Ryan Blaney expressed his frustration with William Byron after their collision during the NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington on Sunday. Blaney, driving for Ford, hoped to end his winless streak of 110 races and Ford’s winless streak in the 2024 season. However, the race turned into a nightmare for Blaney, resulting in him finishing last (P36) after an accident on lap 129.
Blaney found himself in a three-way battle for a top-5 position with Byron and another driver during the second stage of the race. Unfortunately, Blaney’s Penske Ford No:12 was squeezed into the outside wall, causing significant damage to the car. The Penske team was unable to repair the car in time, leading to Blaney’s DNF.
After the race, Blaney spoke to the press and admitted to accidentally hitting Byron during the caution period. He warned Byron that he would save retaliation for another occasion. Blaney’s frustration was evident in his radio outburst to the team while in the pit lane.
Blaney blamed Byron for the accident, stating that the HMS Chevy No:24 took up space he didn’t have at that moment. He believes he has the right to be upset with Byron’s actions, considering Byron is one of the top championship contenders.
Despite the disappointment, Blaney and the No:22 team need to quickly move on and analyze the reasons behind RFK Racing’s superior speed, as Brad Keselowski’s win provides a path for Ford to get back to victory lane. They must learn from their mistakes and make improvements before next week’s race.
