Blaney Dominates Nashville to Secure Victory
Ryan Blaney showcased a commanding performance at the Nashville Superspeedway, leading 139 of 300 laps en route to his victory in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford. This win marks Blaney’s 14th career victory and solidifies his status as one of the standout competitors in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series.
“I never gave up hope, that’s for sure,” stated Blaney post-race. "We’ve had great speed all year. The 12 boys are awesome; they stick with it no matter how it goes."
Blaney attributed part of his success to crew chief Jonathan Hassler, highlighting a critical strategy. "We drove up to seventh in the first stage. I thought two tires were a great call, and it set us up for the rest of the race," he explained.
Carson Hocevar matched his career-best finish, securing second place, while Denny Hamlin, the winner of Stage 1, completed the podium in third. Joey Logano and William Byron rounded out the top five.
The remainder of the top ten included Bubba Wallace, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and Christopher Bell. Ross Chastain, last week’s Coke 600 winner, slipped to 11th in the closing laps.
Race Highlights
The race began with Joe Gibbs Racing in control, as polesitter Chase Briscoe and Hamlin navigated the first stage without incident. Blaney’s strategy of pitting late in Stage 1 allowed him to gain significant track position.
Stage 2 saw a surge in aggression, leading to multiple incidents. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. reported frustration after a collision with Hocevar caused his first DNF of the year. Alex Bowman and Noah Gragson also faced similar misfortunes, as a series of yellows plagued the middle portion of the race.
The final stage was largely uneventful, punctuated only by a single-car spin from Ryan Preece. Blaney maintained his advantage through the green-flag pit stops, ultimately holding off challenges from Hocevar despite facing lapped traffic.
Hocevar’s early pit strategy allowed him to jump to second but could not sustain the challenge as he encountered difficulties navigating slower cars.
With this result, Blaney becomes the ninth different winner of the current season, reinforcing his and Team Penske’s position in the championship battle.
More to follow…
