Ryan Blaney reveals his raw emotions on having an exclusive NASCAR triumph

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NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 - Qualifying - Source: Getty
Ryan Blaney reflects on winning the inaugural Iowa Cup race (Image: Getty)

NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney has expressed his unfiltered emotions on having a triumph exclusive to him. On June 16 this past season, the High Point North Carolina native claimed a Cup win at the inaugural Iowa race, becoming the only NASCAR driver to do so.

Amid the offseason, NASCAR revisited Blaney's exhilarating triumph, courtesy of his crew chief Jonathan Hassler's two-tire gamble under the final caution. The #12 Ford Mustang driver reshared the post, expressing what the win meant to him and his family.

"That one meant a lot to my family and I! 12 fellas ate plenty of corn in victory lane that evening. Make it corn liquor next time and it would even better. Or worse I’m not really sure," Blaney wrote.

Blaney's Team Penske Ford was winless until the Iowa race where he showed a strong pace once the 350-lap clash began. Despite several cautions plaguing the regular season race, the #12 driver ran in the front throughout the battle.

However, things went haywire for the drivers after Chris Buescher's detached tire instigated officials to raise a caution on Lap 260. Moreover, since less than 90 laps would've remained after that caution, lead drivers pitted for fresh compounds, as they might not have gotten the chance later.

Hassler's two-tire masterstroke not only saved time but also made him the leader upon exiting the pit road, propelling him to the victory lane.


Had Ryan Blaney gone for four tires, he would've lost the Iowa battle

Though Ryan Blaney led a race-high 201 laps and the penultimate 88 laps, he won by a slim margin over his Hendrick Motorsports rival William Byron. The latter was off by just 0.716 seconds and would've reigned supreme if the former's crew chief had opted for a four-tire strategy.

Byron donned four fresh Goodyear compounds during the final pitstop, costing him valuable time and eventually the Iowa win.

After nearly a decade since his last Iowa triumph, Blaney swept the speedway's NASCAR win slate after crossing the start/finish line, becoming a winner on the 0.875-mile track across all three Series -Cup Series (2024), Xfinity Series (2015), and Truck Series (2012).

"What a cool way to win here. This place means a lot to me and means a lot to my mom (Lisa, from Chariton, Iowa). We had a lot of people here tonight cheering us on, so they willed us to that one. Overall, I really appreciate the whole (No. 12 team). I mean, our car was really fast all night and we got a little bit better through the night, and two tires was a good call there," Blaney said after acing the race via NASCAR.

Ryan Blaney's win at Iowa Speedway marked his maiden win of the 2024 season and the 11th of his career.

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Edited by Pratham K Sharma
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