Ryan Blaney walked into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway this weekend with a golden chance to win $1 million. However, the In-Season Challenge finale quickly went downhill as chaos unfolded in the Brickyard 400, where he was matched up against Todd Gilliland. In what appeared to be a David vs. Goliath showdown, Blaney seemed to be in control before spinning out on Lap 120 after making contact with John Hunter Nemechek of Legacy Motor Club, a team owned by seven-time Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson. Understandably, he was furious, and it led to an expletive-filled rant over the radio.

Ryan Blaney responds as $1 million shot takes a brutal hit

“What a dumb motherf —- er that 42 is. Every week,” the Team Penske driver said mid-race, not holding back after realizing he almost certainly lost out on going home with a million dollars.

In Turn 2, Blaney collided with John Hunter Nemechek’s No. 42 Toyota when he was in the middle of the pack. A multi-car collision involving Ross Chastain, AJ Allmendinger, Austin Hill, Riley Herbst, Zane Smith, Casey Mears, and Connor Zilisch was caused by the incident. Most importantly and unfortunately, it sent Blaney spinning.

Blaney quickly offered his team some context after the incident, saying, “I’m sorry if that was my fault, but I thought I was fine to the second lane.” However, that justification did nothing to conceal his annoyance.

For the 2023 Cup Series winner, the timing couldn’t have been worse. Blaney and Gilliland had reached the championship round of NASCAR’s In-Season Challenge. He was ahead of Gilliland and looked poised to take home the million dollars. But then Ryan Blaney dropped to 31st after the crash. Gilliland, meanwhile, was in 20th place. That gap put the Penske driver in a difficult position as he tried to recover from the damage and keep his million-dollar dream alive.

Blaney did his best, but at the end of the race, he fell just short. Gilliland won the In-Season Championship, finishing 24th, whereas Blaney finished 26th.

Blaney clearly felt the No. 42 had played a major role in his misfortune. With so much money and bragging rights on the line, the frustration was understandable. And his angry radio message showed just how much the moment had cost him.

Although the crash overshadowed his afternoon, Indianapolis wasn’t just about the million-dollar disappointment for Blaney. The Brickyard 400 also marked a career milestone, as the Team Penske driver reached a landmark that reflects more than a decade of competing at NASCAR’s highest level.

Blaney Reaches 400 Starts in the Cup Series

“It does fly by. I had no idea it was 400 this weekend. It’s incredibly hard to believe,” Blaney said about this landmark moment. “I would never have dreamt that I would make it to 400 starts. You just try to continue to take one start at a time, but it does fly by. It does not feel like 400, so I’ve been really lucky to have a great ride for those 400 starts, and hopefully I can make it 400 more, for sure.”

At Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, Blaney achieved the milestone by making his 400th Cup Series start. In the 39-car lineup for the Brickyard 400, his No. 12 Team Penske Ford began the race in 13th place. For Blaney, the accomplishment signifies more than a decade of Cup racing. On May 10, 2014, he drove Roger Penske’s No. 12 Ford in his first race at Kansas Speedway.

Since then, Blaney has built an outstanding resume that includes 100 top-five finishes, 14 pole positions, and 19 Cup Series triumphs. His first Cup Series championship in 2023, however, was his greatest accomplishment. His 400th start also arrived during another strong season.

With five races left in the regular season, Blaney went into the Brickyard third in the standings. His wins at Phoenix Raceway and EchoPark Speedway had already guaranteed him a Chase berth. But another significant milestone is approaching for him.

Ryan Blaney is getting closer to the 473 Cup Series starts made by his father, Dave Blaney. Ryan’s personal goal is only 73 starts away from Dave, who competed for 17 seasons. Reaching that figure would provide Ryan with another significant connection to the racing heritage of his family.

Additionally, the younger Blaney shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon, having already expressed a desire to make “400 more” career starts. While the million-dollar paycheck ultimately slipped through his fingers, Blaney still has plenty to look forward to as he turns his focus toward the upcoming Chase.