Want to make The Chase? Loudon magic starts with Reddick pole
If you are wondering what channel the NASCAR Cup Series is on today, see NASCAR.com for broadcast info. More immediately: Tyler Reddick won pole for Sunday's Dollar Tree 301 at 3 p.m. ET, edging Josh Berry as Cup drivers make their next-to-last regular-season push toward the playoffs.
Key Takeaways
- Tyler Reddick captured pole with a 29.054-second lap (131.094 mph), beating Josh Berry by 0.015 seconds at the Magic Mile.
- The Dollar Tree 301 is the next-to-last regular-season Cup race before the playoffs, raising stakes for every point.
- Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell are +400 co-favorites, while Reddick seeks his first win since April after a midseason slump.
- Josh Berry qualified a career-best second and enters on three straight top-10 finishes for Wood Brothers Racing.
- Drivers from Penske, Joe Gibbs Racing or Stewart-Haas have won each of the last 17 NASCAR New Hampshire races.
What happened at New Hampshire qualifying?
Tyler Reddick arrived at Loudon trying to end a two-month NASCAR Cup Series slump, and Saturday qualifying delivered a breakthrough. The 23XI Racing driver was 31st fastest in practice, but his crew found speed when it counted.
Reddick turned a 29.054-second lap at 131.094 mph to take the No. 1 starting spot on the 1.058-mile oval, beating Josh Berry by just 0.015 seconds. William Byron qualified third, Denny Hamlin fourth and Shane van Gisbergen fifth.
It is Reddick's fourth pole of 2026 and his first since Kansas in April. After winning five of the season's first nine races, including the Daytona 500, he held a 129-point standings lead before four finishes of 30th or worse dropped him to fourth.
Who are the favorites to win the Dollar Tree 301?
Defending New Hampshire winner Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell open as +400 co-favorites according to CBS Sports. Joey Logano, fresh off a Richmond victory last week, and Denny Hamlin, seeking a fourth Magic Mile win, sit at +550. Chase Briscoe rounds out the top five at +850.
Despite starting on pole, Reddick is listed at +1800 as he hunts his first checkered flag since April. A predictive model highlighted by CBS Sports is high on Berry at +1500, citing three consecutive top-10 finishes and strong track history, including third in his 2024 Cup debut here and runner-up in 2025.
That same model is fading Logano despite his Richmond form, noting both of his New Hampshire wins came more than a decade ago and that he finished 31st at Phoenix and 33rd at Darlington on comparable one-mile tracks this season.
Why does this race matter for the NASCAR playoffs?
With only two regular-season races remaining after Loudon, the Dollar Tree 301 is a pivotal stop on the road to the championship. Every stage point and finishing position carries extra weight for drivers on the bubble and contenders trying to build a cushion.
History favors the sport's biggest organizations at this track. Penske, Joe Gibbs Racing or Stewart-Haas drivers have won each of the last 17 NASCAR New Hampshire races, per CBS Sports. Hamlin and Bell both have multiple victories here, while Blaney topped the field a year ago.
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Can Tyler Reddick snap his two-month slump?
Reddick's midseason slide prompted a shop visit and pep talk from 23XI co-owner Michael Jordan last week, and Richmond offered early signs of life. He qualified 32nd but rallied to 11th, leading seven laps along the way.
"Being able to put this qualifying lap together and go that fast, it's promising," Reddick told ESPN. "I think we can get this right."
Berry, meanwhile, is fighting for his future after Wood Brothers announced Jesse Love will move into the No. 21 Ford in 2027. "My phone, I'd love for it to ring this afternoon," Berry said after his career-best qualifying run.