N’WIDE: Ryan Blaney Crashes Out Early At Darlington

SOURCE: Rubbin's Racin'

Ryan Blaney picked up the 1st last-place finish of his NASCAR Nationwide Series career in Friday’s VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 at the Darlington Raceway when his #36 SealWrap.com / Advance Auto Parts Chevrolet was involved in a five-car accident after 1 of the 151 laps. The finish came in Blaney’s second series start.

The 18-year-old son of NASCAR Sprint Cup veteran Dave Blaney made his Nationwide Series debut last month at Richmond, where he turned heads with an impressive 7th-place finish. A 17th-place qualifying run at Darlington at an average speedway 167.859 mph was another step in the right direction, as he was second-fastest among the "go-or-go-homers" behind race winner Joey Logano.

Unfortunately, on Lap 2, Blaney lost control off the second corner and slapped the outside wall with the right-rear, tearing sheetmetal from the rear of his #36. Four other cars collided when they checked-up behind them, sending the #51 of Jeremy Clements into the inside wall. Blaney remained in 43rd while Chase Miller, his #46 with fender damage from the wreck, followed teammate Scott Speed to the garage.

Blaney’s third Nationwide Series start will come at Kentucky in June.

LASTCAR STATISTICS
*The #36 had not finished last in a Nationwide race since 2010, when current LASTCAR leader Jeff Green’s TriStar Motorsports Chevrolet fell out with a vibration two laps into the season finale, the Ford 300 at Homestead. The number never before finished last in a Nationwide race at Darlington.
*The last time a Nationwide driver finished last at Darlington after one lap was in 2005, when Brian Vickers’ Pizza Hut Chevrolet also fell out in a crash. Vickers started on the outside-pole.

THE BOTTOM FIVE
43) #36-Ryan Blaney / 1 lap / crash
42) #47-Scott Speed / 2 laps / clutch
41) #46-Chase Miller / 2 laps / crash
40) #24-Casey Roderick / 3 laps / crash
39) #42-Josh Wise / 7 laps / electrical

LASTCAR N'WIDE SERIES DRIVER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Jeff Green (5)
2nd) Ryan Blaney, Mike Harmon, Kevin Lepage, Josh Wise (1)

LASTCAR N'WIDE SERIES OWNER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) #10-TriStar Motorsports (5)
2nd) #36-Tommy Baldwin Racing, #42-The Motorsports Group, #52-Means Racing, #74-Mike Harmon (1)

LASTCAR N'WIDE SERIES MANUFACTURER'S CHAMPIONSHIP
1st) Toyota (5)
2nd) Chevrolet (4)