Tempers Rise after Ryan Blaney DNFs at NASCAR Darlington Race, Blames William Byron

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Tempers Rise between Blaney and ByronMeg Oliphant - Getty Images

The reigning NASCAR Cup Champion has an early contender for the most viral radio call of the week after crashing out of Sunday's running of the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

Fox broadcast the driver in the heat of the moment threatening the two he felt responsible for ending his day, William Byron and Martin Truex Jr.

Blaney was on the outside battling for fourth, 39 laps into Stage 2, when Byron forced his way three-wide below Truex. The No. 19 Toyota was tagged by Byron, who in turn tagged Blaney, sending him into the wall. Blaney was the first to retire from the race with a broken right rear tow link, and he felt like Byron got off scot-free.

The No. 12 rode the apron around the track to meet up with Byron and show his displeasure through the windows; he nearly lost control of the vehicle at this point and narrowly avoided swerving into the No. 24.

After exiting his vehicle, he told NBC Sport's Dustin Long that he never intended to hit him and would save it for another race.

"I'm not going to hit him; I'll save that for another time," Blaney told NBC Sports' Dustin Long. "I almost did on accident. I got on the apron, and the tow link was busted. I almost hit him on accident; I just wanted to show him my displeasure."

Blaney calmed down after his initial threats from the cockpit, but once he watched the footage back with NASCAR on Fox's Jamie Little, the flame was relit as he saw just how much space Byron was taking off. Notably, it seems by this point Blaney knew which driver he was really mad at.

Byron has yet to reply to Blaney's outburst or defend his move, as the race continues.

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