Ryan Blaney had a perfect Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He started on the pole, led a race-high 171 laps, and survived a three-hour weather delay. In overtime, he made a crucial last-lap pass to win the Quaker State 400. It marked his second NASCAR Cup Series victory of the 2026 season. However, his post-race celebration almost ended in a police stop.
Ryan Blaney’s late-night Harley ride almost ended with flashing police lights
“So I got on the racetrack and did my couple laps, and then when I finished my first lap, I went back into turn one. An officer turned on the sirens, and he hauled the mail out of the turn one infield opening there, and I was like, ‘Oh boy, uh, oh,’ and he followed me, and I started slowing down. I kind of was creeping off of two, and then by that time he turned his lights off. Once he got close, I think he realized that it wasn’t a fan.”
Blaney himself told that amusing tale on the SiriusXM NASCAR podcast as he recalled the peculiar celebration that followed his victory in Atlanta.
Blaney earned a unique custom-built 2026 Sturgis Edition Harley-Davidson Street Glide (one of just 26 motorcycles made) as a prize for winning the race. Long after the checkered flag dropped and the media appearances ended, Blaney spotted the bike sitting near Victory Lane. It was nearly 2:30 a.m.
Having previously owned a few motorcycles himself, he asked whether he could take it for a quick ride. NASCAR security and those around him gave the green light, telling him the bike was now his.
