NASCAR Rescinds Disqualification, Restores Ryan Blaney‘s Race Results
In a surprising turn of events, NASCAR has rescinded the disqualification of driver Ryan Blaney from Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas. Blaney, who initially finished sixth in the race, was demoted to last place after his car failed post-race inspection due to a front shock that didn’t meet the required height. However, NASCAR has now admitted that its own inspection template was the cause of the failure and that Blaney’s car was actually legal.
The racing organization released a statement on Monday, stating, Monday morning during its race weekend debrief, NASCAR discovered an issue with the damper template used for inspection… NASCAR has taken internal steps to remedy this issue moving forward. This development is huge for Blaney, who had earned 39 points in the race but was reduced to a single point due to the disqualification. With this reversal, Blaney is no longer facing a must-win situation to advance in the playoffs.
Blaney’s restored race results place him back in contention for the championship title. All eight playoff drivers finished within the top 11 spots on Sunday, and Blaney was third among them. Previously ranked eighth in the standings for the third round, he now finds himself in seventh place, just 17 points behind fourth place. This gives him a real chance of advancing based on points alone.
The decision by NASCAR to rescind the disqualification is welcome news for Team Penske as well. They would have been able to appeal the disqualification if it had not been revoked, and based on the evidence of NASCAR’s mistake, they likely would have succeeded. Team Penske expressed their satisfaction with the resolution, stating, We are pleased with the decision by NASCAR to rescind the post-race disqualification… NASCAR has shown a tremendous amount of integrity throughout the process.
However, this incident raises questions about NASCAR’s inspection procedures. As the organization inspects all the playoff drivers’ cars, it is unfortunate that a mistake on their part nearly dashed Blaney’s title chances. Nevertheless, NASCAR recognized its error in this case and is actively working to prevent such mistakes from happening again in the future.
Overall, NASCAR’s decision to restore Blaney’s race results provides him with a renewed opportunity to compete for the championship title. It also highlights the importance of accurate inspections and the impact they can have on drivers’ aspirations. With the playoff race heating up, fans and competitors alike will be watching closely to see who will emerge victorious in the coming weeks.
