Ryan Blaney in crash ends with sixth DNF of season

• A late Stage 1 crash in the Atlanta NASCAR race collected several cars, including those of Christopher Bell, Bubba Wallace, Austin Dillon, and Ryan Blaney.
• The crash ended Blaney’s race, marking his sixth DNF of the season.

A late first stage crash caused significant damage to NASCAR playoff drivers Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney.

It came when Bell’s No. 20 Toyota got loose on the outside lane with just three laps left in the first stage of the Atlanta NASCAR race and caused a multiple-car collision that collected Ryan Blaney, who has been plagued by bad luck this season.

After shaving the wall, Bell slid down in front of three-wide traffic and was hit by Blaney, Bubba Wallace and Austin Dillon in the Quaker State 400 at EchoPark Speedway.

Ty Gibbs did a good job of avoiding the crash.

The crash ended the race for Blaney. Bell’s car, which would not start after the crash, had to be taken to the garage for repairs.

“It’s the story of our year,” said Blaney to a TNT reporter. “Getting caught up in other people’s garbage.

“Just when we seem to get things going and have some momentum, things never seem to go our way.”

It marked the sixth race this season Blaney has not been able to finish. He won at Nashville earlier this month.

Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.