STRATEGY AND SPEED PROPEL BLANEY TO EIGHTH AT MICHIGAN

Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Menards/Richmond Ford Mustang Dark Horse team made a late charge Sunday at Michigan to turn in an eighth-place finish, marking the team's third-straight top-10 result and fourth in its last five races. After starting 19th, Blaney struggled with the balance in traffic during the first run of the afternoon in a 21st-place finish in Stage 1, prompting a major swing on adjustments prior to the restart. Blaney worked his way into the top-20 prior to the caution on lap 65 when crew chief Jonathan Hassler made the call for right side tires and fuel - gaining seven positions on pit road in the process - as the Menards/Richmond Ford lined up 11th to take the green flag. Three cautions over the final run of the second segment continued to reset the field before a 27-lap run to the end of the stage eventually saw Blaney cross the line scored 14th. Blaney continued to hover just outside the top-10 during the final stretch of the 400-mile event and eventually took over the 10th spot in the running order by the time of the final caution of the afternoon with 46 laps to go. After restarting with 39 laps remaining, Blaney worked his way as high as seventh over the course of the final run before taking the checkered flag eighth for his 10th top-10 effort of the season.