Ryan Blaney leads competition in stage points

HAMPTON, Ga. — Ryan Blaney leads all Cup Series drivers in stage points accumulated in points-awarding races after two races into the 2019 season.

Blaney netted 12 stage points in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway en route to a 22nd-place finish after leading 41 laps, holding his lead in stage points from Daytona.

The Team Penske driver has earned 28 points, followed by Kevin Harvick (25), Kyle Larson (22), Kurt Busch (21) and Joey Logano (18). The total does not include points acquired during the Gander Outdoors Duels from Daytona in February.

“It doesn’t matter if you finish 30th,” Blaney said post-race to The Racing Experts. “They’re nice but if you can’t finish a race, then what’s the point of it.”

Blaney, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano are the only four drivers to earn stage points in every points-awarding stage in 2019.

Additionally, Blaney is one of four drivers to claim a stage win thus far in 2019.

OVERALL
18 drivers have earned stage points in 2019.

With the exception of the Coca-Cola 600 in May (four stages), every points awarding race in 2018 is broken up into three stages.

Each of the first two stages awards points to the top-10 finishing drivers. A first-place finish earns 10 points, second-place gets nine points, and so forth.