Ryan Blaney brings the confidence of a NASCAR Cup Series champion to this year’s playoffs.The Team Penske driver has won a title in 2023 as the No. 12, which suits the No. 12 Ford driver well, but there are fewer questions about his and his team’s abilities heading into the 2024 playoffs, which begin Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
His championship campaign last season included wins at Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville Speedway along the way, along with sixth, second, first and second place finishes en route to the French Bill Cup. But all of that followed a lackluster regular season in which Blaney’s lone victory came in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, his last top-five finish before his triumph at Talladega in the 12th round.
Blaney’s 2024 campaign has been significant. most impressive, with wins at Iowa Speedway and Pocono Raceway for seven top 5s and 11 top 10s in 26 wins, the top 5 and their win totals each coming within one point of their 2023 numbers with 10 races to go to run this year.
“I said a few months ago that I thought our group was in a great position,” Blaney said Wednesday during Cup Series Playoffs media day. “Mentally, in terms of performance, whether it’s in the pit lane or on the track, I feel like we’re really good.
I think this time last year we were digging to figure out how we were going to perform the way we needed to because we were a little behind. And this year, I think we’re in a much better position. So I hope we can continue to keep the same pace and learn at the pace we have had for the last few months.”But yes, this group is in a much better position.
I think that we in general – as ‘and a Penske team as a whole, we are also in a much better position. So we hope that all that means a lot for our three cars and 21 (Harrison Burton) to have a good race the team is a target. With the trophy still in the hands of Group No. 12, Blaney wants his competitors to fear him as a threat to win every week. my guys: I want to scare all the other teams,” he said.
“I want you to be so good that everyone is nervous for us when we download. That’s the kind of mentality that we tried to have because I think it’s a great mentality for everyone in the team. You want everyone to worry about you because you can be very dangerous , and I think we really are.”
This outward toughness is not something Blaney has shown before his championship. But with a title in his pocket, the 30-year-old proved he could climb the mountain, changing his outlook by returning to the play-offs a year later.
“I definitely think you have more confidence to try to come back to Phoenix,” Blaney said. “It’s not as simple as ‘do what you did last year.’ of confidence like , hey, we know we can do it there before, and now we try to find a way to do it again and take all the challenges that will be thrown at you and use your experience to your advantage. “So hopefully we can bring back the same intensity we had in the playoffs last year.”Joey Logano has been Blaney’s teammate since 2018.
The Blaney you see today is not the same Blaney that he saw a season ago.« Yes, he is a different person – in a good way, not a bad way, “said Logano, champion in 2018 and 2022. “It’s not like he went crazy or something. He’s still a good guy, but you can tell in the last couple of years he’s become more confident, not only off the track, but you see him on the track , where he runs after the races, and all that kind of stuff, right? That’s why he won the championship last year.” He can do all that.
“I mean, it’s part of the experience. This is something that takes time to learn and do. But yes, it grew. Our little Ryan has grown so much.
”I want to scare every other team” Ryan Blaney has proven he can climb the mountain, changing his perspective by coming back to the playoffs one year later.
