Hill Punches Ticket to Round of 8 with New Hampshire Win

Daniel Hill punched his ticket to the Round of 8 in the OBRL YesterYear Racing Cup Series playoffs with a masterclass performance at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The 170-lap event began with Tom Ogle looking unstoppable, leading confidently from the pole after his win the previous week at Bristol. Early on, the race was interrupted by two quick cautions—Patrick Martindale’s spin on lap 10 and a separate incident for Torrance Childs—but once the field settled in, the night turned into a grueling green-flag run where tire management and pit strategy took center stage.

James Hislop nearly sparked disaster when he locked up the brakes on a restart while running second, spinning to the infield but avoiding contact. The mistake dropped him to the back, forcing him into a recovery drive that defined the rest of his night. Up front, Ogle, Hill, and Cortney Nelson set the pace while Greg McDaniel conserved tires and Jerry Isaacs carved his way forward from 17th, showing the speed that has made him a consistent presence all season.

The race shifted dramatically once green-flag pit stops began. Andrew Medlin tried to steal track position with an early stop, but the most impactful moves came from the leaders. Nelson pitted six laps earlier than Hill and Ogle, leapfrogging both and building a healthy lead. Ogle admitted later that he stayed out too long, costing himself dearly once he rejoined in dirty air, while Hill’s timing worked to perfection as he slotted ahead of Ogle and into striking distance of Nelson.

From there, it became a high-stakes duel. Nelson defended with everything he had, sliding the car hard off turn four while Hill patiently stalked him, preferring the outside line. With just over 50 laps to go, Hill finally made his move, committing to a daring run around the high side and completing the pass for the lead. Once in clean air, the driver nicknamed “The Black Cat” never looked back, pulling away to secure the win and automatically advancing to the next playoff round.

Nelson held on for second after his bold pit call, keeping himself in strong playoff contention as the series heads to Kansas and the Roval, while Ogle crossed the line third, frustrated by his strategic misstep but comforted by solid points. Jerry Isaacs impressed with a climb to fifth after starting 17th, a crucial performance for a driver below the cut line, and Hislop clawed back to finish tenth after his early spin. On the other end, Dwayne MacArthur’s season took a hit with a disappointing 20th-place finish, a lap down, leaving him in danger of needing a must-win at the Charlotte Roval. League founder Victor Lane also had a rough night, coming home 23rd and facing a steep uphill battle to keep his playoff hopes alive.

In the end, it was Hill’s perfect blend of patience, precision, and strategy that made the difference, proving once again why he’s one of the toughest drivers in the series when the stakes are at their highest.