AP
NASCAR Bristol Auto Racing
Ty Gibbs (54) leads Carson Hocevar (77), Kyle Larson (5), and Ryan Blaney (12) during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, in Bristol, Tenn.
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In the Chase reintroduced by NASCAR this season, Ryan Blaney has finished outside the top 30 in consecutive races and is on the fringe of contention. He trails leader Kyle Larson by 51 points, which is more than double his deficit to open the Chase. Meanwhile, Larson and Bristol winner Joey Logano are headed in the other direction by averaging more than 50 points per race since the Chase started. Also Monday, NASCAR announced that Blaney and Carson Hocevar would not be penalized for their postrace fight at Bristol Motor Speedway.
