Ryan Blaney transformed a challenging evening marked by repeated cautions into a rewarding result, finishing fourth with a stage win at Saturday night’s event. Despite experiencing notable race frustration and performance swings, Blaney showcased resilience at the track, navigating unpredictable conditions that kept fans and teams on edge.
From the outset, Blaney’s night was a study in contrasts—pride in running at the front, mixed with visible frustration as seemingly endless caution laps interrupted the action. After stepping from his No. 12 Team Penske car, Blaney addressed the unpredictable dynamics of the evening, underscoring how repeated cautions sapped momentum as the race unfolded.
“It was another one of those things where we thought we knew what the tire was gonna do and it did something completely different,”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver
“I guess that’s happened multiple times and that makes for an exciting race and trying to figure it out on the fly… It was a wild night. I wish we wouldn’t have run so many laps under caution.”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver
That weariness was not unique; voices echoed around the garage as drivers and crews found their rhythm disrupted. What started as a promising, high-paced showdown eventually slowed, especially through the long, slow periods in the race’s middle stretches. As Blaney bluntly put it,
“two-thirds of that race was kind of getting pretty boring.”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver
Despite the stalled pace, Blaney ensured his car stayed near the front pack, frequently running strong laps when the field finally returned to racing under green.
Unexpected Tire Performance Creates Strategic Headaches
The night’s most significant surprise came from the tires—delivering unexpected challenges rather than consistency. Teams arrived with strategies based on practice results, but found those plans quickly undone once laps began to count.
“The tires were interesting. No one expected that,”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver
“It practices one way and then it races a completely different way, so we just tried to manage tires… It makes for an exciting race and trying to figure it out on the fly and what to expect, what to do, and how to strategise.”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver
The confusion was clear as team crews scrambled mid-race, seeking a setup that wouldn’t degrade quickly during long stretches. While some squads struggled to keep pace, Team Penske and Blaney hit on the right mix, positioning the No. 12 in the top five for much of the event. Winning a stage under these unpredictable conditions gave the group additional confidence in their approach, even as the broader field struggled with uncooperative tires.
Momentum Carries Ryan Blaney Toward New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Despite the disruptions and tactical challenges, Blaney left the track with renewed optimism about Team Penske’s momentum and their technical direction. Looking ahead, New Hampshire Motor Speedway—often simply called Loudon—offers a chance for Blaney to build on this strong showing and aim for even better results.
“We were really fast all night… Overall, I’m really, really proud of the night and the effort,”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver
“It’s nice to win a stage and good to come home fourth… We’ll go to Loudon next week. I’m looking forward to it.”
—Ryan Blaney, Driver
As Blaney sets his sights on Loudon, he hopes the steady pace and competitive speed he demonstrated here will continue, potentially making him a key contender if the event brings fewer caution interruptions. For now, he remains satisfied—having collected essential points and delivered for Team Penske on a night when conditions were far from simple. The chaos of the long caution periods may have tested the field’s patience, but Blaney’s adaptability under stress showed his ongoing potential and reinforced that, in unpredictable circumstances, both driver and team are up to the challenge.
