5 NASCAR drivers with the best average finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs move into their next phase after Bristol Motor Speedway trimmed the field from 16 to 12. The Bass Pro Shops Night Race delivered tire wear, tempers, and an elimination battle that set the stage for the Round of 12.

Christopher Bell survived a last-lap bump from Brad Keselowski to win at Bristol and continued Toyota’s playoff streak of three straight wins. Now the grid resets for New Hampshire Motor Speedway, which returns to the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Bell will be one of the favorites again, not just because of momentum but also because of his record at Loudon. Josh Berry has the best average finish, with a P3 at his only start at the track, so he is excluded. Here are five NASCAR Cup Series drivers with the strongest finishing average at the speedway.

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Five active NASCAR Cup Series drivers with the best average finish at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

#5 Christopher Bell - 12.2 (5 races)

Christopher Bell after winning the USA TODAY 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Source: Imagn

Christopher Bell couldn’t have asked for a better start to the playoffs. Bell arrives at a track where he has already made his mark, having just won at Bristol. His precision driving style suits Loudon’s rhythm, and the numbers back it up.

In just five starts at the intermediate track, Bell has two wins, a runner-up, and a pole in 2023. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver is seeded fourth in the Round of 12. Small sample size or not, his average speaks for itself.

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#4 Tyler Reddick - 11.2 (5 races)

Tyler Reddick during a red flag stoppage at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Source: Imagn

Tyler Reddick entered Bristol + 37 and P7 in the playoff standings. But a 15th-place finish has left him three points below the cut line heading into the Round of 12 as the last seed. That playoff picture makes New Hampshire a critical stop for the 23XI Racing driver.

Fortunately for him, New Hampshire has been one of his stronger venues. In five NASCAR Cup Series starts, he’s earned three top tens and has never started outside the top 15. While he’s still chasing his first win at the “Magic Mile”, a strong showing here could ease the stress heading into the rest of the round.

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#3 Kyle Larson - 11.2 (14 races)

Kyle Larson (5) crew before the NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Source: Getty

Kyle Larson enters New Hampshire seeded third and holding a 24-point cushion. On paper, that’s a safe margin, but the Hendrick Motorsports driver has yet to turn his playoff speed into results. Despite starting in the top five in each postseason race so far, Larson has not finished inside the top ten.

New Hampshire might be where things turn. Larson’s average finish of 11.2 is tied with Reddick but across a much larger sample of 14 races. He has six top fives and three runner-up results at the track, making him one of the most consistent performers in the field. The glaring hole is that missing win, but with his back against the wall performance-wise, Loudon could be the place he breaks through.

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#2 Brad Keselowski - 10.5 (24 races)

Brad Keselowski (2) after winning the NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Source: Getty

Brad Keselowski hasn’t won since Darlington in May 2024, which remains his only win in the last four-and-a-half years. He came agonizingly close at Bristol, falling 0.343 seconds short to Bell. Despite not being part of the playoffs this year, his form and history at Loudon keep him in the conversation.

The RFK Racing driver has two wins, 16 top tens, and nearly 600 laps led in 24 starts at the oval. His near-miss at Bristol showed he’s hungry, and the one-mile oval has long been one of his strongest tracks in the NASCAR Cup Series.

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#1 Denny Hamlin - 9.9 (31 races)

Denny Hamlin (11) during the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series race at New Hampshire. Source: Imagn

Denny Hamlin rolls into the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 as the top seed, sitting 26 points above the cut line, and with form that makes him one of the favorites for the championship. With five wins already this year, including Gateway, Hamlin has momentum on his side.

New Hampshire has been just as kind to him. In 31 starts, the Joe Gibbs Racing veteran has three wins, 19 top tens, and 798 laps led, the third-most in track history.

While his Next Gen results at Loudon haven’t been as strong, including a 24th-place finish last year, his career numbers show just how dangerous he can be here. A solid day at Loudon won’t just advance his playoff cause, it could also signal that this might finally be his year to finish the job.