‘HARD-FOUGHT’ DAY FOR BLANEY AT INDIANAPOLIS

Ryan Blaney fought for a 13th-place finish at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course following 82 laps behind the wheel of the No. 12 Menards/Atlas Ford Mustang. Blaney was quick to gain positions in the race's opening laps, propelling himself to a race-high 12th by lap 11. The No. 12 crew focused their sights on long-term gain, and Blaney was one of the first drivers called for a green-flag stop right before the first Stage end on lap 14. Four tires and fuel refreshed Blaney for the the next 20-lap segment, and he continued mid pack, navigating through the 14-turns of the road course with little to no grip. The end of the second Stage quickly drew near and Blaney fought hard for position; unfortunately, a battle for the 14th-place spot resulted in front-end damage to the No. 12 Menards/Atlas Ford Mustang. Still, the second scheduled green-flag pit-stop with 35 laps remaining in the event allowed Blaney and the team time to reset and regain spots on the course. The No. 12 ultimately posted times that rivaled the leaders and propelled Blaney to a 13th-place result.