Ryan Blaney furiously called out Chase Briscoe during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Iowa Speedway, after both drivers ran the same line while battling for the lead.

Briscoe is enjoying a career year despite only claiming one win, and was recently compared to a NASCAR legend after another pole position. During the Iowa Corn 300 Powered By Ethanol, he surpassed his career high for laps led in a single season.

However, eager to repeat his win at Iowa last season, Blaney was frustrated when chasing Briscoe for the lead, believing he was mirror driving. 

On the 117th lap of the 350-lap race, Blaney was told he was running the same line as Briscoe. Though it was the fastest line, Blaney lashed out and said: “What he’s doing is f—— looking backwards.”

Briscoe led the race from the early stages and was placed first for 75 laps on Sunday. He had won two of the previous three races that he had led for 70 laps or more, but Shane van Gisbergen jeopardized that record.

Van Gisbergen drew a caution after spinning out during the green-flag pit cycle, which severely impacted Briscoe. “We have the worst freakin’ luck,” Briscoe said over team radio.

Briscoe’s misfortune handed Blaney a major boost, and his frustration may have stemmed from his desperation to secure back-to-back wins in Iowa. Before Sunday’s race, Blaney announced that 80 members of his friends and family would be in attendance.

Aside from the large support network, Iowa holds a special place in Blaney’s heart. The Team Penske racing driver has ties to the area through his mother, and he sees it as a crown jewel.

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Speaking to NASCAR, Blaney said before the race: “Yeah, to me personally, like in my mind, it was a crown jewel just because of my ties to here, and it’s where my mom is from. I spent a lot of time up here as a kid at my grandparents’ house.

“It’s really special to come back, see a bunch of family members who you grew up with. See a bunch of them that you maybe have never spent too much time with since I loved away from here.”

Blaney also revealed that his grandmother passed away earlier this year. She was in attendance to watch him win at Iowa last season. Blaney was determined to repeat his heroics and dedicate the victory to her.

“So, yeah, it’s really special, and it’s even more special this year,” Blaney added. “My grandmother, my mom’s mom passed a few months ago and so that was special for her when we won last year to remember that with her.

“So, hopefully she’s with us this weekend, stuff like that. To me in my heart, it’s a crown jewel just because I have a lot of ties to here.”