The streak is over.
Ryan Blaney beat his Championship 4 competitors to claim the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship title, but had to settle for second place behind Ross Chastain at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday.
This marks the first time in the knockout era of the NASCAR Playoffs that the champion wasn’t able to win the finale.
Blaney started the race in 15th position behind his championship rivals Christopher Bell in 13th, Kyle Larson in fourth and William Byron on pole and fought an ill-handling car early on, but his team finally got it working in the third stage.
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Bell crashed out of the race on lap 109 of 312 due to a brake rotor failure, leaving Blaney, Larson and Byron to vie for the title.
Blaney was up front when a yellow came out with 37 laps to go, but was leapfrogged by Larson and Byron during pitstops.
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Denny Hamlin and Eric Jones were on the front row for the restart, followed by Larson, Chastain, Byron and Blaney.
Chastain soon made his way to the front with the three playoffs drivers fighting it out behind him.
Larson and Blaney pulled away from Byron, but Blaney couldn’t find a way by until Larson got loose with 21 laps to go.
Blaney wasn’t able to close the gap on Chastain, who didn’t advance in the playoffs past the Round of 12, but wasn’t seriously challenged again by Larson, who held off Byron for third place.
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Larson said during the championship weekend’s media day that he thought Blaney was the favorite.
The title is Blaney’s first NASCAR national series championship and the second in a row for Team Penske, after Joey Logano’s 2022 win.