Blaney, the reigning collection champion, appeared on observe for a robust end and more likely to contend for the win after ending sixth and third, respectively, within the race’s first two levels.
Nonetheless, as the ultimate stage obtained underway, Blaney and Preece made contact racing for place on the observe and ultimately on lap 181 of 276, Preece obtained into Blaney laborious off Flip 2 which despatched Blaney’s No. 12 Ford into the wall.
The wreck took Blaney out of rivalry and he limped dwelling to complete thirty third. Preece was capable of proceed and ended up twelfth – his second-best end of the 2024 season.
On Tuesday in a Zoom name with reporters, Blaney defined what transpired previous to the wreck.
“TV didn’t present. I used him up fairly good in (Turns) 3 and 4 and and form of ran him up the race observe. I ran him up greater than I used to be planning on,” he stated. “I used to be planning on taking some house and I form of ran him up greater than I assumed and obtained him out of the groove.
“He was rightfully upset with that. I might have been too, after which he obtained to me a lap later and obtained into me fairly good. In my thoughts, I deserved to get used up, for certain, for what I did.
“I used to be responsible as charged, however I don’t know if I deserved to get junked for what I did, but it surely’s simply a kind of racing issues. I do know why he was upset. I used up a bunch of observe and he was mad and he determined to retaliate.”
Ryan Preece, Stewart-Haas Racing, HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang
Picture by: Ben Earp / NKP / Motorsport Pictures
Blaney insisted he didn’t consider Preece’s actions have been out of line or deserved any form of NASCAR penalty since he was the intigator.
“He had each proper to get again at me. What I did was I ran him up the race observe fairly unhealthy and, like I stated, I didn’t blame him for wanting to maneuver me out of the way in which,” Blaney stated. “How laborious he hit me was a bit of extreme possibly as a result of it induced me to wreck, however I deserved to get moved indirectly for what I did.
“TV didn’t present that I used him up first, so it wasn’t simply he ran me over. I used up him fairly massive the lap earlier than, so I don’t need it to get skewed to the place, ‘Oh, Preece simply wrecked me.’
“No, it was deserving for him laying the bumper to me after what I did.”
