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Stage 1 Crash Puts Ryan Blaney in Severe Playoff Trouble
Ryan Blaney had a nightmare situation befall him in the first race of the Round of 8 in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs on Sunday at Las Vegas. After qualifying 14th, Blaney did not make much progress, consistently running between 12th and 14th, until a blown tire sent him straight into the wall with nine laps remaining in Stage 1. The car could not be prepared, resulting in a last-place finish in 38th. Moreover, the fact that he scored no stage points while the other seven remaining playoffs drivers all did, left him in a precarious position in eighth in points, 55 points behind eventual winner and points leader Denny Hamlin, and 31 points behind Chase Briscoe for the final transfer spot. Blaney is already in a situation where he will likely need to win at either Talladega or Martinsville to advance to the championship round, but he could definitely do it.
Source: Racing Reference
Source: Racing Reference
