Over the last two seasons, Ryan Blaney has left it late to punch his way into the Cup Series finale. But in 2025, that could prove difficult, with the upcoming race at Talladega posing a challenge that could keep him up at night.
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Blaney loves Martinsville. It is where the Xfinity 500 will take place, and over the last two seasons, he has used that track as his golden ticket to the Championship 4. While he went on to seize the 2023 title, last season he had to settle for second, finishing behind teammate Joey Logano at Phoenix. Interestingly, in the third-to-last races of both seasons, Blaney finished runner-up at Homestead-Miami, scoring 53 and 48 points, respectively.
This year, though, the landscape is slightly different. The race before Martinsville takes place at Talladega, a track that has often been feast or famine for the 2023 Cup champion.
Blaney’s average finish there stands at 16.9, and his last three outings haven’t been kind. After starting ninth in this spring’s Talladega race, he ended up 37th, and in last year’s YellaWood 500, he started fifth but limped home 39th.
Blaney, however, is taking it all positively, despite his poor showing in Las Vegas last weekend. Speaking to Bob Pockrass in a recent media Zoom session, the Team Penske driver downplayed any sense of panic heading into the superspeedway showdown. “It’s, you know, things where we are on points, but… Yeah, we still got two races left, and I don’t personally think that we are in a must-win quite yet,” he said.
“Talladega, you never know what can happen, you could go have a massive point stage, be sure to win, but maybe a couple other guys don’t have as good a point stays and you go into Martinsville maybe in a spot where it’s you could maybe point your way in if you have another good day with shot of winning. So, our prep is really no different. It’s how do we try to be efficient through the stages and gather up all the stage points,” Blaney added.
Ryan Blaney said during a media zoom today that there was nothing conclusive on what caused the tire to blow at Las Vegas. And he doesn’t feel he enters Talladega in a must-win situation. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/MLjgcO8bmk
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 15, 2025
The 31-year-old understands, though, that the situation could flip on its head quickly. If the opening stages don’t go their way, the #12 team may find itself staring down a must-win scenario. But for now, it’s business as usual in the Team Penske camp. Their plan is straightforward: stack points where they can and chase the checkered flag when it counts.
Although he is carrying a calm demeanor, the #12 driver will enter Talladega sitting eighth among the playoff contenders, 31 points below the cut line, a precarious position that leaves no room for error.
