New Hampshire Motor Speedway is back in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs for the first time in eight years, which means Ryan Blaney is back in his happy place.

“I love the area itself, and there’s something about the northeast that I really enjoy,” Blaney said. “You get into September, and the leaves are changing, so I always enjoy the looks of it driving to the racetrack. And the crowd atmosphere there is always fantastic.”

The Team Penske star is hoping the omnipresent foliage around the track nestled in the countryside of Loudon, New Hampshire, might dovetail with a turning of the tide in the 10-race run to the Cup championship.

Joe Gibbs Racing dominated the first round of the playoffs with wins by Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell. In the three-race sweep, JGR’s Toyota

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