Ryan Blaney makes his feelings known on Bristol’s tire wear surprise

Ryan Blaney was surprised and relieved at the unexpectedly low tire wear at the Food City 500 in Bristol. In a post-race interview shared by Frontstretch on X, Blaney shared his thoughts on how the tire conditions shifted from what was expected to something much more manageable as the race progressed.

In the clip, Blaney talks about how he and others on the track were unsure of what to expect when the green flag dropped.

“I thought the tire really surprised me, in a good way, compared to what it was yesterday,” he said. [1:30]

Blaney added that nobody had a clear understanding of tire behavior early on, but about 80 laps into the race, it became clear the tire wear wouldn’t be as much of a concern. That knowledge gave drivers more confidence to push.

Blaney stayed on track for 48 laps before pitting and rejoined the field, still in fifth. At one point, he was one of just two cars on the lead lap by lap 427. The decision by crew chief Jonathan Hassler to extend the stint was calculated and, in Blaney’s words, their “only play to win.” He saved tires while leading and held his position effectively despite the extended run.

Ryan Blaney said everyone was cautious on the opening run. As drivers didn’t know how the tires would respond, they initially took it easy. But as laps went by and tires held up, they began to push harder.

“We finally got going and we went so long. Then it was like, ‘Alright, we can go a little bit harder,’” Blaney said via racer.com.

Blaney finished fifth in the race and attributed a big part of his race strategy to managing tires during a long green-flag run. On lap 392, he stayed out longer than most on older tires, hoping to catch a caution and steal a win.

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“We've got to get a little bit better for the long haul tomorrow” – Ryan Blaney highlighted tire management concerns before the race

Ryan Blaney (12) during driver introductions for the NASCAR Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway - Source: Imagn

Defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney came into Bristol with tire wear on his mind. His 2025 season hasn’t had a great start - three DNFs in eight races and no wins despite strong speed from Team Penske’s Fords. Engine failures at Phoenix and Homestead-Miami had already cost him points, but before heading to Bristol, tire management worried him the most.

Team Penske’s speed hadn’t been the issue. Ryan Blaney qualified fifth at Bristol, and all their cars showed good pace throughout the season. But converting that speed into wins has been a struggle. Blaney mentioned that while the engine problems seemed to be under control, another challenge awaited at Bristol - handling the tires over long runs.

Bristol’s concrete surface and high banking make it one of the toughest tracks for tire wear. Last year, drivers barely managed 50 laps on a set of tires. With that in mind, tire conservation was expected to be critical. When asked about the wear after qualifying, Blaney replied via Speedway Digest:

“We’ve got to get a little bit better for the long haul tomorrow, but hopefully, we’ll make the right changes.”

“A lot of guys had cords after 35 laps, so that’s gonna be really important. We’ll see if we have enough tires for the end of it,” he added.

Ryan Blaney's performance in 2025 shows he’s still a strong contender despite the rocky start. He sits sixth in the drivers' standings with 275 points, three top-five finishes, four top-10s, and one pole in nine races. His average start is just under 16th, and he’s led 198 laps. But the three DNFs, including two from engine issues, have been costly.