In the 2018 Coca-Cola 600, Ryan Blaney encountered a dramatic turn of events. Early in the race, his No. 12 PPG Ford demonstrated promising performance, keeping pace with other competitors except for Kyle Busch.
However, during Stage 2, misfortune struck again. Blaney faced an issue that significantly slowed him down, and it appeared to be related to either the engine or electrical system. Unfortunately, this setback hindered his chances of a strong finish in the race.
Blown Engines #11: 2018 Coca Cola 600 – Ryan Blaney
This is what you call a merciful end. Ryan Blaney had mechanical problems for a major chunk of the 2018 Coca Cola 600 which knocked him off the lead lap. 600 miles is grueling on both car and driver, and Blaney had to do his… pic.twitter.com/YSFggcBWCf
— Kevin Nix (@kevin_nix33) April 16, 2024
Recently a resurfaced video reminded how hard it would be on the drives to end their race with a mechanical failures. “Kevin Nix” shared a video of the incident and wrote, “This is what you call a merciful end. Ryan Blaney had mechanical problems for a major chunk of the 2018 Coca Cola 600 which knocked him off the lead lap. 600 miles is grueling on both car and driver, and Blaney had to do his best to nurse the car to the finish.
It was not to be. In Stage 3, Blaney’s engine detonates and provides quite the scene for quite a colorful car. This is one of those times when the driver is almost relieved it blew up – it would’ve been miserable to run down on power the entire race.”
Kyle Busch’s heartbreak
- In 2008, Kyle Busch piloted the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry. With eight wins in the first 26 races, he was a championship contender.
- During the playoffs, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Busch’s Toyota suffered a bizarre broken heim joint in the suspension. This unexpected failure dropped him from first in points to eighth.
- At Dover, an engine failure further dashed his hopes, leaving him with a last-place finish. Denny Hamlin, in the No. 11 Toyota, also faced a rear gear seal failure in the same race, knocking him out of contention.
2012: Denny Hamlin’s Electrical Woes:
In 2012, Denny Hamlin was in the hunt for the championship until Martinsville, just three races from the season’s end.
His Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota suffered electrical problems, resulting in a 38th-place finish. This setback left him 49 points behind the leader, ultimately finishing sixth for the season.
READ MORE: Kevin Harvick recalls a “very strange” incident earlier at Texas Motor Speedway
