Ryan Blaney explains why he didn’t move Chase Elliott at 2025 Clash

Ryan Blaney had an opportunity to win the 2025 NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium, but it wasn’t meant to be. On Sunday night, Chase Elliott won the 2025 NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray after holding off Blaney for the last several laps of the event. Elliott was the most dominant driver on Sunday night.

Despite Elliott’s dominance, Blaney had an opportunity to make a move for the win but never committed to pushing the issue at the end. After the race, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion explained why he didn’t move Elliott in the closing laps.

“Then it was just kind of like a game between [Chase Elliott] and myself, like who can save more right-rear tire,” Blaney said. “I just didn’t quite have enough to lean on there at the end. I started pushing with 25 laps to go, and I just didn’t have enough. I needed some help by lappers and I just never really could get there…When I started to go, I didn’t have enough right rear. I’m like, ‘Oh [expletive], I’m not going to make this pass.’ I’m not going to bulldog into him and get chased out of here with pitchforks.”

Blaney joked about getting chased out of Bowman Gray with pitchforks, but there was no point in pushing too hard if there wasn’t a way to pass Elliott cleanly. The NASCAR Clash is a fun way to start the season, but to “bulldog into him” would’ve been necessary. Blaney had an impressive run at Bowman Gray, and he hopes to carry that momentum into the regular season.