NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney, who led 53 laps, appeared in position to qualify for the Championship 4 race on Nov. 5.
Instead, the pilot of the No. 12 Ford, was struck from behind by an out-of-control Kyle Larson during entry into pit road on Lap 214 of Sunday’s 4EVER 400 Presented by Mobil 1 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Larson owned up to the Round of 8 mistake, but it left Blaney in a runner-up position to race-winner Christopher Bell, who jumped into the lead of the playoff points standings. It also left him with one more chance to qualify for the Phoenix Raceway finale.
“I thought we had a good shot, just didn’t really work out for us at the end,” Blaney said, as reported by NASCAR.com.
Blaney, who was hard by Denny Hamlin, expressed his dissatisfaction of the maneuver, which allowed Bell to catch up to the lead pack and eventually pull out the win.
“He tried to slide me two or three times and failed miserably and then just decided to use me up,” Blaney said. “I mean if you’re gonna slide somebody, slide somebody and commit. Don’t halfway do it and use me up. So what did he say? Hack? I think he was that today.”
Entering next Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, Blaney sits 10 points in front of No. 5-ranked Tyler Reddick.
Ryan Blaney expressed frustration with the No. 11 after the race Sunday. pic.twitter.com/T8rwQSoGSf
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 22, 2023
NASCAR Weekend Schedule
Here is a list of NASCAR’s events this weekend at Martinsville Speedway (All Times ET):
Friday
- 5 p.m.: Xfinity Series practice
- 5:35 p.m.: Xfinity Series qualifying
Saturday
- 12:35 p.m.: Cup Series practice
- 1:20 p.m.: Cup Series qualifying
- 3:30 p.m.: Xfinity Series Dead On Tools 250 race
Sunday
2 p.m.: Cup Series Xfinity 500 race
The view from Club Panorama is unmatched 🔥 pic.twitter.com/cULQNb84kg
— Martinsville Speedway (@MartinsvilleSwy) October 19, 2023
NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 Entry List
Entry, Driver, Team, Car No.
- 1, Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing, No. 1 Chevrolet
- 2, Austin Cindric, Team Penske, No. 2 Ford
- 3, Austin Dillon, Richard Childress Racing, No. 3 Chevrolet
- 4, Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 4 Ford
- 5, Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports, No. 5 Chevrolet
- 6, Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing, No. 6 Ford
- 7, Corey LaJoie, Spire Motorsports, No. 7 Chevrolet
- 8, Kyle Busch, Richard Childress Racing, No. 8 Chevrolet
- 9, Chase Elliott, Hendrick Motorsports, No. 9 Chevrolet
- 10, Aric Almirola, Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 10 Ford
- 11, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 11 Toyota
- 12, Ryan Blaney, Team Penske, No. 12 Ford
- 13, Chase Briscoe, Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 14 Ford
- 14, JJ Yeley, Rick Ware Racing, No. 15 Ford
- 15, AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig Racing, No. 16 Chevrolet
- 16, Chris Buescher, RFK Racing, No. 17 Ford
- 17, Martin Truex Jr., Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 19 Toyota
- 18, Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 20 Toyota
- 19, Harrison Burton, Wood Brothers Racing, No. 21 Ford
- 20, Joey Logano, Team Penske, No. 22 Ford
- 21, Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing, No. 23 Toyota
- 22, William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, No. 24 Chevrolet
- 23, Justin Haley, Kaulig Racing, No. 31 Chevrolet
- 24, Michael McDowell, Front Row Motorsports, 34 Ford
- 25, Todd Gilliland, Front Row Motorsports, No. 38 Ford
- 26, Ryan Preece, Stewart-Haas Racing, No. 41 Ford
- 27, Carson Hocevar, Legacy Motor Club, No. 42 Chevrolet
- 28, Erik Jones, Legacy Motor Club, No. 43 Chevrolet
- 29, Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, No.45 Toyota
- 30, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., JTG Daugherty Racing, No. 47 Chevrolet
- 31, Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports, No. 48 Chevrolet
- 32, Ryan Newman, Rick Ware Racing, No. 51 Ford
- 33, Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing, No. 54 Toyota
- 34, Ty Dillon, Spire Motorsports, No. 77 Chevrolet
- 35, BJ McLeod, Live Fast Motorsports, No. 78 Chevrolet
- 36, Daniel Suárez, Trackhouse Racing, No. 99 Chevrolet
He’ll be trying all the way to Phoenix. 😉 pic.twitter.com/AdafO2NUl7
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 23, 2023
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