Denny Hamlin, Ryan Blaney playoff hopes in danger after Lap 1 wreck at Watkins Glen
On Lap 1 at Watkins Glen there is big trouble for two NASCAR Playoff drivers, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney. Worst case scenario. Blaney is going to be done on the day while Hamlin will try to make repairs and salvage his afternoon.
This is the last thing that the defending champion and Hamlin wanted to see. Going into the bus stop, things got crowded and then disaster struck.
Corey LaJoie got into Kyle Busch. That sent Busch around and then other cars began to make contact and wreck. Christopher Bell was another playoff driver involved.
Denny Hamlin has heavy damage but is trying to get going again. He entered today only two points above the cutline.
Last week’s conservative strategy at Atlanta is starting to look like a horrific mistake for Hamlin. He only earned 13 points last week for his efforts and he needed much more. This week he had to have a strong performance and now his race is up in the air.
At least Hamlin was able to continue. Ryan Blaney and his team were towed to the garage and told they were done. Despite other drivers getting tows to their pit box for flat tires, Blaney was told since he couldn’t drive to the pits his day was over.
Ryan Blaney furious after Denny Hamlin incident
Ryan Blaney entered the day +33 points on the cutline. He could see that cushion completely melt away today. And there is nothing that he can really do about it.
In the garage, Blaney was beside himself. He wanted to at least have a chance to get repairs done to his car.
“Give us a chance to fix it, how are they going to dictate if we’re done or not?” Blaney said on the TV broadcast in the garage. “They have no idea the damage. They said because I couldn’t drive it back to the pit box we’re done, but if you have four flats you get towed back to the pit box, you can’t drive it back. So, I don’t know what’s going on, why they won’t even give us a shot to work on it, but I don’t agree with it.
“I don’t even know what happened honestly, stacked up, I caught someone on the left front and it completely broke the steering arm. I don’t know if we could have fixed it but that’s the frustrating part, just don’t even give us a chance you just end our day and you’re not letting us get to look at it before it’s in the garage? That just, stinks.”
Denny Hamlin at least gets to try and salvage his day. Ryan Blaney is done.