Heading into the high-stakes race weekend at New Hampshire, a handful of elite drivers have separated themselves from the field as the top Dollar Tree 301 contenders to watch closely when the green flag drops. As the penultimate race of the NASCAR Cup Series regular season, the flat 1.058-mile oval in Loudon will push teams and their equipment to their absolute limits.
Defending race winners, recent short-track victors, and drivers surging at the perfect time dominate the conversation surrounding this event. With The Chase rapidly approaching, locking down maximum points or securing an outright victory is paramount for everyone in the garage. Five specific drivers stand out as the primary Dollar Tree 301 contenders who have the high performance and track history required to lift the trophy this Sunday.
Dollar Tree 301 Contenders
1. Ryan Blaney
The driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford arrives in New England with a massive target on his back as the defending race winner. Ryan Blaney has consistently shown throughout his career that he can master flat, technical layouts that require precise braking and excellent throttle control. His overall performance this season has been stellar, placing him safely near the top of the regular-season standings.
Because of his recent success at Loudon and Penske’s strong short-track aerodynamic package, analysts universally rank Blaney among the elite Dollar Tree 301 contenders capable of repeating his trip to victory lane. No, New Hampshire is not officially a short track, but it absolutely races like one and Team Penske is very strong at this track. If Blaney’s crew can nail the pit stops and give him track position early, he will be incredibly tough to pass in the final stage.
2. Joey Logano
No driver enters the weekend hotter than New England’s own Joey Logano. The pilot of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford has been on an absolute summer tear, capturing multiple victories over the last few Cup Series events and skyrocketing up the standings. This stellar run includes a completely dominant performance at North Wilkesboro and a win at Richmond last week, proving that this team has found the optimal mechanical grip setup.
Logano is a multi-time New Hampshire winner who knows exactly what it takes to manage tire wear and win in front of his home-region crowd. His aggressive restart style and tactical blocking make him one of the most formidable Dollar Tree 301 contenders on the grid this weekend.
3. Denny Hamlin
As one of the veteran leaders of the Cup Series garage, Denny Hamlin remains the baseline benchmark for this type of racing. The veteran Joe Gibbs Racing driver already boasts three career victories at New Hampshire. If Hamlin can secure another victory this weekend, he will officially tie NASCAR legends Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick for the most all-time Cup wins at the track.
Having a comfortable lead in the regular-season standings, Hamlin can afford to take aggressive strategy risks that other Dollar Tree 301 contenders simply cannot match. Look for the No. 11 Toyota to be a fixture at the front of the field all afternoon.
4. Christopher Bell
When it comes to “The Magic Mile”, Christopher Bell is almost always one of the betting favorites, and rightfully so. Driving the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, Bell has built an exceptional track record at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, including a dominant previous Cup Series victory. He officially clinched his spot in the 16-driver playoff field, removing any lingering pressure to race conservatively.
Bell’s signature patient driving style, combined with his unique knack for saving his right-rear tire, makes him one of the most dangerous Dollar Tree 301 contenders in the field. If the track slicks up under hot conditions, Bell’s dirt-track background will give him a massive advantage.
5. Chase Briscoe
Chase Briscoe is riding a massive wave of high momentum into Loudon. Now piloting a powerful Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Briscoe put on a spectacular performance at Richmond by finishing second to Logano in a high-intensity short-track environment. That strong run officially locked him into The Chase, allowing him to shift his focus entirely to trophy hunting.
Briscoe finished as the runner-up in this exact New Hampshire race in 2024 and earned a top-10 finish a season ago. Given his current blistering form, elite equipment, and stellar track history, Briscoe rounds out the top tier of Dollar Tree 301 contenders to closely monitor on Sunday.
Main Image: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
