Ryan Blaney wins 2025 Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville after a challenging season, marking a major turnaround only one week after a disappointing 38th-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. On Sunday night, Blaney delivered a commanding performance at Nashville Superspeedway, leading 139 of 300 laps and finishing nearly three seconds ahead of Carson Hocevar.
Displaying determination and resilience, the 31-year-old driver took charge during a 102-lap green flag run to close the race, grabbing the lead after a crucial two-tire pit stop in Stage 1. This strategic move gave him the track position he needed to stay out front and control the latter part of the event.
Strategic Racing Gives Blaney the Edge
Blaney’s ability to bounce back was evident following the previous week’s early crash. He reflected on the journey by stating,
“I never gave up hope, that’s for sure,”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver. He credited his team, saying,
“We’ve had great speed all year. It just hasn’t really been the best year for us as far as good fortune. The 12 boys are awesome. They stick with it no matter how it goes. It’s great to finish one out tonight.”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver.
The decision to take two tires during the first stage proved pivotal. Blaney explained,
“I thought it was a good call,”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver. He added further,
“That set us up for the rest of the race. Great job by him, as always.”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver. The result allowed Blaney to control the final 32 laps and ultimately secure his first win of the season.
Strong Finishes by Hocevar and Hamlin
Carson Hocevar fought back from an early incident with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., tying his best result of the year by finishing second. Hocevar described the resilience of his crew with,
“It just proves how strong this group is,”
—Carson Hocevar, Driver, and praised their determination to recover from difficult circumstances,
“To go from the disappointment last week to having a really bad qualifying draw, qualified really bad and sticking through it and having a shot.”
—Carson Hocevar, Driver.
Denny Hamlin took third place despite battling several setbacks throughout the race, including losing his drink and cooling systems. Hamlin described the ordeal:
“That’s three elements that other drivers had that I didn’t have, so yeah, I got hot,”
—Denny Hamlin, Driver. On the race pace, he noted,
“I just couldn’t run with the 12 there on the super-long run. After 40 laps, I could maintain with them, but then after that, he just pulled away and stretched it on us.”
—Denny Hamlin, Driver.
NASCAR Cup Series Looks Ahead to Michigan
With the Nashville race concluded, the NASCAR Cup Series now moves to Michigan International Speedway for the Firekeepers Casino 400. Scheduled for Sunday, June 8, fans can follow the action at 2:30 p.m. ET on Prime Video, the Motor Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
For Blaney, this win reaffirms his position as a top competitor in the series, and his performance at Nashville signifies a pivotal moment in his 2025 campaign. Key figures such as Carson Hocevar, Denny Hamlin, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., and the resilient teams will continue to battle for victories as the intense season progresses across venues like Michigan and beyond.
