DARLINGTON, S.C. — The Chase will begin with a penalty for Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 team due to pre-race issues at Darlington Raceway.
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According to NASCAR Communications, the No. 12 Team Penske Ford Mustang failed inspection two times on Saturday afternoon. It passed on the third attempt.
As a result, the No. 12 team will lose its pit stall selection for the crown jewel race that opens the Chase. They will also lose car chief Raymond Fox for the rest of the weekend.
The loss of a pit stall selection will be significant for Blaney, who enters the Chase as the No. 2 seed behind Denny Hamlin. Pit stops are crucial at Darlington Raceway, especially during the Southern 500. This race shreds tires and puts more emphasis on the pit crews.
The teams will have 13 total sets of tires as they take on the South Carolina track, and they will expect to use them all.
"Darlington's rough surface and egg-shaped layout make it a demanding track on tires," said Justin Fantozzi, Goodyear's Director of Racing for the Americas.
"To account for the longer race distance, teams will have two additional sets of tires compared to the spring race, as well as the extra set for the new practice format. As we enter The Chase, giving teams a trusted tire package is even more important as they put everything on the line."
The race will also feature a piece of added complexity for Blaney. His pit crew has moved over to the No. 2 team and Austin Cindric. Now, he will move forward with Cindric's old pit crew, one that ranked 10th during the regular season.
While Blaney didn't have familiarity with all of the members of the crew, he has put in work trying to build some quick chemistry before the start of the Chase.
But now, he will have to work with this group from a less-than-ideal pit stall after NASCAR assigns him a spot. This increases the chances of contact with other cars on pit road or other issues.
