STRATEGIC PIT CALLS HELP BLANEY SECURE SIXTH AT SONOMA

Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang Dark Horse team produced their sixth-consecutive top-10 finish - and series-leading 13th top-10 of the season - Sunday at Sonoma Raceway with a sixth-place effort. After starting 16th, Blaney worked his way into the top-10 by lap 17 before crew chief Jonathan Hassler called him to pit road with three laps remaining in the opening segment to flip track position for the start of Stage 2, allowing Blaney to take the ensuing restart from fifth. Blaney settled into fourth in the running order during the following run as Hassler made the same pit call with three laps to go in the second stage, this time allowing Blaney to earn a stage point by climbing to 10th in the closing laps of Stage 2. The Menards/Dutch Boy Ford cycled to fourth after the remaining teams pitted between stages as Blaney maintained track position at the start of the run before assuming the lead during the green flag pit cycle on lap 83. Blaney was called to pit road two laps later for his final stop of the day and charged back up to 10th with 20 laps remaining. Blaney went on to pick up four more spots over course of the final 12 laps to secure a sixth-place finish when the checkered flag flew.