As the Talladega weekend ended, Ryan Blaney knew that now only a win at Martinsville could punch his ticket to the Championship 4. Anything less and he would be out of championship contention. Unfortunately, the Martinsville weekend didn’t start great. Blaney started with a disappointing 31st-place qualifying effort, which put him deep in the field. But if there’s one thing Blaney’s known for, it’s his ability to rise when the odds stack highest.

As the laps wound down during the Xfinity 500, it looked like he might just pull off the impossible. The No. 12 Ford was charging hard, carving through the pack, keeping the dream alive. But amid the short-track chaos and fierce stage battles, his shot at another title began to fade. The reason? William Byron’s aggressive move in the final phase

See Full Page