“Everything is broken”: Ryan Blaney left fuming after suffering huge playoff implications at Las Vegas

Ryan Blaney suffered an early crash that ended his race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The DNF is detrimental to his playoff run, especially considering the next race at Talladega Superspeedway can be unpredictable.

On lap 72, Blaney cut the left-front tire on his #12 Team Penske Ford, sending the car hard into the wall between Turns 3 and 4. The impact caused significant damage and broke the steering, forcing him to retire early. As a result, he became the only playoff driver to finish stage one without earning a single point.

NASCAR insider Jeff Gluck captured the radio communication from the #12 team following the crash, where Blaney was heard saying:

“I have no steering. Everything is f**king broken. Everything is f**king broken on it.”

Jeff Gluck

@jeff_gluck

Blaney after he slams the wall with a blown tire: "I have no steering. Everything is fucking broken. Everything is fucking broken on it."

Ryan Blaney entered the South Point 400 at Las Vegas six points above the playoff cutline, sitting second in the standings. However, his early exit now puts him in a vulnerable position heading into the final two races of the Round of 8. With contenders like Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, and Joey Logano all within 24 points below the cutline, Blaney’s DNF could prove costly.

Even fellow playoff contender Denny Hamlin echoed the concern, calling Las Vegas the “most important” race for maintaining momentum. Talladega Superspeedway will be a far greater challenge, with pack racing increasing the risk of massive wrecks. Drivers at the front also depend on strong pushes from behind to stay ahead.

The only bright spot for Blaney is his strong record at these upcoming tracks. He won the Talladega playoff race in 2023 and scored back-to-back playoff victories at Martinsville over the past two seasons.

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“I'm not overjoyed”: Ryan Blaney on early exit at Las Vegas

Ryan Blaney spoke with the media after exiting his racecar early at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He had hoped to win at least one of the two races in the Round of 8 following a DNF this week that severely hurt his playoff run.

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion said (via Frontstretch on X):

“I'm not overjoyed, I'll tell you that. I have to come from behind, like we did last year. Hopefully, we can win one of the next two weeks. I just can't have a smooth day, it seems like.”

He also reflected on his previous successes in upcoming races at Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville Speedway, adding:

“I've got to be optimistic. I'm not very happy right now, but tomorrow morning, I'll be optimistic to go to the next race. We've had success in the next two events. Hopefully, we can come bring the speed and try to overcome the hole we put ourselves in today.”

Ryan Blaney drives the #12 Ford Mustang for Team Penske - Source: Imagn

The DNF at Las Vegas marked Ryan Blaney’s eighth of the 2025 NASCAR season. Despite the setback, he remains the highest-ranked Team Penske driver, ahead of defending champion Joey Logano. While Austin Cindric was eliminated after the Round of 12, both Blaney and Logano continue to fight for Team Penske’s shot at extending its title streak to four straight.