Ryan Blaney rebounded in a major way from a crash that ended his Coca-Cola 600. He held off the field to capture his first win at Nashville Superspeedway.
The Team Penske driver led a race-high 139 laps in the No. 12 Ford and locked up a stage 2 win on left-side tires that were more than 100 laps old. He cruised to a 2.830-second win over runner-up Carson Hocevar to lock up his spot in the playoffs.
MORE: Blaney wins, full Nashville results
Denny Hamlin crossed the line third in his 700th Cup start, tying Jeff Gordon for the best mark by a driver hitting this milestone. Joey Logano and William Byron rounded out the top five.
The rest of the top 10 included Bubba Wallace, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Tyler Reddick, and Christopher Bell.
A Nashville night to remember for @Blaney! #NASCARonPrime pic.twitter.com/Tr37leb0ZN
— Sports on Prime (@SportsonPrime) June 2, 2025
"I never gave up hope, that's for sure," Blaney told Prime Video's Marty Snider after climbing from his car. "We've had great speed all year, but it hasn't been the best year for us as far as good fortune, but the 12 boys are awesome.
"They stick with it, no matter how it goes, and it was great to finish one out tonight."
The 2025 season has been one filled with trials and tribulations for the 2023 Cup Series champion. He had been in control of the best car in the field multiple times, yet he entered the Nashville weekend winless.
This was due to multiple crashes and multiple engine failures, including one that cut short a race at Homestead-Miami Speedway where Blaney led 124 laps. Meanwhile, teammates Austin Cindric and Joey Logano both won races, as did de facto teammate Josh Berry.
Blaney showed up to Nashville Superspeedway with another fast car. He scored four stage points in stage 1, won stage 2, and led the final 32 laps of the race after making his last green flag pit stop. This time, he closed out the deal.
This weekend's Cup race at Nashville Superspeedway was the opposite of last year's record-setting event that featured 15 cautions and five attempts at overtime. This season's race had seven cautions, including only one in the final stage. The final 102 laps ran green as strategy and pit stops played a role in the outcome.