Bass Pro Shops Night Race Stage 1 Overview: Winner is Ryan Blaney

The lights were bright, the engines were roaring, and the stakes couldn’t have been higher at Bristol Motor Speedway. Saturday night was no ordinary race. It was the Bass Pro Shops Night Race, the cutoff event where the playoff field of 16 would be reduced to 12. For the drivers on the bubble, this wasn’t just 500 laps of racing. It was a fight for their championship lives. The energy in the air was electric, that special kind of tension you only get under the lights at “The Last Great Colosseum.”

Before the green flag even dropped, two drivers were already breathing a little easier. Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin had punched their tickets to the next round with wins at Darlington and Gateway, respectively. That left just ten precious spots up for grabs. For everyone else, Bristol was a pressure cooker.

All eyes were on Kyle Larson. The Hendrick Motorsports driver came into the night as the man to beat, having dominated the last two races at this high-banked, half-mile beast. He was sitting pretty in the point standings, looking like a sure bet to advance. But as any fan knows, Bristol has a way of turning sure things into heartbreaking what-ifs.

The front row for the start was a picture of pure speed, with Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger on the pole and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney right alongside him. From the moment the race started, it was clear this wasn’t going to be a walk in the park for anyone.

Stage 1: Blaney Sets the Pace

When stage 1 of the race kicked off, it was a full-throttle sprint right from the get-go. The intensity was palpable as drivers jockeyed for every single position, knowing that stage points could be the difference between moving on and going home. Ryan Blaney, in his No. 12 Team Penske Ford, looked absolutely dialed in. He drove with a fiery determination, slicing through the field and taking control.

By the time the green-and-white checkered flag waved for Stage 1, Blaney had secured the win, a crucial 10 points, and a valuable playoff point. It was a statement of intent. Behind him, a mix of playoff contenders and hungry non-playoff drivers battled it out. Ty Gibbs, William Byron, and Bubba Wallace showed they had the speed to run up front, while guys like Chris Buescher and Brad Keselowski from RFK Racing proved they were in it for the long haul.

Stage 1 Results:

• 1. Ryan Blaney, No. 12 (Team Penske, Ford)
• 2. Ty Gibbs, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
• 3. William Byron, No. 24 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
• 4. Bubba Wallace, No. 23 (23XI Racing, Toyota)
• 5. Zane Smith, No. 38 (Front Row Motorsports, Ford)
• 6. Chris Buescher, No. 17 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 7. A.J. Allmendinger, No. 16 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
• 8. Brad Keselowski, No. 6 (RFK Racing, Ford)
• 9. John Hunter Nemechek, No. 42 (Legacy Motor Club, Toyota)
• 10. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., No. 47 (Hyak Motorsports, Chevrolet)

The Fight Continues After Stage 1

As the cars pitted for tires and fuel, the tension only mounted. While Blaney had drawn first blood, the race was far from over. Stage 1 was just the appetizer. The real drama, the kind that makes Bristol legendary, was still to come. The strategies were shifting, crews were working frantically, and every driver was recalculating what they needed to do to survive the night. The roar of the crowd was a constant reminder that this was more than just a race. It was a battle for a championship dream under the legendary lights of Bristol.