NASCAR: Blaney wins All-Star Race as exploding Goodyears take out favorites

Ryan Blaney drove to his first victory in the NASCAR All-Star Race on Sunday night at Texas Motor Speedway.

Blaney pocketed a $1 million payday, starting second and leading 84 of the 140 laps in the No. 12 Team Penske Ford. The triumph came in his sixth start in the annual All-Star exhibition, which was held for just the second time at the 1.5-mile Fort Worth track.

FORT WORTH, TEXAS – MAY 22: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Menards/Wrangler Ford, celebrates with the million dollar check in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway on May 22, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Blaney had to outlast the field in an overtime session, forced by Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s crash with Blaney just a short distance from the checkered flag. The caution lights illuminated to force the extra laps, but Blaney — thinking he had won — had lowered his window net on what he thought was the cool-down lap. After struggling to get it fastened, he held on in the final two-lap dash to the end.

“I do want to thank NASCAR for letting me kind of fix it and not make us come down pit road, but yeah, that was really tough,” Blaney said. “Then having to do it all over again after trying to get that window net back up there. … This is cool. I know it’s not a points-winning race, but it’s going to be a lot of fun. The Party will be pretty big.”

Denny Hamlin finished second in the Joe Gibbs Racing No. 11 Toyota, just 0.266 seconds back at the checkered flag. Rookie Austin Cindric claimed third place with teammate Joey Logano fourth and Daniel Suárez fifth.

The annual event featured a multi-segment format, with incentives for both drivers and pit crews at each break. Team Penske teammates Cindric and Blaney won stages, earning them front-row starting spots for the final 50-lap segment. The No. 22 Team Penske Ford over-the-wall crew collected a $100,000 bonus for the quickest time on pit road during a mandatory four-tire stop for all teams after Stage 2. That perk also placed No. 22 driver Logano third for the final-stage start.

Four pre-race favorites exited early during a chaotic second stage. Kyle Larson, winner of last year’s All-Star Race, was the event’s first retiree after his No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet clocked the Turn 4 wall on Lap 37 when his right front Goodyear tire exploded.

Three more contenders were sidelined 12 laps later after a chain-reaction crash. Pole-starter Kyle Busch led the first 47 laps until his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota slowed with a flat Goodyear tire off Turn 4.

Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Crunchy Cookie Toyota, and Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Worldwide Express Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway on May 22, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Ross Chastain’s No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevy slammed into Busch’s car then skidded into Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. All three were unhurt, but done for the night.

Ross Chastain, driver of the #1 Worldwide Express Chevrolet, spins after an on-track incident during the NASCAR Cup Series All-Star Race at Texas Motor Speedway on May 22, 2022 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Suárez was the best finisher from the three drivers who advanced from the 50-lap All-Star Open preliminary, with Chris Buescher and Stenhouse finishing eighth and 19th, respectively. Petty GMS Motorsports’ Erik Jones secured an All-Star berth through an online vote by fans; he crashed in the final stage and finished 20th.

The NASCAR Cup Series’ next event is also its longest, with the Coca-Cola 600 scheduled next Sunday (6 p.m. ET, FOX, PRN, SiriusXM) at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Results

Fin Str No. Driver Team Laps Led Status
1 2 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Wrangler Ford 140 84 Running
2 16 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Express Toyota 140 0 Running
3 12 2 Austin Cindric # Keystone Light Ford 140 7 Running
4 9 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 140 0 Running
5 23 99 Daniel Suarez Freeway Insurance Chevrolet 140 0 Running
6 20 48 Alex Bowman Ally Chevrolet 140 0 Running
7 10 16 AJ Allmendinger(i) Andy’s Frozen Custard Chevrolet 140 0 Running
8 22 17 Chris Buescher Fastenal Ford 140 0 Running
9 18 6 Brad Keselowski Kohler Generators Ford 140 0 Running
10 14 20 Christopher Bell DeWalt Toyota 140 0 Running
11 3 24 William Byron Liberty University Chevrolet 140 2 Running
12 8 10 Aric Almirola Smithfield #BuschBacon Ford 140 0 Running
13 5 45 Kurt Busch Monster Energy Toyota 140 0 Running
14 7 19 Martin Truex Jr. Bass Pro Shops Toyota 140 0 Running
15 19 34 Michael McDowell WISE-EV Ford 140 0 Running
16 17 23 Bubba Wallace Dr. Pepper Dark Berry Toyota 140 0 Running
17 15 4 Kevin Harvick #BuschBacon Ford 140 0 Running
18 11 14 Chase Briscoe Magical Vacation Planner Ford 140 0 Running
19 21 47 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Kroger/Viva Towels Chevrolet 139 0 Running
20 24 43 Erik Jones FOCUSfactor Chevrolet 103 0 Accident
21 1 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Crunchy Cookie Toyota 47 47 Accident
22 6 1 Ross Chastain Worldwide Express Chevrolet 47 0 Accident
23 13 9 Chase Elliott NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet 47 0 Accident
24 4 5 Kyle Larson HendrickCars.com Chevrolet 36 0 Accident