Ryan Blaney Secures Second Straight Dollar Tree 301 Victory as Bubble Wallace Stands Near Chase Cutoff

Ryan Blaney recovered from a pit-crew mishap to win the Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. After a left-front lug-nut fell off his No. 12 Ford during a caution-period stop with 111 laps remaining, Blaney rejoined the field in 14th place. An aggressive two-right-side-tire call by crew chief Jonathan Hassler moved him back to the front, and he held off Bubba Wallace by 0.586 seconds at the finish. The win marked Blaney’s 20th career victory and his third of the 2026 season. He led a race-high 115 of the 301 laps.

ESPNDetroit NewsSportskeedaBubba Wallace Falls Short in Bid For NASCAR Cup Win at New Hampshire

The race began on wet-condition tires after an afternoon rain shower, but the track dried quickly and drivers switched to slicks after 40 laps. A three-car crash on lap 226 prompted a competition caution, after which the field changed to dry tires. Blaney’s team was one of five to take two tires on the final stop, while Wallace took four, a strategy that helped Blaney regain the lead despite the earlier tire issue.

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• Laps led: Blaney – 115; Josh Berry – 73 (career-best third place).

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• Margin of victory: 0.586 seconds over Wallace.

Bubba Wallace Falls Short in Bid For NASCAR Cup Win at New Hampshire

• Career wins: 20 for Blaney; third win of the season.

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• Top-five finishers: Ryan Blaney, Bubba Wallace, Josh Berry, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson.

Detroit News

• Pit-stop issue: Lug-nut loss on the left-front tire with 111 laps to go.

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• Season context: The win keeps Blaney in contention for the Chase, while the regular-season finale at Daytona International Speedway is scheduled for Aug. 29.

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• Ross Chastain on car performance: “The speed has gotten better, so we'll hopefully keep moving forward on that.”

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• Team Penske strategy: Crew chief Hassler’s decision to take two right-side tires was credited with gaining six positions in the pits, allowing Blaney to retake the lead.

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• “The speed has gotten better, so we'll hopefully keep moving forward on that,” — Ross Chastain

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• “We fought, man. Had a nice day just by myself, regrouping and got the head right and knew I had to fight all day and that’s what it takes. Where it starts is with these people on this 23 team. They push me to be the absolute best and I fail on them a lot, but they stick behind me and it’s super cool. I appreciate that,” — Bubba Wallace

Bubba Wallace Falls Short in Bid For NASCAR Cup Win at New Hampshire

• “I tied with NASCAR's golden child, I feel honored,” — Bubba Wallace

Sportskeeda

• “I feel like as soon as we start believing that I'll speed on pit road and take us out. So yeah, I mean our cars are faster. People are great. Everything is there.” — Bubba Wallace

Sportskeeda

Motorbiscuit reported that Wallace entered the race with a 70-point cushion above the Chase cutoff, while a later Motorbiscuit piece stated he held a 75-point advantage over Ryan Preece, the first driver below the cutoff. The discrepancy highlights a lack of consistent reporting on Wallace’s exact points buffer.

Bubba Wallace Falls Short in Bid For NASCAR Cup Win at New Hampshire

The NASCAR Cup Series regular season will conclude with a 160-lap race at Daytona International Speedway on Aug. 29, determining the 16-driver field for the Chase.

ESPN