Ryan Blaney faced major frustration during the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling At The Glen at Watkins Glen after a significant wreck on the very first lap. The crash involved Blaney, Denny Hamlin, and Christopher Bell, resulting in severe damage to Blaney’s steering arm and ending his race prematurely.
Blaney entered the event with a +33 points buffer for the Playoffs, but this early incident could have serious consequences as he was unable to make repairs or continue racing.
During the broadcast, Blaney expressed his outrage: “Give us a chance to fix it, how are they going to dictate if we’re done or not?”
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He continued, “They said because I couldn’t drive it back to the pit box we’re done. But if you have four flats, you get towed back—it’s not the same!” Blaney was unclear about the specifics of the crash, mentioning, “I caught someone on the left front and it completely broke the steering arm.”
His frustration peaked with, “Just don’t even give us a chance; you end our day without letting us check it out?” The crash also affected Hamlin and Bell, but Hamlin managed to make repairs, although he now finds himself in a precarious points position, needing a win at Bristol.
Blaney’s standings have taken a hit, forcing him to watch his competitors gain valuable points during the race. As of the latest updates, only 38 out of 90 laps have been completed, with Ross Chastain leading, followed by Shane van Gisbergen, Joey Logano, Ty Gibbs, and William Byron.
NASCAR Cup Series: Playoffs Standings
- Joey Logano: +0
- Ryan Blaney: +45
- Christopher Bell: +40
- Tyler Reddick: +33
- William Byron: +33
- Alex Bowman: +27
- Austin Cindric: +27
- Chase Elliott: +24
- Daniel Suárez: +22
- Kyle Larson: +15
- Denny Hamlin: +2
- Ty Gibbs: +1
On The Bubble:
13. Brad Keselowski: -1
14. Harrison Burton: -16
15. Martin Truex Jr.: -19
16. Chase Briscoe: -21