Ryan Blaney arrived at Kansas Speedway on Friday carrying a visible reminder of what happened six days earlier at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Blaney was still sporting a black eye following his post-race fight with Carson Hocevar, an altercation that became one of the biggest stories to emerge from the Bristol weekend. And while the bruising remained noticeable at Kansas, Blaney sounded more impatient with the healing process than concerned about the injury itself.
“I wish it healed a little bit quicker than this, but it did not,” Blaney told reporters Friday.
Now the 32-year-old Team Penske driver is trying to put the fight behind him and turn his attention toward a Kansas weekend that carries far greater implications for his season.
Ryan Blaney Still Has a Reminder of Wild Bristol Finish
Blaney’s black eye traces back to a frustrating end to what had been an otherwise strong night at Bristol.
The No. 12 Ford was a major factor throughout the race before Blaney and Hocevar made contact late in the event. Blaney’s car went into the outside wall, ending his night and leaving him with a 33rd-place finish.
The frustration followed both drivers onto pit road.
Blaney approached Hocevar after the race, and their exchange quickly became physical. The two drivers traded punches before crew members and others stepped in to separate them.
Nearly a week later, Blaney’s face is still showing the effects.
The confrontation generated plenty of attention around NASCAR in the days that followed, but Blaney has also been candid about his own role in escalating the situation. During an appearance on Denny Hamlin’s “Actions Detrimental” podcast earlier this week, he acknowledged that he initiated the physical portion of the confrontation when he grabbed Hocevar.
NASCAR ultimately decided not to punish either driver.
NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell said Monday that the sanctioning body does not encourage fighting but viewed what happened between Blaney and Hocevar as two drivers handling an emotional situation in the immediate aftermath of the race.
Officials also reviewed the involvement of crew members in the altercation before determining that no penalties would be issued there, either.
With NASCAR’s review complete, there is no disciplinary matter hanging over Blaney or Hocevar as the Cup Series moves on to Kansas.
For Blaney, however, the black eye hasn’t disappeared quite as quickly.
Blaney Turns His Attention to a Critical Kansas Weekend
The more consequential damage from Bristol came in the standings.
Blaney’s 33rd-place finish cost him valuable ground in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase. He enters Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 sixth in the standings, 52 points behind leader Kyle Larson.
That makes Kansas an important opportunity to rebound from a Bristol weekend that changed dramatically in its closing laps.
Blaney has little reason to spend much more time looking backward. NASCAR has closed the book on the fight from a disciplinary standpoint, and another race weekend is already underway.
The bruising around his eye may still be there when he climbed back into the No. 12 Ford at Kansas, but the focus now shifts to what happens on the track.
Cup Series practice is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 11:10 a.m. ET. The Hollywood Casino 400 is scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m. ET at Kansas Speedway.
Ryan Blaney Arrives at Kansas With Black Eye After Bristol Fight With Carson Hocevar