Ryan Blaney yesterday "became the third driver to score his first career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series win this season" with a victory at Pocono Raceway, highlighting a "young cadre of drivers who are challenging -- and beating -- the series’ established veterans," according to Ellen Horrow of USA TODAY. Blaney joins first-time winners Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Austin Dillon, and he said, "It’s a huge year for us young guys. It’s nice to be part of this younger group of drivers. I think we are all coming into our own right now" (USA TODAY, 6/12). In addition to Blaney winning the race, rookie Erik Jones finished third yesterday and Bubba Wallace made his Cup debut. ESPN.com's K. Lee Davis wrote the results showed NASCAR's "youth movement in full view" (ESPN.com, 6/11). In Pocono, Zach Sturniolo notes Kevin Harvick's disappointment in finishing second "didn’t stop him from appreciating how meaningful Blaney’s victory is to the sport." Harvick: "These young guys winning is important for our sport. ... Not only is it good for him, but it’s good for the whole sport." The youth movement in NASCAR is "quickly taking shape" (POCONO RECORD, 6/12). FOXSPORTS.com's Tom Jensen wrote wins by Blaney, Stenhouse and Dillon are "great for the drivers, their respective team owners and the sport in general." This season "already is special," and with the "mix of seasoned veterans we have in this sport, along with the young talent, the racing is as good as it's ever been" (FOXSPORTS.com, 6/11).
TWITTER LOVE FOR BLANEY: Bubba Wallace tweeted of Blaney's win, "Proud big brother moment here! Congrats homie, love ya man!" NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.: "Im gonna jump on the @Blaney bandwagon while there is still a few seats left. ... makes me smile! 21 @woodbrothers21 back in VL." Motorsport.com's Jim Utter: "Great job young Padawan @Blaney." FS1's Kaitlyn Vincie: "Heck of a day for @woodbrothers21!" Ford Performance: "It's a Ford weekend sweep." NBC Sports Jerry Bonkowski prior to the race posted, "Call it a gut feeling, going out on a limb ... My pick to win today's #Pocono400 is @Blaney."
BUBBA SPARKS: Wallace yesterday became the first African-American to drive in NASCAR's Cup series in 11 years, and he said, "I've always carried that African-American banner ever since I started racing, following in the footsteps of Wendell Scott and Marc Davis and being able to carry that further and keep that legacy going. These days, you see your favorite athlete on the basketball court, see your favorite athlete on the football field. Now you can say you can see your favorite athlete on a NASCAR track” (“NASCAR Xfinity Series Prerace,” FS1, 6/10). Wallace said the significance of his start has "got to be talked about." Wallace: "It's got to be brought to light. There's only a few faces -- whether behind the wheel of the race car, on the pit crew, or in the office, everybody working in this sport of NASCAR -- so there's not many. When you look on TV, the younger generation wants to look at the TV and try a sport out because they see somebody that they look like. For me, wonderful and humbling opportunity to hopefully be that guy that they turn on the TV and say, ‘Oh, I want to try NASCAR now that I see Bubba Wallace doing it’" ("SportsCenter,” ESPN, 6/11).
