Bob Pockrass
FOX NASCAR Insider
After Ryan Blaney received the NASCAR Cup Series title final 12 months, his father had the concept to construct a trophy case to offer to his son.
His father, an professional pilot in his personal proper, nonetheless has the trophy and might construct the suitcase, however…
“He hasn’t even began,” Blaney mentioned. “And his excuse is, ‘I must know if I construct one or two?’
“Well, that is an excellent excuse.”
Dave Blaney would possibly even wait just a few extra days earlier than beginning.
Ryan Blaney will attempt to grow to be the primary Cup driver to win back-to-back titles within the elimination playoff period (which started in 2014) as he battles Tyler Reddick, Joey Logano and William Byron for the 2024 Cup championship Sunday at Phoenix Raceway. The driver among the many 4 who manages to acquire one of the best end result within the subject of 40 vehicles will end as champion.
“It’s one thing that is actually troublesome to do in any sport, to return,” Blaney mentioned.
“You need to carry out two years in a row – you and your crew have to do this and have an ideal end to the 12 months. It’s actually troublesome. We have a really distinctive alternative to attempt to change this (stat), and we hope to carry our higher issues and go for it.”
The Team Penske driver believes he had a greater season than final 12 months, however this 12 months he had seven races through which he failed to complete, so his stats do not present how a lot velocity his vehicles had all through the season. ’12 months.
“We had a greater 12 months total than final 12 months, and perhaps it did not present as a result of I had numerous accidents this 12 months,” Blaney mentioned. “No one does. I really feel like we as a gaggle are loads stronger than the place we had been in 2023. … I have a look at final 12 months, we caught hearth at an excellent time, proper earlier than the playoffs.
“This 12 months, I really feel like we have been nice all 12 months and we have gotten even higher all year long.”
In that championship run a 12 months in the past, Blaney received at Martinsville, per week earlier than Phoenix, giving him additional momentum within the championship chase, the place he positioned second total and first among the many 4 finishers.
Blaney, who had by no means superior to Champ 4 till final 12 months, as soon as once more goes to Phoenix after successful at Martinsville – in even a bit extra dramatic style provided that this time he needed to win at Martinsville to have any probability to advance.
So simply making it to Champ 4 in consecutive years is an accomplishment (solely Blaney and Byron made it to Champ 4 final 12 months among the many 2024 finalists).
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Now that he is there, Blaney ought to really feel like he has an excellent probability. He has completed within the high 5 in six consecutive races at Phoenix and has a median working place of 5.6 in his final eight races at Phoenix.
“Doing it again to again, having just about the identical group of fellows that I had final 12 months on the automotive, it simply reveals the energy of everybody working collectively and being a household collectively,” Blaney mentioned of the potential achievement a feat that hadn’t been achieved since Jimmie Johnson received 5 consecutive titles from 2006 to 2010.
“This is a extremely sturdy group. We’ve achieved this two years in a row. It’s an enormous endeavor, so it will undoubtedly be a bit extra particular.”
Logano, Blaney’s teammate on Team Penske, received titles in 2018 and 2022 and did not even make it to the Champ 4 spherical the next 12 months. He is aware of how troublesome it’s to repeat himself.
“The contestants are nearer than ever,” Logano mentioned. “There is now not a transparent benefit in race groups as there as soon as was, or not as a lot – when you concentrate on the outdated automotive, you’d have perhaps 12 vehicles able to successful each weekend.
“Now you have got 25 vehicles that may win on any given weekend. Maybe extra. So this simply places extra vehicles able to win, making it tougher to win. You haven’t got guys successful eight, 9. There’s no extra 10 races in a 12 months.”
Blaney has received three races this 12 months. He in all probability feels it ought to have been no less than 4 if no more given he missed some shut finishes after which could not maintain off a hard-charging Reddick within the high lane at Homestead the week earlier than Martinsville.
Having a championship already has helped Blaney take care of the Homestead disappointment in having the boldness to bounce again and carry out on the highest degree in a must-win scenario.
“I had nobody to be disillusioned in aside from myself,” Blaney mentioned. “It’s 100% my fault for dropping Miami by making the flawed choice on the final lap of the race.”
Blaney hopes he has gotten the dangerous choices out of his system and might make all the suitable ones on Sunday.
If so, his dad will know he can begin constructing an even bigger trophy case. Unless you’re feeling the necessity to wait one other 12 months.
“That could be exaggerating,” Blaney mentioned, laughing when requested in regards to the trophy case. “Let’s end the 2 now (if we win) and fear in regards to the different one.”
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports. He spent many years protecting motorsports, together with greater than 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting News, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Beach) News-Journal. Follow him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
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