By: Toby Christie, Editor – Follow on Twitter @Toby_Christie

FORT WORTH, Texas — In Friday’s opening practice session for Sunday’s AAA Texas 500, Ryan Blaney was fastest among eight drivers who eclipsed the pole-winning speed from the spring race at Texas Motor Speedway. Blaney’s lap — 199.933 mph — was just shy of a 200 mile-per-hour average.

Back in the spring, the North Carolina native started second at Texas and dominated the event. In all, Blaney won a stage and led 148 laps. However pit strategy and issues on pit road between stages mired him deep in the field late in the race, and he wasn’t able to rebound. Blaney finished 12th that day.

Fast forward seven months, and the 23-year-old driver — who won at Pocono earlier this year — comes to Texas a championship contender, and he’s looking to avenge that frustrating finish earlier in the season at the 1.5-mile speedway.
Continue reading “Blaney Looking to Avenge Spring Texas Race, Move on in Playoffs”