Ryan Blaney Hit With NASCAR Penalty Before Chase Opener at Darlington

Ryan Blaney’s pursuit of a second NASCAR Cup Series championship has encountered its first complication before the 2026 Chase has even begun.Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford failed NASCAR’s pre-race technical inspection twice Saturday at Darlington Raceway, NASCAR confirmed. The car passed inspection on its third attempt, but the first two failures were enough to trigger penalties for the team.Blaney’s car chief was ejected for the remainder of the race weekend, and the N