What happened
On Lap 132 at Talladega Superspeedway, Ryan Blaney checked up and moved from the middle lane into the high lane, with Chase Elliott behind him. His lane change broke alignment and brought contact with Bubba Wallace, triggering a multicar crash.
Blaney told NBC he defended the upper lane because he believed it was gaining momentum. He acknowledged that he and Joey Logano mistimed their defensive moves.
What it cost
The crew attempted repairs to return Blaney’s car to the track, but the damage ended his race. NASCAR’s results classified him 38th and out, with 131 laps completed.
What could have been done differently
Blaney should have held the middle lane and let the upper lane’s run advance. Maintaining his lane would have avoided the lateral move that broke alignment and initiated contact with Wallace.