Ryan Blaney rolled into Darlington Raceway with the No. 12 Team Penske Ford poised to make a strong push in the NASCAR Cup Championship, sitting second in the standings and only 25 points behind the leader.
The car failed the first two technical inspections, each time falling short of the precision required, before finally passing on the third attempt, a process that consumed valuable time before the session ended.
Inspection Challenges at Darlington
The repeated failures forced Team Penske to accept the 38th and final pit stall, the last available spot, which could affect strategy and track position once the green flag waves.
Adding to the trouble, the car chief was ejected from the track for the remainder of the weekend, removing a key decision‑maker from the crew and intensifying the pressure on the driver.
Blaney described the delay as a brief inconvenience, estimating only a few minutes lost to practice, but noted that the sweltering heat and tight tolerances made the inspection process especially unforgiving.
Weather held steady throughout the weekend, preventing any practice postponement and allowing Blaney to start on time, preserving his second‑place standing in the Chase with no other Cup cars encountering inspection issues.