Ryan Blaney overcame two unfastened wheels after pit service and denied Tyler Reddick of an opportunity for a NASCAR record-setting fourth straight victory to open a season, profitable Sunday’s Straight Speak Wi-fi 500 over Christopher Bell at Phoenix Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.
After a track-record-tying twelfth warning, Blaney, who made a late two-tire cease, began second to Ty Gibbs on a 12-lap dash, however he maneuvered his No. 12 Ford below the Joe Gibbs Racing driver, who was searching for his first Cup Sequence win.
The 2023 Cup champion led 28 laps total and held off Bell, on 4 tires, by 0.399 seconds for his 18th profession win.
Kyle Larson, Gibbs and Denny Hamlin accomplished the highest 5.
Searching for his fourth straight win, Reddick got here dwelling eighth in his No. 45 Toyota.
Polesitter Joey Logano and Workforce Penske teammates Blaney and Austin Cindric ran 1-2-3 till Blaney’s Ford rolled the middle higher than Logano’s No. 22 in a gaggle of vehicles and took the lead for the primary time.
Stage 1 ended with Blaney taking the checkers adopted by Bell, Logano, Reddick and Hamlin.
Kyle Busch and Shane van Gisbergen had points on Lap 93 for the second warning. Daniel Suarez and Chase Elliott had hassle collectively on Lap 104.
Hindered by a tire vibration, third-place Chase Briscoe’s proper tire blew out seven circuits after passing Reddick on Lap 125 and smacked the wall for the fourth yellow.
Tires turned much more of a difficulty on Lap 158 as Noah Gragson’s No. 4 Ford, William Byron’s No. 24 Chevrolet, Connor Zilisch’s No. 88 Chevrolet and Michael McDowell’s No. 71 Chevrolet all skilled rubber failure.
Hamlin — who didn’t take two tires whereas main late within the Championship Race final November and misplaced the title to Larson — did so this time on the following pit cease and simply moved to the entrance, however Bell gained Stage 2 with Hamlin, Logano, Chris Buescher and Bubba Wallace behind.
Logano spun Ross Chastain to create the race’s hardest hit, Cindric’s No. 2 Ford, on Lap 217.
Contact with AJ Allmendinger ended Logano’s day on Lap 254, and Elliott, van Gisbergen and Josh Berry have been amongst these receiving injury.
