Two-time Loudon winner Joey Logano stormed to the pole at New Hampshire for the third playoff race and the opener of the Round of 12, clocking a lap at 130.622 mph around the flat one-mile oval. Team Penske locked out the front row, with Logano joined by his teammate, 2023 champion Ryan Blaney, while Wood Brothers Racing’s Josh Berry completed the Ford sweep of the top three after holding the provisional pole for much of qualifying.
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But for Logano, the milestone came with a touch of nostalgia, as his first Cup victory in 2009 also unfolded at his “hometown” New England track.
In his media availability, Logano said, “I love coming up here because it’s home.” He recalled watching the race alongside his seven-year-old son from morning, sharing that the moment brought him full circle.
“I was seven the first time I came here, and I remember watching at the time it was the Busch North Series and watching my first Cup race and have my family all camped out here.”
The Penske driver noted the parallels between then and now. The weather matched that weekend years ago, and though few memories from childhood endure, his first NASCAR race remained vivid.
“I was just reflecting on that a little bit, but obviously, a special day to end it with a pole on top of that. I’m sorry to get sentimental on you guys, but I do think that was kind of neat. It’s always been a special place for me, whether it’s watching my first race, starting my first Cup race here, or winning my first Cup race here. There are so many great memories here.”
In the Next Gen era, Toyota has owned New Hampshire, sweeping all three races, every stage, and leading 83 percent of the laps. But with Ford flexing its muscle in qualifying this year, the Blue Oval camp and the No. 22 driver may be ready to turn the tide and rewrite the recent history at Loudon.
