Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney secured his first win of the 2025 season at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday, June 1, 2025. The race had an action-packed final stage with an intense battle between Blaney and Spire Motorsports driver Carson Hocevar to secure their first win.
The #12 Ford Mustang Dark Horse driver qualified 15th for the 300-lap race. He had a best time of 29.60 seconds and a top speed of 161.82 mph at the 1.33-mile oval track. Meanwhile, Hocevar was in P26 with a best time of 29.75 seconds and a top speed of 160.92 mph. Blaney had his intentions clear from the start of the race and moved to P7 in stage one.
The Team Penske driver moved to P1 in stage two of the 399-mile race. However, Carson Hocevar was not far behind in stage two and moved to P7, giving Blaney a tough battle for the win. Ryan Blaney’s crew team had a two-tire pit strategy to get him in the lead.
Following the strategy, the #12 Ford Mustang Dark Horse driver maintained his lead in the final stage of the race and led 139 laps in the 300-lap race. Carson Hocevar gave his all to win his first race at the Nashville Superspeedway, but it wasn’t meant to be for him, as Blaney crossed the finish line nearly three seconds ahead of him.
Ryan Blaney became the third Team Penske driver to secure a win in the 2025 season and secured his berth in the playoffs. Hocevar ended the race as the runner-up, followed by Denny Hamlin in P3 and Blaney’s teammate Joey Logano in P4.
NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney gave his take on the “dumb decisions” that kept him winless this season
Earlier in May, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Ryan Blaney, had a slow start at the Wurth 400. He qualified 24th for the race but had an exemplary strategy and moved 21 spots, ending the event in P3. Following the same, Blaney recalled his Texas Motor Speedway race and touched upon the mistake that cost him the win.
Spire Motorsports driver Michael McDowell had command of the top lane and led the race. However, Blaney would have won the Texas Motor Speedway race if he had taken the outer lane under the yellow flag on lap 244.
Recalling his decision, Ryan Blaney told Newsweek:
“The one time I didn’t pick the outside, the 71 (of McDowell) gets the lead, and then I couldn’t get it back. Just driver making dumb decisions and not doing his job. I appreciate the 12 car was a fast car. Just can’t do nothing right currently, so hopefully it will work itself out.”
The Hartford, Ohio, native ranks fifth on the Cup Series leaderboard with 417 points to his name. He has secured his first win at Nashville Superspeedway, followed by six top-five and seven top-ten finishes in 14 starts this season.
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Edited by Anisha Chatterjee
