The night began with a delay as rain and lightning forced a pause that stretched the event past midnight, finally concluding at 1:45 a.m. When the green flag finally dropped, the stage was set for a dramatic finish.
A rain‑soaked showdown
Ryan Blaney emerged from a three‑wide battle on the final lap of overtime, brushing the wall with 29 laps remaining but electing to stay on the track. His gamble paid off, delivering a dominant victory that underscored Team Penske’s recent strength at the venue.
Behind him, Bubba Wallace and Christopher Bell contested the runner‑up spots, while Carson Hocevar and Ty Gibbs completed the top four. Wallace, however, was later penalized for passing below the double yellow lines and fell to 29th.
The climax was preceded by a multi‑car wreck involving Kyle Larson, Chase Briscoe and Riley Herbst with five laps left, which triggered the overtime and added to the chaos.
Stage 1 has become a recurring stronghold for Team Penske drivers, who have captured six of the last eight stage wins at the track, a statistic that loomed over the night’s proceedings.
The series now heads to North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, where the track’s unique challenges await next weekend.