Ryan Blaney Incensed Following NASCAR Cup Series Duel Wreck
'I'm pissed, and I have every right to be pissed'
The starting lineup for the 66th annual Daytona 500 was set following Thursday night’s Duels.
Defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney finds himself starting in 32nd position in a field of 40 following an 11-car crash in Lap 48 of the Duels second race.
“I’m sick of paying the expense of it and getting right-reared from somebody’s dumb push,” Blaney said, according to NASCAR.com’s Zach Sturniolo. “It’s just frustrating because we do everything right, and then you have guys who are just careless and just shove guys until they just don’t know when to let them go and it causes wrecks, and I just seem to be the byproduct of getting hooked in the right rear, which is nice fun.”
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Blaney was running fifth behind William Byron when Byron lost momentum and ended up getting tapped by Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski. The contact with Byron sent him sideways, clipping Blaney who ended up going head-on into the retaining barrier.
“Pissed. I’m pissed. I’m sick of getting right-reared here by someone else’s awful push,” Blaney said. “We have a backup car for the 500. Did everything right tonight, and now we have to work our ass off the next two days trying to get a 500 car ready, so I’m pissed, and I have every right to be pissed.”
Busch will start behind Blaney in 34th, but Byron and Keselowski didn’t lose as much ground. Byron will start 18th and Keselowski 16th.
Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and two-time Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson needed to finish ahead of J.J. Yeley in their 60-lap duel in order to be guaranteed a spot in the race.
Johnson secured his spot when he passed Yeley on the final lap of the duel.
“I just have such a better appreciation for what many have gone through to race in,” Johnson said, according to FOX NASCAR Insider Bob Pockrass. “I was so fortunate for so many years to not have to worry about getting in on speed for a variety of different reasons.”
Two-time Cup champion Joey Logano earned the poll position for the Daytona 500. He previously won the race in 2015.
The green flag from Daytona International Speedway is slated for 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday.
