BRISTOL, Tenn. — Ryan Blaney came up just short of victory Sunday at Bristol Motor Speedway, finishing second after a dominant but frustrating afternoon that slipped away on pit road.
Blaney, who started from the pole, showed race-winning speed throughout the 505-lap event and led significant portions of the race. But repeated issues from his pit crew cost him track position multiple times, forcing the Team Penske driver to fight back through traffic.
Despite the setbacks, Blaney surged back to the front late and found himself in position to contend for the win in the closing laps. However, Ty Gibbs ultimately proved too strong, edging Blaney in a dramatic overtime finish by just 0.055 seconds.
Blaney led 190 laps and appeared to have one of the fastest cars on track, but a late pit stop for fresh tires — coupled with earlier miscues — left him chasing track position in the final run.
After the race, Blaney showed respect for the winner, congratulating Gibbs on earning his first NASCAR Cup Series victory.
Meanwhile, third-place finisher Kyle Larson acknowledged Blaney’s speed, noting that the No. 12 team had one of the best cars in the field and suggesting pit road struggles ultimately made the difference in the outcome.
For Blaney, the runner-up finish marked another strong performance at Bristol — but also a missed opportunity, as execution on pit road prevented what could have been a dominant win.
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