NASCAR News: Ryan Blaney wins Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville

A season full of near misses and hard-luck finishes for Ryan Blaney disappeared in a magical Music City night.

At a sold-out Nashville Superspeedway, with fireworks and cheers washing over him, Blaney was finally able to celebrate a victory.

Blaney, driving the No. 12 Ford for Penske Racing, led a race-high 139 laps, earned his first NASCAR Cup Series win of the year and the 14th victory of his career by taking the checkered flag in the Cracker Barrel 400.

“We’ve had great speed all year — just hasn’t been the best year for us as far as good fortune,” said Blaney, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion. “The 12 boys are awesome; they stick with it no matter how it goes, and it was great to finish one out tonight.”

Blaney gained top position early by making a two-tire stop, won the second stage after surviving a wave of caution flags and held on through a green-flag pit stop cycle in the third stage to beat Carson Hocevar to the start-finish line by 2.83 seconds.

“I never gave up hope,” said Blaney, who won his first Cup Series race since last fall in Martinsville, a span of 15 events.

“I thought [two tires] was a good call. We drove up to seventh there in the first stage, and I thought two tires were great. I thought my car was really good, and that really set us up for the rest of the race.

“It’s nice that it’s finally happening. It’s time to go celebrate!”

Denny Hamlin, making his 700th career Cup Series start, won the opening stage, led 79 laps and placed third. Defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano, the 2024 Nashville Superspeedway winner, finished fourth and William Byron came in fifth.

For Hocevar, a past Truck Series winner at Nashville, it was his second runner-up finish of the season.

“Proud of this group — proud of this car,” Hocevar said. “At a place that is difficult to pass, we went from 26th to second. It’s good to get a deserved finish for once.”

“Good run for the 12,” Hamlin added. “He just pulled away and stretched it on us.”

Blaney, 31, from Hartford Township, Ohio, averaged 129.068 mph around the 1.33-mile concrete oval, completing 300 laps in 3 hours, 5 minutes and 29 seconds. Seven caution periods took up 35 laps while nine leaders exchanged the lead 18 times, with 25 drivers finishing on the lead lap. The Cracker Barrel 400 was the 2,800th NASCAR Cup Series race.

Chase Briscoe, the fastest Cup Series qualifier in track history, led 51 laps overall before slipping back to finish 17th.

Among other notables, Josh Berry, from nearby Hendersonville, Tennessee, placed 30th while Knoxville, Tennessee, native Chad Finchum finished 35th.

Ryan Blaney

After another frustrating week last week in Charlotte, were you beginning to wonder whether this was ever going to happen that you would get to the playoffs with a win?

RYAN BLANEY: I never gave up hope, that’s for sure. We’ve had great speed all year, just hasn’t 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, and it was great to finish one out tonight.

How much did the game change for you on the 12 team when Hassler made the call for the two-tire stop at the end of Stage 1 and you got all that track position?

RYAN BLANEY: Yeah, I thought it was a good call. We drove up to seventh there in the first stage, and I thought two tires were great. I thought my car was really good, and that really set us up for the rest of the race, so great job by him, as always, all the 12 boys, appreciate what they do pit crew was great. Appreciate Menard’s, Cardell, Ford, Ford Motor Company, Roush Yates Engines, Discount Tire, Wabash, Worth, Snap-on, DEX Imaging, Body Armour, Advance Auto Parts, everything what they do. It’s nice that it’s finally happening, so I’m ready to go celebrate.

You don’t normally do burnouts after a win, but Corey LaJoie loves to grade burnouts. So I’m sure he’s very happy you gave him one?

RYAN BLANEY: I didn’t think it was very good, but did the crowd like the burnout or not? They liked it so that’s all that matters.

NASCAR Cup Series Race – Cracker Barrel 400 Results

Average Speed of Race Winner:  129.068 mph.

Time of Race:  3 Hrs, 5 Mins, 29 Secs. Margin of Victory:  2.830 Seconds.

Caution Flags:  7 for 35 laps.

Lead Changes:  18 among 9 drivers.

Lap Leaders:   C. Briscoe 1-39;D. Hamlin 40;T. Reddick 41-46;R. Blaney 47-70;C. Briscoe 71-82;D. Hamlin 83-92;T. Reddick 93;R. Blaney 94-107;D. Hamlin 108-166;W. Byron 167;D. Hamlin 168;R. Blaney 169-188;J. Logano 189-198;R. Blaney 199-247;D. Hamlin 248-255;A. Cindric 256-257;A. Dillon 258-265;B. Keselowski 266-268;R. Blaney 269-300.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  Ryan Blaney 5 times for 139 laps; Denny Hamlin 5 times for 79 laps; Chase Briscoe 2 times for 51 laps; Joey Logano 1 time for 10 laps; Austin Dillon 1 time for 8 laps; Tyler Reddick 2 times for 7 laps; Brad Keselowski 1 time for 3 laps; Austin Cindric 1 time for 2 laps; William Byron 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 11,45,19,24,20,9,12,71,22,1

Stage #2 Top Ten: 12,24,11,22,43,2,77,38,21,20