Ryan Blaney disqualified after NASCAR finds shock violation

Blaney Falls to Last in Playoff Standings After Shock Violation.

Ryan Blaney’s sixth-place finish in Sunday’s NASCAR race took a hit as his No. 12 Ford was disqualified after a post-race inspection revealed a left-front shock that didn’t meet the specified length. This disqualification results from a violation of NASCAR Rule Book section 14.11.3.5, which outlines the minimum extended damper lengths for each shock.

As a result of the disqualification, Blaney is credited with a last-place finish (36th) and a single point. He also forfeits all eight stage points earned during the race. This penalty reshuffles the playoff standings, placing Blaney at the bottom among the eight remaining playoff drivers. He has gone from being 17 points below the cut-line to a significant 56 points behind. To secure a spot in the Championship 4 at Phoenix, Blaney now faces the challenge of likely having to win one of the two remaining races in the Round of 8, at Homestead-Miami Speedway or Martinsville Speedway.

While the team has the option to appeal, they must notify NASCAR of their intention on Monday. The revised top-10 finishing order from Sunday’s race now features Kyle Larson, Christopher Bell, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Ross Chastain, William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Martin Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Chris Buescher. This incident marks the second Cup Series disqualification this year, with the most recent disqualification taking place earlier this month at Talladega, where Kevin Harvick lost his runner-up finish.