NASCAR XFINITY Series Race Report - Kentucky

September 25, 2016


Track:    Kentucky Speedway
Race:     VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300
Date:     September 24, 2016

No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang – Ryan Blaney

Start:  8th 
Finish: 3rd 
Status: Running
Laps Completed: 200/200
Laps Led:  10                                 
Owner's Points Position (behind leader):  5th (-28 pts.)

Recap: Ryan Blaney and the No. 22 Discount Tire Ford Mustang ran inside the top-10 most of the night, showing impressive speed before finishing the VisitMyrtleBeach.com 300 in third.  Blaney and the team started the 300 mile event from the eighth position. Once the race started, Blaney quickly communicated his Mustang was very free and needed more rear security. During the competition caution on lap 25, crew chief Greg Erwin called Blaney down pit road for a significant adjustment. Blaney restarted 13th but it wasn't long until he was running the fastest laps on track and racing for fifth position. By lap 105, Blaney would find himself running among the leaders in second. In the midst of three-wide racing, Blaney would fall to 14th but made his way to the fourth position by lap 162. After several good restarts, Blaney was able to gain a few positions before capturing the lead once again on lap 188. The race would see its 12th and final caution on lap 189, Blaney scored as the race leader. Once the race returned to green, Blaney was unable to hold off Elliott Sadler and Daniel Suarez during the four lap sprint to the checkered flag and would finish third.

Quote:  "We had a good Discount Tire Ford Mustang and worked to make it better. I just picked the wrong lane for that last restart. The 1 got a good push from the 19 and I just couldn't clear them. Big thanks to Discount Tire and Ford, also my team, they did a good job tonight. Wish we could have gotten to victory lane."