NASCAR Cup race at New Hampshire to start on wet tires
The NASCAR Cup Series Dollar Tree 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway will begin with every car on wet-weather tires after early-afternoon rain showers hit Loudon on Aug. 23. NASCAR made the call for the penultimate regular-season race, with polesitter Tyler Reddick leading the field to green at 2 p.m. ET on USA Network.
Key Takeaways
- All Cup cars will start the Dollar Tree 301 on Goodyear wet-weather tires after rain in Loudon.
- Tyler Reddick won the pole and leads the field; this is the second-to-last race before the Chase playoffs.
- Teams received four wet-weather tire sets plus seven regular Cup tread sets for the 301-mile event.
- Ryan Blaney and Christopher Bell enter as +400 co-favorites, per pre-race betting lines.
- Fans at the Magic Mile say the infield hill and pit-lane access build a tight-knit race-day community.
Why is NASCAR starting on wet-weather tires at New Hampshire?
Rain showers moved through Loudon in the early afternoon on race day, prompting NASCAR to mandate a wet start for the entire field. The sanctioning body keeps wet-weather tires available at damp short ovals, including Phoenix Raceway, Martinsville Speedway, North Wilkesboro Speedway, and Richmond Raceway.
Goodyear allotted four sets of wet-weather tires for each Cup team at New Hampshire, alongside seven sets of standard Cup tread for the 301-mile race. That backup inventory lets crews adapt if conditions shift during the afternoon.
Who leads the field for the Dollar Tree 301?
Tyler Reddick captured the pole with a qualifying time of 29.054 seconds at 131.094 mph and will bring the field to green. Ryan Blaney, who won last year's race at the Magic Mile, shares +400 co-favorite status with Christopher Bell heading into Sunday, according to pre-race odds.
Only two Cup Series races remain before the 10-race Chase postseason, so every position matters for drivers on the playoff bubble. Penske, Joe Gibbs Racing, or Stewart-Haas drivers have won each of the last 17 Cup races at this track.
What does a wet start mean for playoff-bound drivers?
A mandated wet start reshuffles strategy before lap one. Crew chiefs must balance tire wear, track drying, and pit timing differently than on a standard green-flag launch with slicks.
Joey Logano arrives off a Richmond win but faces skepticism from some models at +550, while Josh Berry carries momentum with three straight top-10 finishes. For more offbeat sports twists like this, browse our Bizarre News & Florida Man coverage hub.
How are fans experiencing race day at the Magic Mile?
Thousands of fans gathered at New Hampshire Motor Speedway ahead of the Dollar Tree 301, with some touring pit road to inspect cars and meet drivers up close. Others claimed longtime spots on the infield hill, watching from lawn chairs outside RVs where turn one and turn two action is clearest.
Regulars like Maurice Davis, who has held the same hill spot for 30 years, say the people keep them coming back year after year. As NASCAR officials monitor the damp track, those fans are waiting to hear the field fire up on wet rubber. Full details are on NASCAR.com.