While the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion is locked into the playoffs, the year has still been an up-and-down one for Ryan Blaney.
On Lap 58, the intensity was picking up as the field raced toward the end of Stage 1. Christopher Bell ended up losing control, spinning sideways.
A handful of cars were collected including Bubba Wallace, AJ Allmendinger and Austin Dillon, but Blaney thought he was going to be okay. However, he got clipped on his way by and took the hardest hit of anyone as the No. 12 Team Penske Ford slammed the outside wall.
He will finish 40th — last place. After being released from the infield care center, Blaney said of the incident: “I couldn’t see much. They kind of started spinning and coming down. I tried to get to the apron and by the time I got there, kind of got blocked.
“Yeah, like you (the reporter) said, the story of our year. Just getting caught up in other people’s garbage. Just when we get it going pretty good and find some momentum, we don’t seem to have things go our way.”
Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, AJ Allmendinger, Christopher Bell crash
Photo by: Sean Gardner / Getty Images
The wreck forced the race to opening stage of the race to end under caution. And while Blaney never returned to the race, Bell did, albeit more than 70 laps down.
Blaney also failed to finish the races at Phoenix, Las Vegas, Homestead, Talladega, and Charlotte. Last year, he had seven DNFs throughout the entire season and he’s nearly matched that, halfway through 2025.
Photos from Atlanta II – Race
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