Although Austin Dillon intends to lend a hand at Daytona to RCR teammate and fellow Chevrolet driver Kyle Busch in his must-win playoff bid, the 2023 NASCAR Cup champion, Ryan Blaney, admits he will take a self-serving approach in the final race of the regular season.
Advertisement
Just 25 points behind Chase Elliott for second in the regular season standings, Blaney believes he can leapfrog the No. 9 driver at Daytona this weekend. The Team Penske ace acknowledged that climbing to second has been a major focus this week, calling it a considerable gain that would bring critical playoff bonus points as the field heads into the postseason. Considering the string of DNFs his team has endured, Blaney said it is remarkable they still sit fifth.
For him, that speaks volumes about their overall performance, and having a legitimate chance at second is, in his words, “really, really strong,” making it well within reach. He plans to keep a close eye on the drivers around him at various points throughout the stages and then, in the final stage, position himself to chase the win while maximizing stage points along the way.
When pressed on balancing his duty as a Ford driver to assist RFK Racing or other Ford-affiliated teams against his own goal to win, Blaney was unequivocal.
“If I have the chance to go win, I’m gonna go win the race. I’m not gonna lay over for, I know their fellow Fords, whether it’s Front Row or RFK, I’m not gonna lay over for them to win the race and get in when I have a shot to win the race.”
He added, “I’m gonna race them hard like normal, but I’m also gonna help them in situations like normal. If it also can benefit me and I also tag along to Brad (Keselowski) or Ryan (Preece) or Chris (Buescher) or somebody, I’m gonna go with you because that’s normal and you’re also helping a Ford and you’re also helping yourself. But if I have a shot to win, I’m gonna take me over them because you’re in this to do what’s best for you.”
However, although Ryan Blaney is determined to finish well in the last race before the playoffs begin, Daytona has often been unkind to Blaney. Though he finished seventh in this year’s Daytona 500, his average finish at the track sits at 19.1 across 20 starts, with just one victory. By the numbers, it remains one of his toughest venues. It remains to be seen how well he fares this Saturday.
