Ryan Blaney, the reigning NASCAR Cup Series Champion, faced a rough start to his weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when he crashed during practice. A flat tire caused his No. 12 Ford to skid into the wall, leaving him without a chance to qualify and forced to start the South Point 400 from the back of the pack.
The incident happened just two laps into practice when a punctured left rear tire sent Blaney’s Discount Tire Ford spinning, resulting in a heavy wall collision. This season has been rocky for him, with multiple DNFs impacting his playoff standing.
At present, Blaney sits four points below the playoff cut line, making it crucial for him to climb back into contention, especially starting from the rear—a spot often fraught with danger.
After the crash, Blaney expressed his frustration, saying, “It’s just disappointing. I didn’t notice anything off, and it’s a shame our practice ended early. We’ve got our work cut out for the backup car, but I’m hoping we can bounce back.”
Despite the hurdles, Blaney maintains faith in his team, saying, “Starting from the back is definitely challenging, especially with no practice laps in the backup car, but I have complete trust in our group.”
The implications of starting from the rear aren’t favorable. Blaney will race with a backup car without any performance insights, but his confidence in his team’s resilience remains strong. “We need to make up some ground quickly and tackle this head-on. My team thrives on pressure, and I’m grateful to be part of this group,” he added.
Belonging to the esteemed Team Penske, Blaney’s crew has shown exceptional teamwork throughout the season. Under the direction of crew chief Jonathan Hassler, all Penske cars made the playoffs, although Blaney is the last remaining contender from the team vying for the championship.