Ryan Blaney got here from almost three seconds again to problem teammate Joey Logano for the Phoenix race win and Cup Collection championship, however he merely ran out of time to get the job finished. On the checkered flag, he was 0.330s away from turning into a back-to-back NASCAR Cup Collection champion, and he was worn out. The AMR Security Crew tended to him on pit highway after the race.
“I used to be drained, man,” stated Blaney. “I used to be driving onerous and huffing and puffing and felt like I used to be going to move out after the race. I used to be working onerous attempting to shut the hole down. There have been numerous similarities to final week and simply did not fairly get there this week.”
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, Joey Logano, Crew Penske, Ryan Blaney, Crew Penske, Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Picture by: NASCAR Media
The crucial second got here on a Lap 259 restart when William Byron managed the race with two Hendrick Motorsports teammates at his again. Whereas Logano made a superb three-wide move for the lead, Blaney remained trapped behind two of the Hendrick drivers. That turned out to be the profitable second, as Logano by no means relinquished the lead once more
Blaney fought onerous with Kyle Larson and later Byron, however by the point he cleared them each, Logano was 2.3 seconds up the highway with simply over 20 laps to go.
“Simply bought bottled up,” stated Blaney of that pivotal restart. “I took sixth. I assumed the highest was in all probability the higher row, personally, and simply bought put in sort of a bizarre aero spot. Numerous guys washed up in entrance of me there via 1 and a couple of, and Joey sort of bought clear, after which I solely bought to fourth.
“That was the end result. Simply Joey bought to the lead fairly fast with how the restart went, and it labored out for him. By the point I settled in, I used to be fourth and needed to work my ass off to attempt to get by the 5 and the 24 and run Joey down, after which I had nothing left. Every part was spent on that automotive.
“I knew after I was working him down, I will get there, however I did not have something as soon as I bought there. When you get in soiled air and so they can begin sort of guessing the place you are going, it simply makes it that a lot tougher. Yeah, simply the restart, if I might have simply been nearer, if I might have got here out second or so, I would not have needed to work as onerous and are available from as far again and possibly would have had just a little bit higher shot.”
Simply wanted to get out entrance
Whereas passing was troublesome, Blaney was one of many stronger drivers on a long term, making it work higher than most by driving in deep on nook entry. Nonetheless, it was by no means going to be sufficient in opposition to a driver with clear air.
“I simply — I want I ever bought management of the race. Like I by no means bought the lead. I bought the lead as soon as, and I feel the inexperienced flag stops occurred or I bought the lead on the finish of Stage 2, Stage 2 ended, after which I bought the lead again — nicely, I lastly handed Joey for second within the third stage when the inexperienced flag cycle occurred, Bell pitted, I got here out second — I simply by no means bought the lead.
“I felt like if I bought the lead, I am gone. But it surely simply did not play out. Automotive was nice, and Jonathan and people guys did an awesome job of getting us to the place we wanted to be.”
