LEBANON, Tenn. — Ryan Blaney kicked off the second half of the NASCAR season by running away down the stretch for his first Cup Series race win of the year Sunday night at Nashville Superspeedway.

The 2023 Cup champ had been racing well with five top-five finishes over the first half of this season. He finally got to Victory Lane in the No. 12 Ford Mustang for Team Penske for his 14th career victory and first since Martinsville in November.

He became the ninth different winner this season and the fifth driver to win in as many races at Nashville.

Blaney, who started 15th, quickly drove his way to the front as he won the second stage. He easily held off Carson Hocevar by 2.83 seconds. Hocevar matched his second-place finish at Atlanta in February.

Denny Hamlin finished third in his 7

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