Ryan Blaney Charlotte Trucks Post-Race

Ryan Blaney (@RyanBlaney22), driver of the No. 29 CareersForVeterans.org Cooper Standard Ford F-150 was sidelined by an accident in the late stages of Friday night’s North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

 

Blaney started in 10th-place in front of an audience that featured over 500 Cooper Standard employees who attended the event and ran solidly in the top 10 during the first 50 laps of the 134-lap race.  As the race neared the 100-lap mark, the No. 29 CareersForVeterans.org Cooper Standard Ford F-150 moved into the top five and appeared poised to challenge for the lead.  

 

He lined up in third-place when the green flag waved on lap 99 following the race’s sixth caution.  Blaney was shuffled outside the top five on the initial start but was beginning to move back toward the front when his night took a turn for the worse.

 

On lap 106 Blaney was racing John Wes Townley for fifth-place down the front straightaway when they ran out of racing room. Blaney was forced off the track and through the grass then spun at the entrance into Turn 1, ending his night.

 

Blaney was credited with a 22nd-place finish and is ninth in the series championship standings, 39 points behind the leader.

 

 

Ryan Blaney – No. 29 CareersForVeterans.org Cooper Standard 

 

Ford F-150:  “We had a really good CareersForVeterans.org Cooper Standard F-150.  We got in bad position there on that restart and went backwards.  The 5 (Townley) put us in the dirt down the front straightaway.  I saw a replay and he just hooked left when we were side-by-side with him.  I’d like to know what he was thinking.  It’s unfortunate.”          

 

 

 

Chad Kendrick – Crew Chief, No. 29 CareersForVeterans.org Cooper Standard Ford F-150: The No. 29 CareersForVeterans.org Cooper Standard F-150 was really good and Ryan was happy.  The only adjustment we made all night was a half-round on the track bar.  I think performance-wise the truck was where it needed to be.  Starting on that inside line was a bear but once we got going I felt like we were as good as anybody.  We just had an unfortunate incident.  With that many laps to go you couldn’t let the leaders get too far out.  He got shuffled back and was coming up through there.  Every week the speed has been there and that’s encouraging.  We’ll go to Dover and keep plugging along.  This team is capable of winning races and that’s what we’re going to go do.”

 

BKR PR