Blaney survives Talladega chaos
This is the third of a series counting down the top five NASCAR Cup Series races of 2020. This week, No. 3:
Talladega Superspeedway usually finds a way onto this list every year, and 2020 was no different.
Once again, the legendary track provided a photo finish in its first race this past season, with Ryan Blaney defeating Ricky Stenhouse Jr. by just 0.007 seconds. A frantic final few laps included overtime, a daring pass and, of course, big wrecks.
“That was a lot of fun,” Blaney said. “We just edged it out, but I’m really proud of this whole Ford Mustang team. It’s been a cool year so far, and I’m really excited to getour first win of theyear ata cool place. Thank you everybody for coming.”
Oh yeah, that’s right ... fans!
The June 22 race featured the return of spectators in the grandstands for the first real time since NASCAR returned in May.
The race at Homestead-Miami the previous week featured a few hundred local service members, but this race opened its gates to the public (around 5,000 fans), marking the return of fans to a live sporting event for the first time since the pandemic began.
“The atmosphere of them cheering was back,” Blaney said. “Before and after the race, we love that stuff. Drivers, we love support.”
Fans supported the drivers, and the drivers supported themselves on this weekend.
During a Sunday night rain delay (the race was eventually completed on Monday), a garage door rope, tied like a noose, was found hanging in Bubba Wallace’s No. 43 stall. While the FBI ultimately said no crime was committed, the rest of the drivers showed their support during Monday’s pre-race ceremony, walking Wallace’s No. 43 car to the front of pit-road.
Richard Petty, Wallace’s team owner, stood by Wallace during the national anthem.
“I’ve known him for 15 years and he’s one of my best friends,” Blaney said of Wallace. “I support him 100 percent of the way.”
The drivers stood together before the race, but it was every man for himself as the laps started to wind down.
Kevin Harvick passed Blaney when the field took the green to start overtime, and he held the top spot for much of the final two laps thanks to a big push from Chris Buescher.
As those two pulled away with a lap to go, Blaney made his move, jumping to the high line down the backstretch and then crossing below Harvick going into Turn 3, eventually passing him as the two exited Turn 4.
All of a sudden, Erik Jones entered
the mix. He tried to pass Blaney low, then high, and eventually found himself in the middle of a three-wide battle as John Hunter Nemechek joined the fray in the top lane.
With the checkers in sight, Blaney nudged Jones ever so slightly, sending the No. 20 into Nemechek. Those two crushed the wall, sending Aric Almirola, in fourth, spinning across the finish line. Blaney, meanwhile, did just enough to hold off Stenhouse Jr. as the chaos ensued behind them.
“I just kind of blocked, just trying to block the best we could,” Blaney said. “Ride the top, ride the bottom. The 20 (Jones) got to my outside, and I tried to go up there to slow him down and … I hate that I hit him, but just kind of tr ying to beat and bang to the line and things like that.”