HAMPTON, Ga. — Ryan Blaney turned in one of the most dominant performances of the NASCAR Cup Series season Sunday night, leading a race-high 171 laps and surviving a dramatic overtime finish to win the Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart at EchoPark Speedway.
The Team Penske driver started from the pole and controlled much of the 400-mile event before holding off Christopher Bell and Carson Hocevar over the final two laps to score the victory.
Bubba Wallace crossed the finish line second but was assessed a post-race penalty for passing below the yellow line on the final lap, dropping the 23XI Racing driver to the last car on the lead lap in 29th. Bell was elevated to the runner-up position, while Wallace explained afterward that he was forced to go below the line after his car broke loose.
“I turned left because I got super loose and I just ended up there,” Wallace said. “They say you can’t go under the yellow line to improve your position, which I didn’t. I was third.”
After earning the pole position in Saturday’s qualifying session, Blaney wasted little time establishing himself as the driver to beat. The driver of the No. 12 Ford paced the field for 171 of the race’s 260 laps, battled back from mid-race adversity and crossed the finish line first in an exhilarating overtime finish.
“I knew Bubba was probably going to take us three-wide there when he was clear,” Blaney said. Overall, just a great night. To start on the pole, win both races, win the race, that’s an unbelievable weekend.”
The race was interrupted on Lap 108 when lightning and heavy rain moved through the Hampton area, forcing NASCAR to throw the red flag. Following a delay of nearly three hours, the field returned to the track to complete the remaining 158 laps, setting up a thrilling finish under the lights.
The race ultimately went beyond its scheduled distance after a late caution forced overtime, where Blaney once again rose to the occasion to cap off a dominant evening with a trip to victory lane.
“I thought the racing was great the whole night,” Blaney continued. “By the end of the race everyone is gripped up – they have the ability to get to the middle, the bottom, and that made it a little more chaotic.”
The Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart featured seven caution flags for 49 laps, with 30 lead changes among 10 drivers. Ryan Blaney’s 171 laps led is the most laps led at a drafting-style track since Richard Petty in the 1964 Daytona 500.
Quaker State 400 Available at Walmart Finishing Results:
- Ryan Blaney
- Christopher Bell
- Carson Hocevar
- Ty Gibbs
- Erik Jones
- Shane van Gisbergen
- Austin Dillon
- Tyler Reddick
- Joey Logano
- Chris Buescher
- Ross Chastain
- Denny Hamlin
- Chase Elliott
- Austin Cindric
- Michael McDowell
- William Byron
- Cole Custer
- John Hunter Nemechek
- Todd Gilliland
- Ty Dillon
- Daniel Suarez
- Alex Bowman
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Ryan Preece
- Josh Berry
- Brad Keselowski
- Noah Gragson
- Connor Zilisch
- Bubba Wallace
- Zane Smith
- Austin Hill
- Cody Ware
- Chad Finchum
- Kyle Larson
- Riley Herbst
- Chase Briscoe
- AJ Allmendinger
- BJ McLeod
