Actions Detrimental with Denny Hamlin - Ryan Blaney Joined Denny Hamlin to Answer The Question Everyone Wants to Know

Episode Date: September 21, 2026

Ryan Blaney doesn't really fight. He'll lose his mind on the radio, climb out of the car, and be completely calm two seconds later. So, when he handed his phone to a crew member, said "hold this," and walked across pit road toward Carson Hocevar after Bristol, everyone was caught off guard. Blaney included.On this episode of Actions Detrimental, Denny Hamlin and Jared sit down with Blaney just days after the incident to get the real story straight from him. Blaney explains that he wasn't looking for a fight. He wanted a stern conversation. Then everything went sideways in about five seconds.He breaks down getting hit twice in the same spot on his cheek, going to the ground, and somehow ending up right back in the middle of it. Denny and Blaney also get into the crew members who jumped in to break it up, including the horse-collar that sent Blaney down, and whether NASCAR's rule for breaking up fights needs to change.Plus, Blaney talks about the on-track battle that started it all, where he stands in the playoffs after three rough races, and why Team Penske always seems to find another gear when the weather gets cold.If you want to hear Blaney tell his side of the Bristol fight, this is the episode. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The following is a production of Dirtymoe Media. I believe that I've been a competitive for 20 years. Opinions from tonight's podcast, strictly biased. You're going to hear from my point of view. I'm a fighter. No, you are not. The spoils of victory for Jared Allen. He's got better luck to Rick and Drake to win.

I know, you do. Two trophies missing from your collection, a championship and the most popular driver. Someone told me that their drinking game is when I say for sure. Yeah, and I've already said it. Hey guys, welcome to Actions Detrimental After Race. I believe this is 28 at Bristol. Race number three of the Chase, I'm Denny Hamlin.

I drive the number 11 car, my co-host. Jared, moved to the middle. Moved to the middle. That's because we have a guest today. Guest? Hi, I'm Ryan Blaney. I drive the 12 car. Okay.

Welcome, Ryan? Yes. All right. Hey, all camps. Let's, okay. Okay. Let's make sure we.

Elfin the room. Yes, elephant in the room for sure. That's what I'm actually. Travis, Travis, would you like to have the floor here? Yeah, I probably shouldn't have tweeted it that way. But now I'm a credible reporter. I only tweet things as a reporter on Saturday and Sundays.

So if you want the good stuff, you've got to be in the Denver's text group. Yeah. Okay. Well, listen, Ryan, let me be clear. When we are on the Denny Bros. Chat, no one dislikes you on the Denny Bros. Chat. You know, we're of the opinion that we like Ryan Blaney. So, Travis just did a really horrible job of expressing me. I don't dislike Ryan either. He's just really fucking good and a competitor for you. He deems you as a very, very powerful threat.

Yeah. You know, someone sent that to me after, after. I saw you liked it or something. I liked it. Yeah, I didn't like it. I think Mamba sent it to me when I was sitting in my bus after I got changed. Shocker. And I said, man, that's, that's harsh.

Like, and this is after Travis and I, you know, talk for five, ten minutes at Media Day. He was like, you know, how's things going, man? Like, buddy, buddy. And then I see that. Man. That's harsh, dude. Two-faced. After I just fail breaks and just pounded the fence. I know.

man well you know hey got a little aggressive with the caps yeah how many deep were you at that point or was it now sunday for oh that was my team just lost to texas the day before i was not in good headspace i'm right there with you yeah so like yeah it was we i had i facetined him after the texas ohio state game and he was just he was not well yeah he was unwell and so my guess is the following day he tried to yeah that would make sense like if i was a texas fan and you also did that. Like, okay, he's upset about the other night, you know, and also this. Yeah. Like, as a fellow Ohio State Buckeye, that's even more harsh. Yeah. I mean, you have a Buckeye on you, right? Do you have a Buckeye on you? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, I'm not that

diehard, but I mean, I was just born there. I mean, his father's name is the Buckeye Bullitt. That's, yes, it's very accurate. What are the coolest nicknames ever. That is awesome. All right. So that's what we're here for. You can leave now, right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Thanks. I just, well, it's all right. I forget. You know, so the audience knows kind of how this went down.

There was a debate within the Denny Brose chat, right? And is it Austin that usually kind of spurs this of? Of course. Right. You should have him on this. No, it's Charlie.

Charlie. No, this was Austin. It's Charlie's. The puppet master. Yeah, but I felt like Charlie gave us the okay to ask him, which to me was like,

oh well you know the the chain of communication must have made its round but did it or did it not Charlie texts me and goes he gave the eye emojis that's basically saying go for it for what what we're trying to get we're trying to convince Denny to yeah for us to come out they they always are asking me you should get this person on it I'm like I'm not an interviewer type of guy I'm just not it's not my thing at all I barely can get on here and do this for an hour So they said Ryan's going to text you. We called. We talked for a few minutes yesterday.

And I thought that, you know, I've had plenty of experience kind of doing things in my career that I certainly have regret over time. But I felt like in today's world, you know, we've got a whole week worth of talking that's going to go on. on through the media and stuff and you're going to have to answer questions this weekend and media, if not before that. And it's like, I can certainly empathize with that. And I'm like, well, you know, do you want to just get your side of things out now? And that way, you know, you're done with it and you can kind of focus towards Kansas because me and you both know that the effort that it takes to go to a racetrack each and every week is

is tremendous and you got meetings and it's like if you can just put things behind you and say here here's what I felt in the moment and whatnot it was um it certainly is a for me it's been a sense of relief and you know it it's out there and now I can go focus on doing what I got to do this weekend well that's why I was you know when AP texted me yesterday you know asked me if I wanted to come on and I was like yeah I'd rather get just talk because I'm going to get asked about it at Kansas on Saturday you know right before where we're about to go practice and I don't want to have to first time talking about it. I don't want to have to put all that out there.

I'm trying to focus on the race weekend and doing the best job we can. And so, yeah, no, I appreciate you. Invite me on and talking about the fireworks on Saturday night. Well, like your week, we'll try to get that out of the way early and we'll go on to the other stuff after. You know, kind of your day, essentially, you started in the back. obviously didn't have any practice in qualifying. We were actually talking in the 11-hauler before the race.

And we're talking about different strategies in the beginning. I says, well, we all know the Penske cars are going to go and stay out, right? And we're like, that's just, that's what they do. They stay out. They get the track position. And then, bam, the race is on from there. And so on cue, all three of you guys stay out. And, man, you took.

the speed of your car and right there you probably probably felt pretty good about hey we're even on old tires we're pretty competitive yeah you know and honestly when we talked pre-race um within our group and you know all of team penske we were not really on the side of staying um we were planning on pit and you know because we felt like more people were going to stay than what actually did and you know i think we got to maybe 19th or 20th by the time the comp caution fell and a lot more guys pitted than we thought and it's like, well, I can restart fourth, and that's great. Yeah, and by then you can see how many cars have stayed out. Are your spotters counting and whatnot?

And you know that, hey, we're going to be in the first couple rows. Yeah, you kind of have a number. You know, hey, if you can get to the first three rows, stay out. Right. And that's what happened. And, yeah, the tire fall off wasn't massive to where, you know, we were able to maintain up there and run pretty good in stage one. And we actually, well, we actually pitted, though.

That's what I was actually surprised is to see that, okay, they now had a an opportunity to flip stage points where instead of losing, they're actually going to gain. And then you guys decided to go ahead and flip that, which was a, we did the opposite. We stayed, took the points and it was like, oh, you know, was that the best thing for the overall finish or not? Because it, you know, I just was not able to recover. Yeah, yeah. So we pitted the yellow after the comp caution.

And we were able to get back to sixth place, I think, maybe seventh place. I think six place. So that was like a win-win. It's like, okay, I know we're going to flip the stage break. And we also got some points here. Where did you restart there? When you pitted right before the stage. I think 12th.

Oh, so you weren't that far off. No. A lot more guys did that than I thought we're going to do it. With the same plan of flipping stage one. And yeah, so we were able to get some spots there and finish decent and then control the race in stage two, which led us to winning stage two, which was just a big win for us from where we started. to get the stage points that we did.

That was massive for our night. Yeah. At what point in the race, do for both of you, do you and the team realize that track position might be the only thing that matters here tonight? I just could speak from my standpoint that I think that our strategy to go ahead and pit on lap 40 came from. We didn't, no one really knew how this race was going to play out, right?

Was it going to be a tire race? Was it not? This track is always very finicky on the temperature. You had an idea by that time that lifetime wasn't falling off a great deal, but we didn't know if you're on the verge of it. So you kind of let that the, you know, you want to let someone else through the first super long run, especially on the first set of tires. I don't know why. The first set of tires is always a little bit off on overall run speed. So I think that I realize pretty early that this,

was not gonna fall off much, but we still had to make what we thought was the right play for us, being that we were starting up front. So for you, Ryan, and your team, is this one of those things where, okay, we're back towards 20th, it's probably gonna be a net win no matter what

if we stay out here, because we're gonna game positions, right, and then if we lose 10, well, we're just back to where we. Right, yeah, I mean, that was our play. And we knew that even at the end of the, before the Compi-Ello, like we were holding on more than most, like I could actually pass some guys when it was even locked on the bottom I passed a few cars once it got going So I felt pretty good about our car and I think that's what you know and Jonathan saw that too

And he's like well all right well let's stay out here So yeah, I think you're but still at that point like before the comp yellow and even before the second yellow in the first stage It didn't really move up much So I'm like I don't it'll eventually move up and to where then you have more opportunity to go forward Yeah, but you're just kind of you know feeling it I guess you know and you hope you make the right decision I mean 12 car was just very good you were really good yeah yeah we were fast yep um so that happened stage one then we have a long run I think into stage two um and then uh you guys

ended up winning stage two correct yeah we led we led all stage two um you know we put a lot of you know I think that thing went green right the whole the whole stage two went green so you know it was a hundred and eighteen laps or something like that right and put a lot of cars a lap down so yeah we we won stage two and then maintain the lead on pit road start stage three and that's when you know 54 got by me later in that run in stage three before the green flag cycle started he was he was strong he was more he could move around better than me i was kind of more bottom preferred he could run both lanes really good

and picking through lap cars. He got me through there. And then the Green Flag cycle started. And we ran long in the Green Flag cycle and had a violation, a commitment line violation. I was right there and said, I had just pitted.

And I saw that you were on the apron and then pulled back up. And you pulled up right in front of me and then the pace car pulls out and I'm like, uh-oh, this can't be good. Yeah, that was, you know, it's just one of those unfortunate situations. is like, you know, down the front stretch, we were pitted on the back.

So it was like, you know, coming this time. I get to the commitment line. I'm under the box and yellow comes out. And it was one of those things to where, you know, I know I can't go back on the track. But my spotter just yelled out of just, you know, out of nowhere, you know, get back on the racetrack. And I just, well, I just went on the racetrack, you know, knowing that it's not the right move. But when something, when you're, you know, in it and subconsciously a voice. So what would you have done alternately?

Just had to keep going down. pit road. Just keep going. You would have stayed, I guess, on the lead lap. I think so. Did you have to start a back or something? I had to start a tail end of the longest line because we had a violation. Oh.

Yeah. Even though it was a, I don't know if it's a net good to have less cars in the lead lap, but you couldn't gain any positions until you had another yellow ring. Pretty much. Yeah. But there were some guys that waived that I started with. So like, even after we went green, when I had my voids. violation at the back like bubble was there the five was there the 24 was there who all waved and so i was

like seventh or eighth oh wow but running 18th on the track or something like that that was a weird restart because it was i had there were cars that were many laps down like up front run it was it was very weird well the 77 he stayed out with me and so he was the leader and then the nine i think started front row with him and the nine was like three laps down that's right i couldn't figure that out Yeah, so there was a lot of guys who either waived to get back on the lead lap, or like cars that didn't wave maybe, and they lap down cars that started up at the flight. It was weird. It was definitely an interesting one for sure.

Get into stage three. I mean, I didn't realize you led 202 laps. That's a lot. So feeling pretty good about your car and then kind of lead us into like what was going on for the first, you know, for the five laps or so. before the Carson thing. Yeah, we restarted. So the last, maybe we're not the,

the restart before the wreck, I was second because Ty and I stayed out. There were some guys who pitted, and I was like seventh at the time. So we stayed out to try to get on the front row, and I fell to fourth on the restart, and then I restarted sixth, and I got to third.

the handful of laps we ran before the accident. This is early lap 400 something. 442, right? The restart with you and tie on the front row? Yeah, yeah, yeah. We ran a handful of laps. Kosh came out. I restarted six, got the third,

and then that's when I got, Carson slipped in three and four, and I got to the inside, and then that's when we had our... So you were going by Carson. Yeah, right? Yeah, we were passing him for second. And did you have the same tires?

So he pitted. So he was leading the guys who pitted. Okay. Okay. So I was, me and Ty, the 54 on a disadvantage on tires. And I think maybe the five stayed out with us. So there was only three or four of us that were at a tire disadvantage that were up there. Gotcha.

Yeah. So he comes off high. You're running low, which is where you, that's where you're saying that's where you prefer to be anyway, right? Yeah. And so he does kind of this big crossover and then kind of what's your spotter and what's going on with you and your team and your spotter at that point. Yeah. So we, you know, we ran maybe a lap and a half, two laps side by side trying to clear and got clear off a four. And I left like half a lane to the wall when I did get clear because I wanted to shade to try to stay on the bottom. And he just had a big run and crossed over and, you know, looking back on it.

you know, I'd say it's a 50-50, you know, I was wanting to protect the bottom. He was wanting to get to the bottom and was, you know, there late by a little bit. And neither of us wanted to give. You know, I wanted the bottom. He wanted there. And I ended up, you know, get in turn. So really, I'd put it on both parties. Like, I don't think, you know, he's not 100% to blame.

I'm not 100% to blame. I think it was just two guys, like, fighting for the bottom. Bristol. Yeah, and I think that I actually went through this with you at Loudoun, right? I was in your way at Brist, at Loudon, and you know, you shook me off the bottom there and it was like, well, that's, that's a pretty normal short track racing, right? When someone's got to feel like you got to go, somebody's in your preferred lane, you try to work them over for a few laps. It doesn't happen. It's like, all right, I got to, I got to take this space from you, you know. And so what you're talking about It's pretty normal as well.

Like when you want to run a certain lane, you typically shade that way. If someone's come with a run, you shade which way you're kind of going on the straightaway based off of like where you want to be. So you're naturally going to run a little bit lower anyway. You know, my thoughts on it was that I thought Carson had two options. One was the nuclear option, which is the, okay, if you're going to come down when I got my run, I'm not lifting. That's one option.

That's the nuclear option, which is you know the outcome. That is that guy is going to wreck. The other option, in my opinion, is that you check up slightly, and then when you get into the corner, he probably should chuck you then. You know, he just kind of get you off the bottom. You know, he's probably going to clear you once you get knocked off the bottom there at that racetrack. And so that's, that typically. is where it's the 50-50 thing from my standpoint where I think personally, and I'm not here to jump on Carson at all. Again, I've had no issues with him. He spun us out at Sonoma. I gave him

the benefit of the doubt there. Hey, you had somebody behind you. Kind of shoving. And so I feel like I've been objectively pretty fair on that. But I felt like there's always been two options. And there's always two options you have when someone kind of chooses to block you. One is to just plow through them and whatever that happens to them, happens to them. The other is, okay, I'm going to lift, but then I'm going to give you the business once we get into the corner. And that typically will lead into something that doesn't escalate a whole lot further. The person knows, hey, I pull the block, so I'm not going to probably give anything back to you. So my thing was that he always chooses the nuclear option, which is, well, I'm there, so I'm not lifting. And so

that's the, you know, the racing part of it that definitely is, is tough. And, you know, but everyone has a way of doing it. And everyone's codes a little bit different, right? And we know that, you know, when you're racing with me, you got to watch for X, Y, and Z. And if you're racing with another guy, you know, there are tendencies. And so I think that's, I think that that's something that, In my opinion, you know, there could have been another option there if he, you know, really didn't want to get blocked there. But, I mean, the end result was the end result. We all, you know, we all make decisions, right? And you see up there, it was one with Chase Elliott at Martinsville and one where I was like thinking, okay, I'm just going to get them off the bottom here.

Well, you can't expect the guy to control his car when you got his tires lifted up on the entry, right? So we just, there's certain mistakes that we make through our careers that certainly we learn from. And yeah, that sucks that you ended up wrecked in that situation. Yeah, it was, you know, it stuck. And, you know, I agree with you said. There's a couple options there. And, you know, everyone's different, right? Everyone has their own code.

And, you know, and if it was a case of, you know, the second option, like you said, if, you know, hey, I, you know, I protected. And I just got shucked, you know, middle of the corner or as we. landed and I'm up the lane like all right you know that's right I probably deserve that I didn't think I deserved to just get absolutely trashed right you know like we didn't went kind of the same thing like I haven't had a problem with Carson in a while like he turned me around Atlanta a year or so ago but other than that we haven't been you know haven't had any problems right um you know but but yeah I mean that's just what happened ended up I mean it's it's one of those things where you know

People asked me like, why didn't you just run the top there? It's like, well, like, I didn't want to be there. Like, I just passed them on the bottom. My car was the best there. I was trying to protect our spot. And second, that was an extremely good spot to get. And trying to run tie down for the win. Yeah, we're inside 40 to go, right?

Or 50 to go. Yeah, inside 50 to go. So it's like, man, I need to, you know, try to establish myself in second to have a shot to win this race. And, you know, and hindsight's 2020. It's like, well, if you just don't get crashed and you go on third, it's a great points day. But, you know, hey, we're trying to win the race at Bristol and trying to give ourselves the best chance. We've just come from the back, like, twice. And those things happen, unfortunately.

So you had like a, you then got to do the infield care center thing. You have an interview afterwards, and you're, you know, you're, you get asshole. And you say something's going to happen. Like, tell me what's kind of going through. What's going through your head for the next 20 minutes? Yeah, so it was interesting as I kind of reflect on it the last day. You know, so I usually have, it was kind of the opposite of what I normally am like. So I usually have, you know, if something happens, I kind of, you know, vent initially

and then I calm down really quick. Saturday night was weird because I wasn't, I didn't blow up initially. I was just trying to get my car started. and it wouldn't start. So they told me back and we're done. But I wasn't like furious, nothing like that. I was kind of more calm than I normally am. And it built over time to where I got to where it was.

So it was really the opposite of how I normally operate, which was strange. And I don't know why that was. I really don't. So yeah, do the infield care center, get asked the question. Was it because you watched it? You know, you're in the car. It's one thing when you form an opinion,

because you just get turned and you don't even see what's going on but is, you know, do you see it and that's when it festers? I think so. I think so. Yeah, because, yeah, at the time, I mean, immediately when I got wrecked,

I wasn't like, what the hell happened? Like, I was just, I don't know, I was trying to get my car started and we're done. And oh, damn, okay, that stinks. And then, yeah, I think watching it, and granted, you know, it's been a, I think frustration has been building for the last few weeks.

Like, you know, Darlington went okay. But, you know, just the gateway deal last week of having a good car. Losing brakes. It's thrown away a good finish. That stinks. You've had three D&Fs in the last five, right? I mean, you know, when you're running up front. Daytona, you know, so I think it just was like, man, it's just what else can go wrong currently?

And that part, I think, just started to boil a little bit in me. And so I guess we'll fast forward to. the altercation. So I'm standing there and I really wasn't planning on doing anything. Well, when you, after you do the infill care center media, how many laps left in the race? 35. Yeah, not many.

35. So. And there was a couple cautions. Yeah. But it wasn't, I mean, half hour. But you could walk through this tunnel and beat the traffic out of Bristol. Well, yeah. Well, I wanted to walk to the truck to see my guys.

Okay. Because I got out and I had to immediately they'd take, make you go. go right there. Like they give you maybe two minutes after you get out of the car. I didn't even get out of the car. And I was like, hey, you know, you got to go get into Kersen. I was like, let me get out of this thing first. I know. I know. I understand I have to go. So I wanted to go back and see my guys like, about the first time I wrecked. I know where I have to go. Yeah. So I wanted to go see my guys. You know, they were loading up this wrecked race car. Um, so I just wanted to talk to them for a second. And then, you know, by that time, the last restart was happening with maybe

10 to go. And so I was like, well, I just stood by the truck and just watched the big street. I wanted to watch the end of the race. Yeah. Because I would have missed it, so I just wanted to see who won. And then, yeah, so I was standing there when everyone pulled onto pit road, which probably made it worse. Yeah, yeah. So you go in there and, you know, it seemed like, you know, I'll let you kind of take it,

but I feel like at that point you just want to kind of have a conversation, but you want to have a stern conversation, right? Yeah. Yeah. So I didn't tell any of my guys what I was doing. You know, Hassler was standing there. You got to do that. I mean, you always have to have.

To me, it's different if you go to find confrontation as opposed to if someone comes to you, then I think you have the cavalry. But in my mind, I'm not going to go walk over there with six of my guys. Right. Because then they're probably, that event immensely probably thinks to them, all right, these guys are looking for a fight. Right. It's like, I'm going to need to.

do this myself. Okay. So I, I just very admirable of you by the way. Yeah. I mean, I, you know, I think that's kind of a rule to me. Um, so I just handed haste for my phone. I just said, hold this and I, and I, and I left. And he had no idea what that meant. Hold my phone. He had no, yeah, it's not as cool as RC hold my watch, but, you know, so I, I walk over there. And, and, you know, there are things that you regret, but, you know, I didn't really have a huge plan. And really the only plan of mine was, you know, I'm going to have a stern conversation with Carson. I wasn't planning on throwing anything. I just really wanted to grab them and just kind of pretty much yell at him, you know, and show my displeasure.

But I look at it as, well, if someone comes up to me, and granted, I kind of grabbed him by the, and pushed him at the chest and kind of grabbed him pretty aggressively, that you're probably going to defend yourself. and he rightfully did. So, you know, so first thing I know, so he landed a pretty good right hand. The one that knocked the hat off, I thought it just clipped the hat, no? No, it got me. Yeah, it got me pretty good. And the hat just kind of flung off my head.

Okay. So that one got me pretty good. And so when that happened, I was like, okay, well, I should probably return fire at this point. And so I had that prepared. And then Alan, the security guy, he got me. The guy in the green shirt. Yeah, Alan. He subdued that pretty quick.

And so he's got me kind of here, and my right arm is immobile. I saw that you had one arm here. The other is here, but the green shirt had you by the torso to where you couldn't go anywhere with the right. So he got me. And then by that time, other Spire guys were kind of closing into. And so for the second right, like I. I see the second one coming and I'm kind of immobilized. And in my mind, I'm like, all right.

I'm just going to eat this thing and continue to yell at him and stare at him while I just eat this other right. And I'll give it to him. He tagged me in the same exact spot that he got me the first time. Right, right here in my cheekbone. I'm like, all right. But I was like, the best way I can just, I just got to eat it and just continue to talk my trash that I'm talking. Sure. And so then, yeah, we go to the ground.

his guys kind of Alan got tackled by some of his guys and brought me down and so I got back up which was the funniest part of this thing was and then like no everyone forgot about me that was the most shocking thing to me 10 seconds later you sneak your way

in there like like a running back getting a touchdown untouched like there was no resistance whatsoever yeah I was like I gotta get back in like I was you know And these things happen, right? When you rewatch it back, it's like all that stuff's a blur, right?

Because it happens all quick. Really quick. And you don't really have time to think or you're just doing these things. Yeah. And so I got back in there and, you know, kind of tackled this one guy into Carson and tried to jab a left kind of missed at that point. And then really it was over. So, you know, there are things that I regret. I try not to, I try to set a good example for kids who are,

watching who are fans, their parents who are allowing these kids to watch races and root for their driver. And I try to act a certain way to what a kid would want to look up to. And I look back on those things and I definitely regret the way I acted. You know, that's really unlike me. But I was just, you know, it's just frustrated and you just do these things that. Usually your rage is just on the radio. Yeah. And then I, and then you've become very calm outside. You're Jekyll and Hyde. You are the most Jekyll and Hyde person I've seen. I know. When it comes to voice and displeasure in the car, but then when you get out, you're the

most composed person I think I've ever met. I know, and I... And then, I mean, because there's been many times where I've run you up the track or ran you in the wall, and I know I've got to go to you, and I'm like, God, he's going to be pissed. He is going to be so pissed when I get over there. And you just, you listen, and you're like, well, and then you probably come at me with a well why'd you do that or you know something like that and I try to explain but I always try to

empathize with listen I just did this dude wrong so I got to yeah whatever he's willing to say I got to be willing to listen to it was like a martinsville deal in the spring yeah you know like uh you know we got kind of tied together and in the fence and our conversation afterwards was was was fine yeah so that's why it was weird to me because I was the that was opposite of what I normally was Like I was calm initially and ramped up after the race And where I'm usually kind of ramped up initially And then calm after the race But yeah, I, man, I just, I wish I wouldn't have done that.

I wish I would have gone about it a different way, you know, just from people watching and I don't ever want to set a bad example. And I'll be honest with you, yeah, I got over there. I went over there and I got my ass kicked for sure. I got, I ate a two piece and, you know, got, got, you know, tagged pretty good. but, you know, I just wanted to show my displeasure. Yeah. You know.

Yeah, I think that what gets lost with the fans, right, is they always, they love the entertainment aspect of it. And I do too. I'm a race fan just like everyone else. What I don't think they understand is the fact that how much work goes into this, right? This is, you know, when we're doing this and now we're competing in this show, Chase, it's not just like, well, it ruined my weekend. This is a, well, this could have big implications in the bigger prides that I've spent weeks and weeks doing. And I think that's where

a little bit of the disconnect between what the drivers feel and what the fans feel about Carson Hosevar. And I, again, I'm not a Carson Hosevar hater whatsoever. I think that he's doing a lot of good things for the sport. But I think the disconnect comes from as drivers. I don't handle, and I'm only going to speak for myself here, I don't handle the disrespect very well. So I just, it's the off-track stuff of like, okay, well, it's, hey, another 6% off, or another 12% off.

To me, that would bug me. If that was me and he runs 11% after he just crashed me, I would have, that would bother me as much as the on track. Now, the on track really hurts because I put so much work and effort into this. I don't want someone out there just being nonchalant playing a game at my expense. And that's where I could potentially get really off the rails if it were to happen to me because as drivers, we're all living. in our own personal team cocoon of like, man, we're all in.

We're going to get this done. And like when you feel like someone makes an egregious mistake or an egregious take out of you, it's an indictment of like your weekend. Like it just really, I don't know how to explain it. I'm horrible with words, but it just, it, as the drivers, we don't like what's going on simply because I feel like we're putting so much effort. There's so much pressure on all of us to perform really well. When you feel like you're just part of someone that is not,

I'm not going to say not taking it as serious, but publicly not taking it as serious, I guess. Yeah, I mean, you're perceiving the reaction after as, hey, you're not. I'm just out here having fun. and I'm like, no, no, I'm out here to try to win and like, this is all I've ever wanted to do since I was a kid. Yeah. So, like, that's where, to me, it eats at me a little bit

because it's, this is all I've ever done and wanted to do and wanted to accomplish. And so I can see where Brad could get really upset and whoever else that had had those incidences. And when, to me personally, I feel like, if a driver you feel like has, done you wrong on the racetrack, then takes it to the next level and is mildly disrespectful off the track, that's where things really can escalate.

And I think that's where the field has a different opinion of Carson as the fans. You know, because I think that Carson goes above and beyond for the fans aspect of it. but again the competitor aspect of it is is I think the disrespect is just a little bit too much and that's just my opinion of it yeah I mean everyone's different you know but everyone's tolerance is different you know and I I just I made it very clear I'm just I don't take disrespect very well yeah yeah and I feel like you know you know we I feel like if I did someone wrong and I didn't intentionally mean to do it like i'm gonna feel bad about it or at least be you know hey i i kind of screwed that up you know let me go apologize to this person but not just to you i feel like it's just you're

adding fuel to the fire yeah when you have when you don't seem like you care about what you just did you know whether it's you know egregious or not a mistake or intentional you know if it's if you just act like you don't care all the time then you know every other driver's not going to like it And that's what the fans like about him, right? Is, oh, he doesn't care. You know, so we like that. But as the competitor side goes, that does get tough.

And you start treading some tough walls. Well, let me ask you guys this, though, is do you think, you know, how he handles this stuff off the track afterwards is overall good for the sport and bringing new eyes to the sport and putting more eyeballs on the television? Is that a net positive? I think that that's remained to be seen, but I do think that the sport is definitely on an uptick,

and there's lots of different reasons for that. I think that NASCAR has made some really good adjustments over the last year. We want more horse power. Okay, they're trying. They're really trying to get back to the roots of the sport. And we're seeing a lot of, they don't like the speedway package. Okay, we'll try something new. the fans are really liking that type of leadership that is just a doing type of leadership.

I do think that the NASCAR itself is doing some really good things in the midway. They're growing that, really working on the fan experience. I think that, but all those things take long time to really show up in TV ratings. What we are seeing is the crowds. The crowds are bigger. And I always judge Bristol by this campground that's right outside the bus. I always look out. When the campground is kind of sporadic, we're not going to have a good crowd.

When it's full, I know every time it's about to be a big crowd, and we had it this weekend. But to get back to your question, I do think some of the things that he does off the track as it relates to racing does help with engagement. Yes, I would agree with that. And you guys just as drivers just kind of have to take the bad with the good. I just don't know how you find a happy medium in this to where. Well, I think. So are you saying that it's the I don't care towards the drivers is what is exciting the people? I think so.

There hasn't been a personality like this in the sport in how long. Not in my lifetime, I don't think. See, I think it's more the other stuff. Like, you know, he does his Twitch streams and stuff like that. I mean, that's... That's just very engaging to the youth, the new generation. Right. So I'm guessing my question is, what is, I guess it's, you're saying that it's, well, I think

that it's, it is the, I don't give a shit to the other drivers that you feel like is farming the likes and the engagement. where I'm saying, oh, I think he's doing other things that is helping with that. I think it's all, I think it's all equal. It's all equal. Yeah. I mean, this was like kind of with you and Ross a few years ago, right? But I don't think Ross had the social part of it to really fan the flame some more.

And then obviously the performance went down. Well, the worst myth in our sport is that, uh, Rick Hendricks talking to Ross somehow made him run slower. You know, to the people out there, that is absolutely not true. You can, you know, what's the Kevin Harvick? You can't drive a slow car fast. And, you know, they've just, the results have spoken for themselves on that. It's just, you know, he doesn't, you know, he's not got as fast as cars he did back in 2022.

So, yeah, I mean, I don't know. It's a very tough balance because everyone wants to. sport to grow. I think everyone here in this room benefits when the sport grows, right? And there's a lot to be desired when it comes to Carson as far as like how he's doing his part, I think, to help the sport growth. And I certainly am very appreciative of that because we all benefit in it in the long run, the tough part is is that if I'm part of that show, that's where I'm going to have an issue, right? And so that's the tough part that we walk every week being on the same racetrack with it, is that we know that we're just one little move away from being part of that show. And it's

something that we don't, it's fine as long as it's not us, but it. You don't want to be a part of it. You don't want to be a part of it. I mean, I've always been, yeah, I just, I just want to do my job. I want to do my job to the best of my abilities, and I want to care about my fans. And that's really like my main concerns when I go to the track. You know, be kind to people who are there who are a fan of you and go do the job that I can do to the best of my ability. Do you think that it hurts that, like, he's openly said that, like, he doesn't have friends in the Cup series. He doesn't really talk to anybody. And, like, if he at least would make an effort behind closed doors with you guys to at least, like, do better so that, like, on track, he can, he can have this.

persona like Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt were business partners. Like, can he like, he could do some things. I don't know how much of that is real though, Travis, because I've had conversations with Carson and he's been very receptive. Or at least he's said been receptive to my face in the sense of like, okay, I hear you. All right. I need to work. Okay. All right.

He's never pushed back and says, I don't care about what you think. You know what I mean? So I don't know how much of that is, again, just just playing. playing the role. You know, it would be very hard for me to envision any young person, let's just in the basketball, right, say, I don't, why would I listen to what Michael Jordan and Kobe Brian and Magic Johnson have to say? I don't care what they say.

Like, no one would ever say that. If you're a young guy, right, you're always soaking, you're always wanting to soak in information. I think he does, he just doesn't let, he doesn't do it publicly, right? I think a lot of us, you know, when we hear Dale Jared or we hear Jeff Burton or whoever who's been legends of our sport saying, man, I don't know, I've been through this. I feel like there's a different way. We all have soaked that in one way or another, right? Right.

So that's what I think, Travis, personally. Have you talked to NASCAR post-race or have you, Ryan? No. Have you talked to Carson? No. Yeah, I don't think that's. That's going to happen. After Saturday night, have I thought?

No. You've got to ask the question. No, I mean, not, it is what it is, and it's over with, and I mean. I'll say, I'll say this, the only thing I'm kind of curious about, and when it comes to NASCAR, evidently they have like a, you know,

no, they have a no punching thing, right? And then like a fine or something. But isn't that if it's premeditate? It's very wishy-washy. Yeah. I don't. some people i'm of the opinion you just kind of i don't don't do it yeah don't do anything no because

it would be one thing if i went over there and threw one if i initiated i would fully understand if i got fine but like in this case i went over there and he reacted and so it's like i don't think they need to touch it like it just was an altercation the only i'll be honest with you and and this is non-objective i don't care about ryan blaney or carson hosferr i have a issue with like the takedown by the crew members like i got i think the one right here on the joey the joey one i got horse collar yeah and and brought down and nascar had a real problem with that because again the smallest people in the infield are the drivers you know what i mean and so and the biggest are the crew members right and so it's just that's not a fair fair fight and then when you know

again, I understand that, you know, anyone in a spire uniform is obviously trying to protect Carson. I think there's a way to protect them without taking down a driver. Like I, that's, and again, everyone's in the moment, and you just talked about how quick things really happened, right? I just have a problem with the crew guys going after the other versus protecting. There's a way to protect your guy. Just get in the middle. Right. Just get in the middle. Yeah. I look at it as drivers like quarterback and the crew guys are there's O-line.

Yeah. No one's going to, the O-line is not going to let anybody mess with the quarterback. Yeah. You know, they can do it whatever they see fit. But I don't, I mean, gosh, I don't blame the Spire guys for getting in there. Right. I mean, obviously, like, you're not just going to let somebody come over there and have, you know, open to open. Like, those guys are going to protect their guy.

I mean, and I would expect the same thing for me. But I understand what you're saying is what is. the correct way to do it. Yeah. And what is a little bit too much, but. And then my other, my other last beef to, to wrap this up is that if there can't be two NASCAR security,

then there shouldn't be one. Because we've seen both Noah Griggs and you be ready to go. And then you're the one that's getting held back and then just, oh, shoot, now I've got to be a punching back. So like either, either don't break it up or there has to be two of you to grab each equally. That's my only problem. Yeah. Or you got to be the first one. Or you got to be the first one. It seems like the first one has been the

winner most times. But I mean, listen, we all live and we learn. I appreciate you, you know, kind of coming on and hearing your side of it, I wanted to get in more into the mental side of it. Like, where were you? Because this is so different than what I've ever seen you before, right? I mean, it's been a long time that I've seen you on the racetrack and I feel like you've been very, very fair. You're one of the most fair guys on the racetrack that there is. And then especially off the racetrack, you know, anytime that I've had an issue with you, which has been like zero, and then you have an issue with me, I try to come to you and you've been just so level-headed when it comes to that. So, yeah, it was I think even Bubbo said something afterwards.

He's like, wow, it's very out of character of Ryan. He's like, you know, proud to see him. You know, stick up for himself there. I don't know if it was a full moon the other night or what. No, it was half. It definitely was half. I did pay attention to that. So, I mean, kind of where do you feel?

One thing I wanted to ask just before we move off this and going back to the on-track stuff is when you guys are racing around anybody, how do you process, like, who you're racing and, like, sizing that competitor up is like this is how they've raced me in the past, this is how I'm going to race them. Do you, are you approaching the driver on the race? Okay, here comes from the 11. This is how I'm going to

approach this. Yeah, I mean, you know, the thing about our sport, right, race with the same guys every week. So you get very used to their tendencies. And I would say I, yeah, I'm more like, okay, let's just say, Denny does this a lot of times. You know, whether it's

easy and hard off, he likes to kind of rip the fence or whatever. And then you kind of just adjust to that of what their tendencies are like and you know you try to exploit like what do they do do well what do they don't do well and how can i take advantage of that you know so but then as far as like if you've had altercations with another driver or if there's been incidents on track you know then you handle it a different way but i've always just tried to you just soak up everyone's tendencies and it's like okay this is how this guy likes to just this guy's going to slide me so i'm going to be prepared for that i'm just going to cross them back over you know so i think i i think of that all the

Every guy you race around, you understand. Yeah. So like up to this point in the season, you're racing around the 77. You're not actually like, okay, I got to. No. No, like you said, this year we've been. There's been nothing. Yeah.

We've raced each other incredibly well this year. There's even, I mean, gosh, there's been some give and take, you know, stuff between he and I this year of, I'm going to let you go or vice versa. You know, so, yeah, it was really, really nothing leading up to that point. It's not like something that was stewing, you know, for like months or through the year of, you know, gosh, we might really get into it here. This was kind of just the out of the blue thing. So where are you at now? You're obviously 52 back.

I mean. Yeah, not ideal. Not ideal, right. But not out of it. But not. We've seen this thing swing with a win here and there. Your teammate Joey has gotten two of them now, put himself right there. Also, how about Joey win in both races?

That North Wilkesboro race with Ricky and KB? And then the subplot of this one. I know it. I know it. He's feeling pretty good for sure. But yeah, Lugano shoots himself up to third points. You're 52 back. I mean, you still got a lot of racing.

I mean, we've got seven races, right? Lots of stages. Yeah, I mean, it's, you hate to throw points away like that. I mean, I think that was the thing at Gateway. It's like, you know, I'm not terrible spot. I was like 32 back after Gateway. But it's like, man, I hate that. hate the throwaway points of if I could have just ran fifth like you know we're right there and then

you know Bristol the other night it's like oh gosh we just would run third like we're even in a better spot you know maybe 20 out or something like that from where we entered but yeah it's definitely not you know we can definitely still do it it's just made it harder yeah it just makes it tougher especially with the stretch we have yeah and I think that one thing that gets magnified too if you if you look at the standings like I look at Larson Ligano bill Gibbs and you are all like these you all been up front all three races you know what I mean so it's like it gets magnified it's it's magnified a little bit right now because I mean I think that the Larson's Ligonos and those guys are averaging like you know 50 some points of rate that that's that's not

going to happen over 10 there's everyone's going to have issues and things like that so it's a little bit more magnified, you know, and for you, it's like, well, all right, we get it out of the way, and then we go on our stretch, right? And then the others have it, and you're right back where you were. So, I mean, you've still got to be feeling pretty decent considering it couldn't go much worse compared to how you were actually running to where you actually finished. Yeah. And only to be 52 is not crazy. No, it's not crazy. You know, and I, I don't know, like what did Joey enter the chase 60 something back didn't he yes you know and he's put together three really good weeks and he's 16 out or whatever he is so yeah step in three races

65 to start the chase so yeah I mean it's definitely doable you're gonna have big swings and and stuff like that it's just not ideal to start the way we have with two d and f's in the the first three denny how do you feel about yours where you're at and how things are going Like, you've just, you've just scrapped through, you know, like, you can't. It's just not, not been, we haven't been as fast, for sure. And, and I don't know. I mean, relative to guys like Blaney that have had truly unfortunate things, we've had some unfortunate things.

I mean, yeah, getting caught by the yellow being two lapsed down, it's not ideal. but where were we on speed before that, right? It was not, I don't know, if you would ask me the first stage, I would have said, we're a race-winning car. I mean, we were really fast, that first stage. But then the track changed. To me, the bottom changed more than anything, and I just lost the ability to be fast on the bottom,

and that really changed kind of my outlook. And then I obviously go to the back, and I just didn't get through the traffic as good as the Gibbs and you went to the back and many others just couldn't get through the traffic as good as those guys could. So, I mean, where do I stand? I'm like, I don't know.

I need to get my mojo back. I need to get a weekend where we lead laps and win stages and like to feel like good about where we're at. So I mean, we couldn't go to a, this is probably. probably my best and favorite racetrack in Kansas. So I don't know. Travis, I wish I had a better answer, but I feel very fortunate.

And I'm one point back, given how we've performed. But we can't continue to perform this way. You know what I mean? 37 or 35 a race is not enough. So I'm going to have to have better weeks than what I have here. So if not, we're just going to whittle our way down the standings little by little. but that's not what I intend on doing. What changes now with these next three?

I don't even know how to ask. It's just a different type of racing now, right? And, you know, I think that we've always seen like team strengths, right? And I feel like we've gone through the last 10 weeks where certainly flat tracks and short tracks has been where Penske has been very good for a couple of years now, a couple of years. And so I feel as though the 22 team is definitely taken advantage of that's our strength, and they went out and they showed it and they proved it and they won at their strength. It seems like your performance has been on the mile and a half's good, not great.

I'll be interested to see kind of where the 22 team is this weekend. Do they continue this run that they're on? what is it generally about Penske that man it turns cold and then you guys just get faster i don't know i mean it's uh i think well we've utilized our strengths very well like you said shorter flat tracks we've been good at for two three years um and the mile and a halfs have been somewhere where we've really tried to improve we haven't had the speed that you know the the toyotas have had on the mile and a halfs but we've you know we scrapped through like chicago i think i ran sixth or something like that and just we got better but we're still not in the like it was a big gap at chicago it was like

top five was y'all 24 was up there at chicago but then it was like a big gap to back to me uh and you know the guys who finished around me but i don't know i mean people we always get this like oh penske always starts out cold and they get you know really good by the end of the year and it's like well so do you think that's more schedule is it was it is it more it was format what what what What it, because you can't deny the results that you guys win more at the end of the year than you do at the beginning. Yeah, I mean, people who said that to me like through this year, it's like, well, I was like second and points all year. It's like second, third and points like all year. We won Phoenix early this year. And, you know, so. Yeah, even when everyone was super down on Penske, you, you were still right there with me and Redding.

Yeah. You know, the whole time. Yeah. So I don't know. I think, I mean, it all comes down to people. You know, I mean, I think Penske does a really good job of communicating through the year of where do we need to be better and how do we do this. You know, it takes time. You know, it's not like you're just going to turn it around one week after the next. So it's just communication and people and just trying to figure out, you know, how can we get better? And it's just timed out this way of start finding different things. You know, teams work together really good all year. But I think once it comes like chase time, we all really start to lean on each other.

and just that share of information, I think, just makes it, you know, your group run better. I laughed so hard, you know, when Joey, the first half of the year, they were struggling a little bit, and everyone's writing him and Paul will fall off. Yeah, and you know better, right? But yeah, you were saying, it's like people write off the Joey thing, and it was like, oh, man, I just, like, just wait. Like, those guys are going to turn it around. Like, Joey and Paul are the best, two of the best in the business, I think,

of just figuring it out and weathering a storm when it's not. not going well. That's right. Like they don't freak out. They just, they just keep working and they keep being really methodical of how they do things. And it's showing up. And I'll be honest with you, too.

It's showing up with all the teams too. You know, Austin Cendrick, in my mind, in my mind, is running as good as he's ever run, you know, competitively.

Yeah. In the top 10, Josh Berry is running really well. Yeah. Right now. So it definitely seems like as a company, and again, you're not going to hold back a company that Roger Penske

runs for very long. They figure it out, and he's got the right people in place to they know how to win championships and Indy 500s and Daytona 5. They know how to win it all. So it's just a matter of time before the cream rises to the top. And you guys, it seems like right now are peaking at the absolute right time. Now, you're not getting the results that you deserve for that. But again, I just feel like 52 back, considering how cream. rummy it has started is not horrible would you start you started what i was 25 back of you so you were second of point okay so so but what would Travis what was what was joey last week 51 this all comes down to just winning in a race right if you can go rattle off whoever wins this week is going to be the highlight again so where do you like i'm a real goal person where let me set the goal. Let me see if I can achieve it.

We're done this three race stretch of mile and a halfs. Where are you going to be okay? Yeah, I said. Maybe you're not even back. Maybe you're leading to points. But like, where are you going to be okay mentally about, oh, we're about to come on here? I think we're going to do this. I got to ask this last week, you know.

I said after Charlotte, if I can be 40 points out, I feel. like you're still really in the game. There are four races that have been good tracks for us, and then that's just, you know, it's 10 a week. Right. You know, and that's achievable. And I might have to adjust my opinion. Right.

I'd take like 50, 60 out, you know, going into, because where we go into Phoenix after Charlotte's, Phoenix, Tau, Degger, and Marksville, Homestead. Which, I mean, those are, those are tracks where Ryan Planey's going to be really strong. and like to me you can't even throw in to me I don't throw in homestead as into a mild hat you do it is but there are certain guys that are just better at that track no matter what their car is on any given time

they're going to be strong at that racetrack so yeah man we the battle you guys me you and red a cat just a few years ago there which was a lot of fun and man that one still things that only things the two guys sitting at this table. You made the final four. It hurt, yeah, for sure. Yeah, so that's, that's, I think that's doable. I just don't think that.

The next three weeks are going to be incredibly important. No question. Did we get better at these mile and a half store, we can still stay in touch? Because the reason I think that the media is not overstating the importance of these three weeks is that it's not, it's track position tracks, but it's not.

I think you're going to have a handful of guys score a lot of points. They're going to get the stages and the finish, right? So we've had a little bit of a mixed bag when the caution comes out. Now we're flipping stages. I just, you know, caution comes out with 15 to go at the end of a Kansas state.

You're coming to putting tires on because the new tires are going to blow right by you, right? So I do think that it's going to be very entertaining to see how these next ones play out. I got two things before we wrap up. here. I uncovered this last night, Ryan. What's up? Look at that. What is it? Wow. It's the basketball basketball league. Look at that. Gosh. Look down defense right there. Look at those knee braces that he has that's got to be a foul in there somewhere. I'm sure there was a way. Yeah, I'm reaching a little

bit. We used to name Bubba and Ryan our kangaroos. These guys were running and jumping how old were you then? I mean, that was probably. I mean, that was probably. I mean, this is Pre-five, six years ago? Pre-facial hair. I think that's longer than that. Do you think? I bet that was like 2017. There's no banners on the wall.

That was the first. No, I don't. No, I think, were you part of the championship team? I got to look at the banners up there. I don't think so. I don't think so. Hmm. Yeah, I played like two years in that league.

Yeah. And I enjoyed it because you were running and, you know, being really active. Yeah, that's the only reason. I do it is to get some exercise. And, you know, and then I got, so why I got out of it was, I felt like it almost got a little too serious. It was kidding here. And I broke like three toes one time.

Really? You knew this. No. Like, I forget who I was playing against. I had like a fast break and I just come and like just shoulder check me. And it's like, and stepped on me kind of why he like stepped on my foot while he kind of gave me his body. And it like, I just heard like crack, crack, crack.

And I was like, oh man. I got a picture of my, my big toe and the two next to it, black and blue, like all my nails fell off of my toes. Whoa. Like it destroyed my foot. And I was like, I should probably. Well, since you've been gone, I've managed to find myself from being a second round draft pick to now nearly a last. So I've taken down my intensity of it where I'm just, I'm just shooting it all. That's all I'm doing.

I'm staying outside and shooting. I'm not going to the rim. forget that. Yeah. Because again, these guys are, you know, somewhat serious. This is their opportunity to shine. So, yeah, we've had a lot of fun with that. It's been really cool.

Jared, do you want to, you know, we should probably just spend two minutes on O'Reilly's. Sheldon Creed is hot as white hot right now. What's he got, a first, a second, and a first? Yep. He is on a roll. And I tell you, things worked out really. really well for him at the end of the race. I watched him.

He was about 10th place, most of that race. Algeyer and Jesse Love kind of get into it. And, man, I just, it almost looked very similar to kind of how the tie Gibbs and Carson Hosevar was at the end of it, where it's just everyone's trying to slide everyone. No one's going to give the spot up. And, you know, it just was very unfortunate for Justin. He, you know, he's still finished pretty good. Jesse actually got the worst of it.

But it was cool to see Jesse in his interviews. Like, you know, I got to do better than that. And being honest, too, with, man, I was just caught in the moment. Like, it just, I thought it, I needed it at that moment, right? And so I definitely have been there before. And it's good to see him kind of taking it on the chin on that one. Is Sheldon leading points? He is, but only by 11.

Only by 11, but he had a lot to make up. Right. I mean, he had to come from a ways back, but really that Hoss team in general, it seems like they're a little better now than what they were to start the year. So great job by Sheldon. Also, William Swalich looked like he nearly had this thing in the bag before that caution, that late caution came out. So great run by him. You know, could see him and him and Corey have a little talk. talking to in the hauler. Hopefully they're in a better place now because of that and can race each

other good and fair going forward. But it was a great entertaining O'Reilly's race. Yeah. Good, good race at Bristol. They got six left now. Is that right? Yeah, they're off this week. And then I think we're together the rest of the way. Yeah. That's going to be a good battle. Yeah. With the double zero being really good. All guy has obviously been great. Carson Quaple has been fantastic. Talk about, I mean, a lot. light switch of when you're first and then you you know people say it all the time oh once once you win your first the floodgates will open and i've always been a little skeptical of that but not with him it seemed like you know whatever him and rodney have gotten together and and worked out or maybe he's

rodney's finally got the feel of the car that really carson needs carson is a different driver now than what he was at the beginning of the year there's no question about that and unfortunate for them had a loose wheel to put a button on that if you were watching. They had a loose wheel and it appears the loose wheel eventually got so loose that it ended up cutting a bleeder brake line. So lost breaks and then, you know, unfortunately got a horrible finish. Very Ryan Blaney of them this weekend. Yeah.

Yeah. You know, run good, finished bad. Yeah, yeah. That's, I don't know which would make me feel better. Like, would you rather? Probably not having a black eye. Yeah, probably. Yeah, I'll tell you he tagged me pretty good twice.

I've got to give him props for that. But would you rather run really good and finish bad or run terrible all racing and get a good finish? Gosh, I don't know. The end of the day, the good finish is going to feel bad. Give me the point. I know. I know, but as far as your ego is concerned, I'm telling you, running bad, finishing good,

does nothing for the ego. And I hear you, but it's the confidence, the confidence, you know, starts to shrink into a little man. I'm not even talking about a trophy. Like you run 20th all day and you scrap out like a fifth. Oh, okay. You know?

You're not feeling, you're not feeling good about that. I'm telling you you're not feeling good about it. Yes, the results are good, but as a driver, I think you'd rather run good because you're like, that other stuff can change. You know, we've,

I know what I'm doing, the team knows what they're doing, and we're good enough to win. Yeah. That to me actually feels better than scrapping out a good finish. Now where I'm sitting today, would I have rather? Two-sixth the last two weeks, yes.

Yes. But it's all hindsight, I guess. I got one review here. It comes from CW. Forget the review. Go to the one last thing you have, Jared. Yeah, it's a review from CW. No, no, the other thing that I sent you.

Yes, I know. It comes from CW. Oh. Golly, Travis. I know what he means now. Yeah. Love the show. Just curious, which of you two coined the name?

Denny Ryan H. Hamlin Blaney first. I think it was, well, it was Kyle Busch first. Well, I think his became public when his wife said it on the Netflix, um,

the, the, was the full throttle? Full speed. Full speed. Yeah. Right? When she was like,

be Ryan, like Lainey. Like that was, that was, I think it was Martinsville or something like that. Yeah. The Denny

fucking Ham, that can, came from my spotter 10 years ago, 15 years ago that I need you to be DFF here. DFF, DFF. And that's how I know that they're really needing me to do good on a restart

is when he gives me that pep talk. So I think I was first, but just was not a public thing. It's like the whole Hurricane Hosevar. I mean, I had Hurricane Hamlin shirts in 2000, I think it was before he was born, 2001 maybe a long time ago so everyone has their thing it's just some things are more public than others and sometimes you end up with the same time is there a chance that jmfW came before both

you all jay white oh jee yeah yeah i think it definitely came it's it's possible now that was uh that was a self-proclaimed right that's the difference that's what he was introduce him Ryan never self-proclaimed him as Ryan F. Blaney, right? It was, you know, it's okay when someone else gives you that, but, you know,

you can't give yourself the nickname. That's the number one rule. I met Jay White. He introduced himself as J.M.F. and White. All right. It's a cool middle name, man. Right? Wow.

You got four names? That's crazy. Cup this weekend, headed to Kansas, Saturday 10 AM on True TV. Cup practice and quality. And then Sunday, 3 p.m. USA stages 80 laps, 8, 502. Okay. Well, Ryan, I hope you finish second this weekend.

I hope I'll take it. You will. I'll take a second. All right. It'd be a good day for us. Gosh, I think about it. I might take a second too. No. The 11 fans want to win. I know they do. And they're in my mentions. Wait, where does Larson finish? Listen, I see I see I see my avid fans that I'm not following. Trust me, you're on my algorithm. I see your it's over. It's over. We suck. We're terrible.

Like, I see you. I hear you. I see you. I'm giving it my best. Trust me. We're working on it. I'm trying. I'm trying. Trust me, I'm trying. All right. Well, I appreciate you coming on, Ryan. And we'll see you this weekend.

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