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sports Monday 2 october 2023

Ryan Blaney beats Kevin Harvick in a drag race at Talladega to

advance in NASCAR playoffs

By JENNA FRYER mile Alabama oval. last season. He joked the
AP Auto Racing Writer Blaney, winner of the Co- fans might have torn the
TALLADEGA, Ala. (AP) — ca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in Talladega grandstands
In a battle of Ford driv- May, now has multiple wins down if he'd won but set-
ers in which the blue oval in a season for the second tled for just not crashing.
was determined to find its time in his career. But he's "That would have been
way to victory lane, Ryan got a lopsided stat this sea- great. Talladega has been
Blaney held off Kevin Har- son in that he has only five so up-and-down through
vick at the Talladega Su- top-five finishes, but two the years," Harvick said.
perspeedway finish line as wins. "We've had some great
Blaney advanced into the "It was a pretty wild restart, moments and some bad
round of eight of NASCAR's let alone the last couple moments. The last super-
playoffs. of laps, losing momentum speedway race and we
Harvick, who is retiring at and getting it back, just went out with everything
the end of the year, re- getting clear to the bottom rolling, so that's a good
mained winless on the sea- to get to the front row and thing." Ryan Blaney, front center celebrates after winning a NASCAR
son. drag race it out with Kevin," Hamlin led three laps during Cup Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway, Sunday,
Blaney used a crossover said Blaney. "To win here the second stage but was Oct. 1, 2023, in Talladega, Ala. Associated Press
move from the outside three times at Talladega is flagged for speeding on pit
lane to the inside to nudge super cool." road — a troubling habit of championship — and the to earn his position back
ahead of Harvick with two Harvick finished second as the three-time Daytona 500 penalty contributed to him on the lead lap and then
laps remaining. Blaney in his winless streak stretched winner considered the best falling a lap off the pace. It drove through the field to
his Ford for Team Penske to 43 races dating back to driver to never win a Cup took him most of the race secure his finish.q
and Harvick in a Ford for
Stewart-Haas Racing fin-
ished essentially in a drag
race with both drivers re-
fusing to lift as a crash
broke out behind them.
"I've won it by more than
I have the last couple
years. That one might have
been by 4 feet, the oth-
ers were by 2 but you just
don't know," said Blaney,
a three-time winner at Tal-
ladega. "You just kind of
drag race a line and hope
you get help."
Blaney joined William Byron
as the two drivers locked
into the round of eight. The
field of 12 will be pared
next Sunday to eight fol-
lowing the race on The
Roval at Charlotte Motor
Speedway.
Blaney boss Roger Penske
praised the strategy of the
Ford camp to work togeth-
er to ensure a Ford vic-
tory as the Chevrolets from
Hendrick Motorsports were
making a quick challenge.
"For Harvick, who it was
his last race here, work-
ing like he did with Ryan, it
was amazing to see that,"
said Penske. "The Hendrick
freight train was coming
and we all stayed togeth-
er, that was the call that
Ford had earlier in the day
when we talked. It was just
perfect execution."
Ford has won 10 playoff
races at Talladega, most
at any track, and Team
Penske has won 10 of the
last 18 races at the 2.66-