Ryan Blaney was one of the favorites to win the Quaker State 400. An average finish of 10.9 in the Next Gen era, backed up by three consecutive top 5 finishes in his last three races, the #12 Ford was expected to run up front. But, as the business started to pick up at the EchoPark Speedway under the lights, Blaney found himself throwing down his window net once again this season, after being caught up in a crash by the end of stage 1.

The scene felt all too familiar for those who have watched Blaney’s 2025 season play out. He had overcome a streak of DNFs and engine troubles, but the high banks of Atlanta Motor Speedway weren’t kind to the Penske driver. “It’s the story of our year,” Blaney told after the crash. “Just getting caught up in other people’s garbage. Just when we seem to get things going and have some momentum, things never seem to go our way”. But beneath the surface, there was a hint of self-reflection, an admission that maybe, just maybe, he could have done something differently.

Ryan Blaney comes clean on his Atlanta misery

The incident happened on Lap 58 when Christopher Bell lost control of his #20 Toyota Camry, spinning sideways. Kyle Larson who was running the high lane behind Bell, checked up, and that led to a huge pileup. Bubba Wallace, AJ Allmendiner, and Austin Dillon. But just when it looked like Blaney would be clear, Dillon #3 car rammed hard into him and that was the end of his race.

“I thought I had it cleared, I really did,” he told reporters. “I thought I got low enough on the apron to get it clear and try to get through it in time, and honestly, I didn’t even see the three clip me. I thought I got past it, and then I got clipped, so I couldn’t really get any lower by the speed I was doing, you know, trying to get by it with enough speed and trying to get as low as I could. So yeah. I thought I got even by it, just got barely clipped.”

The crash not only ended his evening but also took him out of the In-Season Challenge, giving rival driver Carson Hocevar a mulligan. The radio outbursts have become a customary theme for Blaney in recent races, his emotional safety valve for a season that won’t see anything go his way. But this time, rather than shouting his thoughts out, he made peace that he couldn’t escape the wrath of superspeedway racing. This was Blaney’s sixth DNF of the season, and the only silver lining for him is that he’s qualified for the playoffs.

However, it wasn’t just Ryan Blaney who found himself on the short end of the stick; the entire Team Penske lineup ended with a similar outcome.

Trending

1

Months After Fighting for Divorce, NASCAR Driver Reunites With Wife

2

Ty Dillon Takes Sly Dig at Denny Hamlin After Pulling Off Huge Upset in Atlanta

3

“Wake Up Brian France:” NASCAR Fans Unleash Fury as 23-Car Atlanta Wreck Leaves Title Favorites in Shambles

4

Chase Elliott Sends 5-Word Heartfelt Message to Rick Hendrick After Wild Atlanta Victory

5

A Sneak Peek Into Chase Elliott’s Lavish $12 Million Georgia Mansion

Team Penske had an awful outing at Atlanta Motor Speedway

After stage 1 ended under caution, Austin Cindric, who was leading the race, bagged the stage win. But little did he know that he would soon get caught in another big one. Denny Hamlin and John Hunter Nemechek made contact on lap 69 and this sparked a huge pile-up. A total of 23 cars were collected in the crash, and NASCAR had to drop the red flag to clean up the racetrack. Cindric was among the worst-hit drivers, and even Joey Logano and Josh Berry couldn’t escape the ensuing chaos.

“I had a small chance to get through a gap there, but obviously it didn’t work out. I was looking forward to it because we got back in traffic with staying out to win the stage, but I was looking forward to see what our car was gonna do in dirty air and see what final adjustments we needed to make and have that opportunity to learn there. It’s just a shame and a shame for everybody at Team Penske bringing such fast cars and all of them wreck out,” Cindric said after the crash.

“Wrong place at the wrong time. We tried to win the stage and unfortunately didn’t’ get that done, and then you have to pay the piper and go to the back. It’s unfortunate that it happens. The Penske cars were so strong, so fast. It’s part of the game sometimes. Sometimes you’re the ball, sometimes you’re the bat. Today we’re the ball,” Logano added. Fortunately, all the Penske cars are locked in the playoffs as Chase Elliott’s win has made the playoff race more daunting for those banking on points.