Coming to three laps to go in Stage 1 of the NASCAR Cup Series In-Season Challenger opener at EchoPark Speedway in Atlanta, a multicar wreck turned many brackets upside down as favorites Christopher Bell and Ryan Blaney were taken out of contention in Saturday night’s 400-miler.
In Turn 4, Bell’s No. 20 Toyota got sideways after contact with Kyle Larson. Then, Bubba Wallace crashed into the spinning Bell.
Blaney got turned hard into the outside wall when Austin Dillon spun and clipped the No. 12 Ford driver’s right rear.
“As usual for this year, got caught up in someone else’s mess,” Blaney said after being clear from the infield care center. “I got to the apron and there was really nowhere else for me to go but the apron. I tried to get there and get clear of it, but they kind of came down and got me in the right-rear and I ended up in the fence. There was no missing that one.”
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The multicar wreck caused a shake-up in the In-Season Challenge, with No. 29 seed Ricky Stenhouse Jr. advancing to Round 2 over Bell and No. 26 seed Carson Hocevar ahead of Blaney in their head-to-head matchup.
Chase Elliott went on to win the Cup Series race at EchoPark Speedway.