Saunders Owns the Magic Mile: Dominant New Hampshire Victory
North Star Racing | New Hampshire Motor Speedway | Race Recap
There are dominant wins, and then there are nights when one driver simply owns the racetrack.
New Hampshire belonged to Zack Saunders.
Saunders swept both stages, led 159 of 201 laps and completed a nearly flawless night by taking the checkered flag at the Magic Mile. Alex Rogers finished second, with Cory Mott, Steven Carlile and Noah Nicholson completing the top five.
After Nic Vasquez dominated this race one year ago, Saunders turned the tables and delivered a statement performance of his own.
From the beginning of Stage 1 until the checkered flag, everybody else was chasing the No. 60.
🏆 Stage 1: Saunders Sets the Tone
It didn’t take long to figure out who had the car to beat.
Zack Saunders led all 36 laps of Stage 1, taking the stage victory by 0.610 seconds over Steven Carlile.
Alex Rogers finished third, followed by championship leader Nic Vasquez and Richmond winner Tyler Krawczyk.
Saunders wasn’t simply holding track position, either. He recorded a 28.589-second fastest lap during the opening stage and maintained an average running position of 1.0.
Thirty-six laps into the night, the message was already clear: somebody was going to have to take this race away from Saunders.
🏆 Stage 2: Same Story, Same No. 60
The field got another opportunity in Stage 2.
It didn’t change the result.
Saunders led 38 of the 48 laps and captured his second consecutive stage victory.
Cory Mott climbed to second, with Carlile third, Krawczyk fourth and Michael Deitch fifth.
Saunders also lowered the fastest lap to 28.537 seconds, which ultimately stood as the fastest lap of the entire race.
Through two stages, Saunders had collected the maximum 20 stage points.
The sweep was complete.
Now he just needed the trophy.
🔥 Saunders Finishes the Job
Winning stages is one thing. Converting that speed into a race victory is another.
Saunders did both.
The No. 60 continued controlling the race during the final stage and eventually crossed the finish line after leading an incredible 159 of 201 laps.
His average running position for the entire race was 1.4.
Even more impressive: Saunders finished with zero incidents.
He leaves New Hampshire with both stage victories, the fastest lap, 159 laps led and 76 total points.
That’s about as complete a race as anyone can put together.
⚡ Alex Rogers Comes Home Second
Alex Rogers didn’t have enough to challenge Saunders’ stranglehold on the race, but the No. 21 once again delivered.
Rogers ran near the front throughout the event, finishing third in Stage 1 and eighth in Stage 2 before climbing back to second at the finish.
He completed all 201 laps and earned 46 total points.
For a driver who entered New Hampshire with six victories in only 12 starts this season, another runner-up finish only adds to an already remarkable body of work.
Whenever Rogers shows up, he’s a factor.
🔥 Cory Mott’s Hot Streak Continues
Cory Mott still hasn’t gotten that breakthrough victory.
But he’s getting awfully close.
One week after finishing second at Richmond, Mott backed it up with a third-place finish at New Hampshire.
Mott finished ninth in Stage 1 before surging to second in Stage 2 and ultimately climbing onto the podium.
He scored 12 stage points and 46 total points while completing all 201 laps.
Second at Richmond. Third at New Hampshire.
The No. 54 has officially become one of the cars to watch every week.
📈 Steven Carlile Puts Together Another Strong Night
Steven Carlile entered New Hampshire with history at the track after winning Stage 1 here last season.
He didn’t get another stage victory this time, but he was one of the few drivers who consistently remained within striking distance of Saunders.
Carlile finished second in Stage 1 and third in Stage 2, collecting 17 stage points before finishing fourth.
He also led 10 laps.
Carlile’s fourth-place finish becomes particularly important in the championship battle. With Josh Stoltz finishing ninth and Nic Vasquez finishing sixth, Carlile leaves New Hampshire having gained ground on both drivers ahead of him.
🚀 Noah Nicholson Charges from 19th to Fifth
If Saunders had the dominant drive of the night, Noah Nicholson may have had the comeback drive.
Nicholson started 19th and wasn’t a major factor in either stage.
That changed when it mattered.
The No. 49 methodically worked forward and eventually crossed the finish line fifth, gaining an incredible 14 positions from his starting spot.
Nicholson finished one lap down, but considering where his night began, a top-five result represents a massive recovery.
👑 Vasquez Salvages Sixth
One year ago, Nic Vasquez completely controlled New Hampshire.
This time, he had to fight just to stay near the front.
Vasquez started third and finished fourth in Stage 1, but Stage 2 proved considerably more difficult as the No. 22 fell to 14th.
Instead of allowing the night to unravel, the championship leader recovered.
Vasquez climbed back to sixth at the finish, ending the race one lap down while collecting 38 total points.
It wasn’t the repeat performance Vasquez wanted, but championship seasons are often built on maximizing difficult nights.
📉 The TK Train Gets Derailed
After finishing second at Iowa and winning Richmond, Tyler Krawczyk entered New Hampshire as one of the hottest drivers in North Star Racing.
Early on, it looked like the run might continue.
Krawczyk finished fifth in Stage 1 and fourth in Stage 2, collecting 13 stage points while maintaining an average running position around the top six.
Then the night fell apart.
Krawczyk completed only 115 of 201 laps before disconnecting, leaving him 86 laps behind and relegating him to 15th.
The finishing position doesn’t reflect the speed the No. 48 showed before the problem.
After two consecutive outstanding races, the TK Train finally hit a roadblock.
💔 Tough Night for Zach Thomas Johnson
Richmond’s third-place finisher endured nearly the exact opposite experience at New Hampshire.
Zach Thomas Johnson started 13th but completed only 37 laps before disconnecting.
Johnson was credited with an 18th-place finish, 164 laps behind Saunders.
After gaining significant championship points with his charge from 18th to third at Richmond, New Hampshire gives much of that momentum right back.
🏁 New Hampshire Top 10
- Zack Saunders — 159 laps led
- Alex Rogers
- Cory Mott
- Steven Carlile — 10 laps led
- Noah Nicholson
- Nic Vasquez — 32 laps led
- Michael Deitch
- Caleb Carter
- Josh Stoltz
- Mitch Clark
📊 By the Numbers
Winner: Zack Saunders
Stages Won: Zack Saunders (Stage 1 & Stage 2)
Most Laps Led: Zack Saunders — 159
Fastest Lap: Zack Saunders — 28.537
Positions Gained: Noah Nicholson — 19th to 5th (+14)
Winner’s Incidents: 0
Winner’s Total Points: 76
⭐ Driver of the Race: Zack Saunders
There’s no debate this week.
Zack Saunders.
Stage 1 winner.
Stage 2 winner.
Race winner.
Fastest lap.
159 laps led.
Zero incidents.
Saunders didn’t simply win New Hampshire — he owned the Magic Mile.
🏁 Final Word
Last season, Nic Vasquez led 162 laps at New Hampshire and left everyone wondering whether anybody could touch him at the Magic Mile.
One year later, Zack Saunders nearly matched him lap-for-lap.
Saunders led 159 of 201 laps, swept the stages and turned one of the most difficult tracks on the North Star Racing schedule into his personal playground.
Behind him, Rogers continued his remarkable season, Mott extended his hot streak, Carlile gained valuable championship ground and Vasquez did what championship leaders have to do when they don’t have the dominant car — survive.
Richmond belonged to the TK Train.
New Hampshire belonged to Zack Saunders.
And with the championship battle continuing to evolve, North Star Racing leaves the Magic Mile with another new name demanding attention.