Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney have a close friendship outside of racing. The current NASCAR Cup Series champion had a hectic day at Martinsville on Sunday. The car provided by Team Penske initially struggled to get on track, and Elliott fought to stay within the top 15 during the race. However, by the end of the race, they managed to recover and secure a fifth place with the help of a two-stage pit stop.
During the final restart, Elliott had a collision with his friend and the 2020 Cup champion while they were battling for positions in the top-5. He restarted in fourth place in overtime alongside the driver of the Chevy number 9. Ryan Blaney made contact with the HMS driver after slowing down between the first two turns. This incident caused Elliott to lose another position as the race continued, taking fourth place away from him.
Blaney credited the two-stage pit stop for helping them regain position on the track and improve their performance to a fifth place. He also apologized to Elliott for the collision, and the two drivers quickly resolved any tension between them.
This incident recalls what happened between Bubba Wallace and Elliott the previous week in Richmond. The driver of the 23XI Racing team publicly apologized to Elliott for spinning him out during his post-race interview. Blaney and Elliott, who are close friends of Wallace, took a similar approach in addressing the incident and moving forward.
After speaking with Elliott, Blaney returned to finish his interview and acknowledged that he apologized for the collision. He explained that the incident occurred because the Chevy driver slowed down early, and they were fortunate to be able to keep racing.
The impressive fifth place finish will provide the two drivers, who have not yet won a race this season, the necessary boost to continue fighting for a spot in the playoffs. A victory is especially important for Elliott, as he has gone nearly 50 races without a win.
