A Day of Dominance Turns to Disappointment for Ryan Blaney
Ryan Blaney’s challenging month continued at Homestead-Miami Speedway, where a promising run took a dramatic turn. While positioned in third during the final stage, the engine of his Team Penske Ford Mustang failed on lap 208, filling the track with a trail of white smoke before flames appeared. This marked the second engine failure for the No. 12 team in just three weeks, extending Blaney’s streak of not finishing three consecutive Cup Series races. He ended the race in 36th place out of 37 cars.
A Strong Start in the Straight Talk Wireless 400
In contrast to the unfortunate ending, Blaney’s start in the Straight Talk Wireless 400 was nothing short of exceptional. After qualifying in sixth position, he led 124 of the first 165 laps, securing a victory in the first stage. His performance during these laps made him seem untouchable, at times maintaining a lead of up to eight seconds over his competitors. However, the tides began to turn when Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson, benefiting from fresher tires, overtook him in the second stage.
Challenges on Pit Road
Blaney’s troubles were compounded during pit stops, where a clash with Chase Elliott on pit road caused him to lose valuable track position. Exiting the pits in ninth, he managed to restart in seventh after the choose rule and fought his way back to third before his engine failure.
Blaney’s Frustration and Optimism
Expressing his frustration over the radio, Blaney remarked, “You have got to be [expletive] me. Sorry fellas. It’ll go our way eventually, I hope. I appreciate the fast car.” Despite the setback, Blaney commended his team, saying, “Good job all weekend, guys. A really fast race car; keep bringing these things, we’ll be good. Keep your head up.” This marks the first time in Blaney’s career that he has faced three consecutive DNFs. After starting the season with two top-seven finishes, he has not finished higher than 19th in the last four races.
Looking Forward with Determination
Reflecting on the race, Blaney stated, “We had a really fast Dent Wizard Ford Mustang. We led a lot of laps. We lost a little bit of track position there with some stuff on pit road but got back to third, and it was a great race between me and Bubba [Wallace] and [Kyle] Larson. I’m sure Denny was going to get back into it. It was going to be a heck of a battle the last 60 laps or so, but it just didn’t really work out for us.” He remains determined, emphasizing the team’s resilience and the speed of their cars, “We’ll continue to keep fighting. I appreciate the [No.] 12 guys for just giving me a hot rod. It was an incredibly, incredibly fast race car today. We’ll keep our heads up. It’s just one of those things where it’s not really going our way right now, but the good news is we’re bringing fast cars and that’s all you can ask for. We’ll keep on moving.”
