Major Crash in Atlanta Forces Ryan Blaney Out of NASCAR Race

Ryan Blaney is experiencing a challenging season — the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion faced another setback in Atlanta.

The incident occurred on lap 58 near the end of Stage 1 when Christopher Bell lost control of his car. Several drivers including Bubba Wallace, AJ Allmendinger and Austin Dillon were caught in the chain reaction — Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford hit the outside wall hard.

“I couldn’t see much. They started spinning and coming down. I tried to get to the apron but by the time I got there, the path was blocked,” Blaney explained after leaving the care center. “Like you said, this is the story of our season. Always getting caught up in other people’s problems.”

The opening stage ended under caution. Blaney was forced to finish 40th — last position. A few laps later, NASCAR had to display the red flag after a larger incident occurred on the backstretch involving 23 cars.

This marks Blaney’s sixth DNF this season after previously failing to finish at Phoenix, Las Vegas, Homestead, Talladega, and Charlotte — nearly matching his total of seven DNFs throughout last season.