Ryan Blaney offered an expanded look at his Bristol Motor Speedway run-in with Carson Hocevar during a guest appearance on Denny Hamlin’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast, revisiting both the late-race contact that ended his night and the post-race fight that followed.
Blaney had been one of the dominant drivers in Saturday night’s Bass Pro Shops Night Race, leading a race-high 202 laps before contact with Hocevar sent the No. 12 Team Penske Ford into the outside wall with 43 laps remaining. Blaney was unable to continue and finished 33rd.
…
“Yeah, so we ran maybe a lap and a half, two laps side by side trying to clear and got clear off of four. And I left like half a lane to the wall when I did get clear because I wanted to shade to try to stay on the bottom. And he just had a big run and crossed over and, you know, looking back on it, I’d say it’s a 50-50.
“I was wanting to protect the bottom. He was wanting to get to the bottom and was, you know, there late by a little bit. And neither of us wanted to give. I wanted the bottom, he wanted there and I ended up, you know, getting turned. So really I’d put it on both parties. I don’t think he’s 100% to blame. I’m not 100% to blame. I think it was just two guys fighting for the bottom at Bristol.”
— NASCAR.com —