BROOKLYN, Mich. – Ryan Blaney’s Team Penske Ford needed a push to pass William Byron’s Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet during a pivotal moment Sunday.
A Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota provided the boost.
With Kyle Busch’s help, Blaney took the lead on the final restart, then bobbed and weaved his way around Michigan International Speedway to beat Byron to the finish line by 0.077 second. It was the narrowest victory margin in a NASCAR Cup Series race at this track since electronic scoring began.
“I wouldn’t say we had the best car,” Blaney said. “We got pretty good, to a point where I thought we could run fourth or fifth, and it just worked out to where he could give us a push.”
Blaney capped a big weekend for Team Penske as the 27-year-old won for the second time this season and the sixth time in his Cup Series career. Penske driver Josef Newgarden won Saturday’s IndyCar race in suburban St. Louis, and Sunday’s Cup Series win came at a track not far from Roger Penske’s Detroit roots.