Darlington is always an interesting race, and what gets the crowds going are the wrecks. It was just the 3rd lap, and Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr got into a wreck. Although both drivers are fine, they have to retire from the race. Blaney sounded like he was winding on the radio as he got out of the car. But he safely made it to the ambulance.

After the precautionary first aid was complete, he came forth to talk about the crash. He was asked about his health by a reporter, and to that, Blaney replied, “It’s alright, we’ll be fine.” The reporter heard him on the radio and stated, “You sounded like the wind got knocked out of you in the car.”

Ryan Blaney explained what went through his mind during the incident, saying, “The big hit, and it just happened fast. I thought I was good, good, good. He’s going to spin to the left and ride as it happened, so my arm got twisted, but I’ll be here next week.”

Luckily, both the drivers who were involved in the wreck have already made it through to the playoffs. Retiring from this race won’t affect them as badly as it would for someone who is still fighting to find their place in the playoffs.

An accident like that so early on in the race is not uncommon; however, Martin Truex Jr takes full responsibility for causing the crash.

What exactly happened between Martin Truex Jr and Ryan Blaney?

During the third lap of the race, the defending champion was in the clear once Martin Truex Jr spun out, but the No. 19 Toyota tried to correct his car, which led him to go straight into the No. 12 Ford. Everything happened so fast, and when Ryan Blaney walked out of his car, he was holding onto one hand. This raised suspicion in the marshals and the fans that he was injured.

The next generation’s steering snapped back after the contact was made and with Blaney’s hand on the wheel, he injured his hand. Although Truex Jr was behind the whole incident, once he spun out, he revealed that he meant to only wreck his own car. With no intention to ruin Blaney’s race, he was upset with what happened on the track.

To take things a step ahead, Truex Jr even exclaimed, “I’m an id–t” after the wreck. While this was not a huge crash, some fans are starting to wonder if this wreck would take away Martin Truex Jr’s playoff spot. What do you think will be the punishment for Truex Jr? Will NASCAR penalize him or will he walk free? Share your thoughts in the comments below.