"Ask the 9" - Furious Ryan Blaney points the finger at Chase Elliott after final-lap incident at Michigan

Ryan Blaney was far from happy with Chase Elliott after the duo made contact on the final lap of the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan. The recently concluded race at Michigan International Speedway saw the two drivers encounter a soft tussle and eventually lose multiple places despite an advantageous start.

Elliott and Blaney started the race from the sixth and eighth positions, respectively. However, after the overtime restart, the latter improved to sixth and the former to seventh. In the end, the #9 driver finished the race in 15th place, compared to Blaney's 18th. The loss of places seemingly infuriated the Team Penske driver, who refused to make any comments after the race and pointed fingers at Elliott instead.

When Jeff Gluck of The Athletic approached Ryan Blaney for his thoughts, he said,"

"Ask the 9!"

Gluck could not reach out to Elliott as the #9 Hendrick Motorsports driver made a quick exit from the pit road.

Elliott and Blaney's final lap contact somewhat jeopardized their race, as the #9 driver took 32 points from the race, while the Team Penske driver took 30 points. Without the contact, Chase Elliott would have been leading the regular season standings.

Tyler Reddick claimed the FireKeepers Casino 400 victory at Michigan International Speedway. The 23XI driver held off stiff challenges from Hendrick Motorsports man William Byron and Joe Gibbs Racing's Ty Gibbs to seal his win.

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How did last lap contact change the order ft. Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott?

Ryan Blaney (12) during the Firekeepers 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports. Source: Imagn

Chase Elliott is currently in second place in the championship with 804 points after 24 races. His failure to make amends and use Kyle Larson's absence to the fullest fell short as he lost ample points on the last lap of the FireKeepers Casino 400.

Without it, he would have been leading the standings ahead of the Coke Zero Sugar 400, scheduled for Saturday, August 24, at Daytona International Speedway.

Tyler Reddick took the lead in the standings after his victory at Michigan. This was the 23XI driver's second race win of the season. He now leads the championship with 814 points.

Denny Hamlin is in third position with 786 points, thanks to his ninth-position finish at Michigan. Kyle Larson, the former race leader, suffered an early race exit after he triggered a multi-car wreck, involving Bubba Wallace, Chris Buescher, Christopher Bell, and Todd Gilliland.

Larson stands in fourth place with 782 points, ahead of Ryan Blaney. The #12 driver's failure to cover up the points did not come in handy in the final lap incident as he stands in fifth place with 732 points.