Ryan Blaney and Team Penske have shown great performance with their No. 12 Ford Mustang this year, but victories had eluded them at crucial moments. However, on Sunday night, the story was different.
Blaney dominated the final stretch to secure his first Cup Series victory of the season at the Nashville Superspeedway. He celebrated with a spectacular “burnout” in front of the enthusiastic fans, after what he described as a difficult year.I am ready to celebrate.
Ryan Blaney
The 2023 Cup champion had shown a good performance, accumulating five top-five finishes in the first half of the season. This victory, the 14th of his career, marked his return to the winner’s circle since Martinsville in November.
I never lost hope, that’s for sure. We’ve had great speed all year. It just hasn’t been the best year for us in terms of good fortune. But the guys on No. 12 are incredible. They stay strong no matter how things go.
Ryan Blaney
Blaney became the ninth different winner of the season and the fifth driver to win in as many races at Nashville. He also gave Team Penske its second consecutive victory at the 1.33-mile concrete track in Nashville.
After starting in the 15th position, Blaney quickly advanced to win the second stage. He managed to hold off Carson Hocevar by 2.83 seconds. Carson Hocevar matched his career-best result in Atlanta in February, despite complaints during the race that his No. 77 Chevrolet was difficult to drive.Either I’m being overly dramatic or they’re really good with adjustments. Probably a bit of both, but yes, I’m proud of this group, proud of this car. In a place where it’s really, really difficult to overtake, we were able to go from 26th to second.
Carson Hocevar
I just couldn’t compete with the 12 [Blaney] on the long run. After 40 laps, I could stay with him. But after that, he just drove away and outran us.
Denny Hamlin
There was a race to the finish with green flags, forcing teams and drivers to choose when to pit. Blaney led 107 laps when he pitted under green on lap 248. Hamlin took the lead before going to pit road on lap 256.
Team boss Jonathan Hassler said they decided on Blaney’s fifth and final pit stop to ensure he could get back out in the cleanest air possible.
Brad Keselowski was leading when he pitted on lap 269. Blaney took the lead for the final 31 laps.It was really nice to finish a race.
Jonathan Hassler
Hamlin competed on Sunday night hoping to capitalize on his starting position alongside pole-sitter Chase Briscoe. Hamlin’s participation in pursuit of his third win of the season was in doubt due to the birth of his third child, a boy, which was expected on the same day.
Hamlin practiced and qualified well, so he drove his No. 11 Toyota even though Joe Gibbs Racing had Ryan Truex on standby in case Hamlin got the call that his fiancée was in labor. Hamlin won the first stage and survived the final stretch without water or fresh air.
Tyler Reddick beat his boss Hamlin, co-owner of his 23XI Racing team, to the status of new father, which Reddick announced on social media the previous Sunday.His family welcomed their second child at 2:20 a.m. on May 25, and Reddick followed hours later finishing 26th in the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. did not finish his first race this year. He was the first to exit when Hocevar hit his No. 47 Chevrolet, causing Stenhouse to crash into the wall between turns 3 and 4, bringing out the second caution of the race on lap 106. AJ Allmendinger started at the back of the grid and served a stop-and-go penalty after the green flag for a non-approved adjustment to the splitter during Saturday’s practice. His No. 16 Chevrolet was sent back to the garage and then to the scan station before practice and qualifying.Chad Finchum’s No. 66 Ford failed inspection twice, leading to the ejection of engineer Austin Webb. The Garage 66 team also lost their pit stall selection.
The next NASCAR stop will be at Michigan International Speedway for the Cup Series on June 8th.
