hamlin #nascar_cup_series #hendrick_motorsports #pocono_raceway #william_byron
