“I could’ve moved Chase right when I got to him”: Ryan Blaney reveals the critical “consideration” that made him back off from overtaking Elliott

Ryan Blaney revealed why he backed off from overtaking Chase Elliott during The Clash at the Bowman Gray Stadium. The Team Penske driver exhibited a remarkable surge from the rear of the pack but didn't outmaneuver the Hendrick Motorsports driver after a crucial "consideration."

The Bowman Gray returned to NASCAR's Cup Series roster after 54 years and witnessed Elliott lead 171 laps to open the season on a dominant note. Blaney couldn't save his place in the exhibition race through the Heat and the Last Chance Qualifier but was awarded a spot, as he was the highest points scorer in 2024 after Joey Logano, the defending champion, advanced through the fourth Heat race.

Nonetheless, Blaney's #12 Ford Mustang displayed an exhilarating performance. After beginning the 200-lap showdown from the last, the Team Penske driver mastered the short track drive, surging to 13th place when the race reached Lap 72. In the closing moments, Blaney fiercely challenged Elliott for the lead. However, he didn't pass the HMS rival as he didn't want to "piss off" the driver, with the entire season left to compete against.

Following his runner-up finish at the iconic 0.25-mile oval, on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, featuring Bubba Wallace's spotter Freddie Kraft, Tommy Baldwin Racing team owner Tommy Baldwin Jr., and more, Ryan Blaney said:

"This is an exhibition race, how much do you want to piss people off before we get going for 36 weeks. So, you have to kind of like take that into consideration, like I could've moved Chase right when I got to him, but I'm like, 'I don't really want to just throw haymakers at a guy in this exhibition race,'" Ryan Blaney said.

Blaney had his final shot at taking the lead on Lap 191 but because he slid high between Turns 1 and 2, he lost the opportunity to begin the season with a triumph.

Ryan Blaney opens up on NASCAR's return to the Bowman Gray Stadium

The Winston-Salem facility provided adrenaline-packed racing, loved by the fans and the drivers. Even though passing on the narrow track was a cumbersome affair as only four lead changes were witnessed, Ryan Blaney proved that it was possible with his jump from P23 to a runner-up finish.

Following the high-octane battle, the Team Penske driver expressed his desire to return to Bowman Gray. Although Bowman Gray and LA Coliseum are quarter-mile tracks, the former has a flat paving to retain the authenticity of the venue.

"I’m looking forward to hopefully coming back next year. I don't see why you wouldn't come back," Ryan Blaney said via Fox Sports.

"There's going to be just as many people here next year as there was tonight. I don't think it would lose any of its luster," he added.

The Bowman Gray Stadium hosted 29 Cup Series races before shutting down for the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series, and the Truck Series in 1971. The facility was opened in 1937 and has since been NASCAR's longest-running racetrack to host weekly races.

After it was closed for NASCAR's national events, the quarter-mile oval became a home for NASCAR's East Series from 2011 to 2015. The most recent NASCAR activity on the track was observed in 2021 when Dale Jr., Clint Bowyer, and Tony Stewart ran laps in the NextGen setup.