BLANEY OVERCOMES EARLY SETBACK TO FINISH SEVENTH AT CHICAGOLAND

Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang Dark Horse team recorded their Cup Series-leading 14th top-10 finish of the season Sunday night at Chicagoland as the seventh-place effort marked the team's seventh-consecutive top-10 result. After starting 14th, Blaney broke into the top-10 early on before handling issues relegated him back to his original starting spot by the time the caution flag flew on lap 48. The No. 12 team opted for a four tire stop while five teams stayed out and nine others took two tires, shuffling Blaney to 22nd for the ensuing restart before closing out Stage 1 scored 20th. Blaney battled his way through traffic during the opening run of Stage 2 prior to the start of the green flag pit cycle when crew chief Jonathan Hassler made the decision to run long, allowing Blaney to assume the lead on lap 133. The gamble paid off as the caution flag flew a lap later with only 16 teams scored on the lead lap. Following a four tire stop under caution, Blaney lined up to restart ninth with 22 laps remaining in the second segment and worked his way up to fifth by the conclusion of Stage 2. The race remained green the rest of the way after the ensuing restart with 95 laps to go as Blaney settled into sixth in the running order to begin the run before making his final stop of the night with 52 laps to go, following the leader down pit road on the front end of the green flag cycle. Blaney was scored fourth once the round of stops were complete before ultimately coming away with a seventh-place finish in the Cup Series' return to Chicagoland.