Ryan Blaney claimed his third win of the season after a two-tire gamble at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The Team Penske driver called it a ‘good call’ that allowed him to recover from an earlier pit-stop miscue.
Blaney began Sunday’s Dollar Tree 301 outside the top-5 and went to clinch Stage 2. Early in the final stage, however, the No. 12 driver dropped 14 spots after a prolonged pit stop due to a loose lug nut.
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Consequently, crew chief Jonathan Hassler made an inspired decision to put on two tires, while frontrunners Bubba Wallace and Josh Berry opted for four sets. With Wallace and Berry breathing down his neck, Blaney managed to hold them off till checkered flag.
Reflecting upon the strategy, Blaney said (via NASCAR’s official website),
“It was a good call after our issue on pit road. We did two at the end to try to hopefully get the lead and we did. It was a long run to the end, the longest run we had. Just tried to manage my stuff. I knew those four-tire guys would probably pressure me eventually and Bubba came on pretty hard. Was just trying to manage lapped traffic, while also trying to manage the tires and just try not to make a mistake.”
The result marks Ryan Blaney’s second consecutive win at the Granite State, and Team Penske’s fourth win in six races. Joey Logano recently won at Richmond and North Wilkesboro Speedway, while Blaney captured Atlanta and Phoenix.
Their teammate, Austin Cindric, is currently vying for the final three transfer spots, alongside Bubba Wallace, Shane van Gisbergen, and Ryan Preece.
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Ryan Blaney’s crew chief comments on pit road error
Nov 4, 2023; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (left) talks with crew chief Jonathan Hassler during qualifying for the NASCAR Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Ryan Blaney’s crew chief Jonathan Hassler weighed in on the No. 12 team’s latest misfire at New Hampshire. The error marked their ninth of the season, raising concerns about a worrying trend as the Chase begins in two weeks.
“I’d be curious to know what those statistics are from other teams. It’s really competitive on pit road. If you’re going to have any speed, you’re going to have these sort of miscues. We’re fortunate that we’re fast enough and up front enough that everybody takes notice when it does happen,” Hassler said via Autoweek.
Ryan Blaney faced the same issues last year as well, and the No.12 bunch had shuffled their pit crew with Wood Brothers Racing.
Blaney currently stands second in the standings, 77 points behind season leader Denny Hamlin. Even if Blaney scores the maximum points in the regular season finale at Daytona, he’ll still be two points shy of Hamlin’s total.
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That makes Hamlin the No.1 seed as he enters the Chase with a 25-point buffer over second place. The No.11 driver finished seventh at Loudon and walked away with an average finish of 8.1 this year.
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