Tag: Ryan Blaney

Blaney takes his place among Penske’s elite

Ryan Blaney is no longer the other Team Penske driver. In his eighth full season as a NASCAR Cup series driver, Blaney is now a champion. It wasn’t so much about how much time had already come and gone in Blaney’s career, but the organization he …

Ryan Blaney is no longer the other Team Penske driver.

In his eighth full season as a NASCAR Cup series driver, Blaney is now a champion. It wasn’t so much about how much time had already come and gone in Blaney’s career, but the organization he drives for and the teammates he’s stacked up against.

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Blaney was always the third guy in the Penske lineup behind Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano. Keselowski was a champion, Logano has two championships. Both drivers are consistent winners in the Cup series, averaging two or three wins a season, with multiple appearances in the Championship 4.

It hasn’t been the same for Blaney. Although the weight may  have shifted to Austin Cindric, who replaced Brad Keselowski last season, it wasn’t until 2021 that Blaney won multiple races in a season, and it wasn’t until this year that he finally advanced out of the Round of 8 (in his fifth attempt) in the postseason.

“I think when you go back and he came on board, he came up running in Xfinity for some races, won championships and he was the third driver,” Roger Penske said. “When you look at Brad and you look at Joey, they were very complimentary to him and supported him, and I think the fact Brad came up here on the podium…

“They’re all champions. We try to run our business very flat. You might be No. 3 coming through the door, but on race day or in the business, we’re all the same. I think that’s where he is today. Joey has taken over when Brad moved on as the senior guy. I think you’ve seen that. We’re working with Harrison [Burton] and working with Cindric. I think this is all part of it.

“But I don’t want to have a one-two-three-four (pecking order), quite honestly. I want to have all ones, and I think he’s one of those.”

There is a meme often used on social media that mirrors Blaney’s Cup Series career until the 2023 postseason. It uses an illustration from the webcomic White Ninja, which is holding a long stick to poke at whatever has been photoshopped into the picture with the phrase, “C’mon, do something.”

Blaney was that meme. For years many have been waiting for him to do something championship-worthy and to the caliber of a Penske driver. Blaney fans have waited for him to bust out and start contending for wins on a weekly basis and then translate that into regular trips to victory lane.

Blaney, for a long time was in the shadow of champion teammates Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. Motorsport Images

There has always been hype around Blaney and his potential, but the numbers haven’t always reflected the noise. In his first five full seasons (three of which were in-house at Team Penske), he won a single race each season. He didn’t finish higher than seventh in the championship standings.

Not only does Blaney no longer have to face questions about trying to advance out of the Round of 8, but he’s already taken care of claiming a championship. Some of Blaney’s peers have made the final round time and time again and come away empty-handed.

“Yeah, (it’s) out of the way,” he said with a smile. “No, it’s nice to make our first final four; obviously that was the main goal this year, something we haven’t done. To achieve that last week, it’s like, all right, great, that’s awesome, check that one off. It’s just a double whammy that we get to come here and win the championship, as well.

“[I’m] super-proud of everybody. It all happened, gosh, was it Chase [Elliott] and Kyle [Larson] doing the same thing – their first Champ 4, they won the championship? I think they did. It’s nice to come here and be one for one. Hopefully, we can continue to build off this and be able to have more shots here at Phoenix where we can contend as well.”

It won’t be remembered as a dream season for Blaney, but it had a dream ending. He and the No. 12 team peaked at the right time after getting into the semifinals of the playoffs. The last two weeks of the season were all about Blaney, and he performed like a champion at Martinsville Speedway with a clutch win – coming from 13th – and driving with passion and determination at Phoenix Raceway.

Blaney executed behind the wheel. He closed the deal. Over the years, there have been races and opportunities that got away. It was easy to criticize him for appearing to be too nice, or to argue that he simply didn’t get the job done when the wheel was in his hands.

None of that can be said now. And as a Cup Series champion, no more can Blaney be overlooked on track or at Team Penske.

“I don’t really think it matters to me very much,” Blaney said of his place. “(Roger) has always done an amazing job of there’s not like a No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 driver, right? But personally, as a driver, when you’re not winning as many races as Brad and Joey when I came into it, you feel like that. The No. 3 driver or No. 2 driver now. That’s just like a personal mindset that drivers get.

“Now I think Joey has two, I have one. So, it’s like, still a half a percent down of him. No, we have a great group over there. Joey has been fantastic to work with and Austin is awesome. Harrison is fantastic, as well.

“I just enjoy driving for amazing people like Team Penske folks and Mr. Penske, Walter [Czarnecki], Bud Denker, Jonathan Gibson, Tim Cindric, Mike Nelson. They’re all amazing to me. It’s just fun to be there. I really couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else. They’ve been fantastic with me for over 10 years and hopefully, I get to spend another at least 10 more over there.”

‘I know he’s mad and I don’t care’ – Chastain on Blaney battle

Ross Chastain was aware of the NASCAR championship fight but didn’t care to concede a race win. Ryan Blaney didn’t care for how Chastain was driving because he was trying to ride and hide for his championship rivals. The difference in philosophies …

Ross Chastain was aware of the NASCAR championship fight but didn’t care to concede a race win. Ryan Blaney didn’t care for how Chastain was driving because he was trying to ride and hide for his championship rivals.

The difference in philosophies led to a few tense moments past the lap 250 mark on Sunday at Phoenix Raceway as the two battled and traded the lead. Chastain drove hard and clean but used the air to his advantage. Blaney expressed his growing frustration with Chastain over his radio, and at one point drove deep into Turns 1 and 2 and ran into the back of the Trackhouse Racing driver.

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“I was not going to crash him,” Chastain said. “I was not going to use my front bumper, side fenders, anything. Dirty air? Different story. Yeah, I’m going to. I’m going to keep the lead because that’s everything.

“Before the second to last run, I thought we had him covered. Coming to the end of Stage 2, the 17 (Chris Buescher) drove by me, made some adjustments, (and) got too loose. We were too tight, too loose, too tight again when Blaney and the 19 (Martin Truex Jr.) right there when the last caution came out. I asked Phil [Surgen] and our group to please let me turn better, make the car turn better without giving up any rear grip.

“I know he’s mad and I don’t care. I do not care. I did not care then; I do not care now. I’m here to race him. I’m not going to wreck him. I gave him the bottom most times. One time I was inside of him after he got by me, I crossed back over into (Turn) 3 and I made sure to wrap the bottom. I’m not going to slide up and pinch him at all. It’s in my mind the entire time, for sure.”

Chastain led a race-high 157 laps. He took the lead for the final time with 29 laps to go, two laps after the race restarted for the final time. Blaney finished second in the race and won the championship. Down the stretch, Chastain went unchallenged as Blaney worked his way past fellow title contenders Kyle Larson and William Byron.

But Blaney had already made it clear how he felt about Chastain. Over the radio, Blaney called him a “piece of (expletive)” and “air blocking mother (expletive).” And according to Chastain, there might have been a middle finger used, too.

“There’s no secret that I can snap on the radio,” Blaney said. “That’s been my whole life. That’s been my whole career. It’s just kind of something I do. The fact that Ross said I raced him hard, the dude blocked three lanes in the corner of every lap. I don’t know how I’m racing him hard.

“When you look in the mirror going left, right, left, following wherever I go, I don’t understand how he thinks I’m racing him hard. He’s backing me up to (Larson). I have to go. He’s backing me up to Larson to where I’m going to be in trouble.”

There was no denial from Blaney that he ran into the back of Chastain on purpose.

“(Expletive) right I hit him on purpose,” Blaney said. “He blocked me on purpose 10 times. So, yeah, I hit him on purpose. What do you expect me to do? He’s backing me up to the other championship guy and I got to go.

“We were just racing hard. But do I think he was over-excessive on the blocks? Yes, very much so. Did I hit him? Yes, I did. That’s just part of it.”

Chastain became the first non-championship contender to win the finale in the elimination era (2014 to present). In doing so, Chastain bucked the trend and perception that the championship contenders are given more space and guaranteed positions.

“I’m proud that we won,” Chastain said. “I watched practice back [on] Saturday morning. I heard Dale Earnhardt Jr. say, ‘Ross will be one, get up and race these guys.’ I paused it and I’m like, ‘Would I do that? I don’t know. That seems kind of aggressive.’ I clicked it. I didn’t really have an answer for myself. I asked myself, would I race them? I was like, I’ll race ’em. He’s like, ‘He’s going to race ’em aggressive, he’s going to do it. If there is anybody that will do it, he’ll do it.’ Whatever he said.

“Then I got out there and I was like, I’m doing it, I am racing them. The difference was I’m not going to use my front bumper, front fenders, side. I’m not going to pinch them up into the wall. I didn’t mean to fence Larson at Darlington, but I did it. I was not going to do that. I was not going to drive into the corner.

“When he cleared me down into (Turn) 1, I’m not going to try to make it anything other than cross him over and do it clean, have leverage into (Turn) 3, wrap the bottom. It worked. I was like, holy cow. He passed me, he’s faster, but I got right back by him. I don’t think he led the lap.

“In my mind the whole time, proud of the precision driving we all did. The only contact was him just in a moment of anger throttling up in (Turns) 1 and 2 and drive square up into my back bumper. Other than that, no contact. That’s what I’m here to do.”

Ryan Blaney talks about winning the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series title

Ryan Blaney talks about winning his first career NASCAR Cup Series championship at Phoenix Raceway in 2023.

[autotag]Ryan Blaney[/autotag] didn’t have a great regular season but none of that mattered when it was time for the NASCAR playoffs. Blaney and the No. 12 team were the best combination throughout the 10-race stretch with two wins and a NASCAR Cup Series championship. The Team Penske driver finished in second place during the final race but that’s all he needed for the title.

Now, Blaney can call himself a champion at the highest level of NASCAR. Following the race, Blaney talked about winning his first Cup Series title as it represented an emotional moment. Team Penske has now won back-to-back titles.

“Just so proud of this team,” Blaney said. “Unbelievable year, unbelievable Playoffs for us. To win back-to-back Cup titles for Mr. Penske, that’s so special. Having my family here, winning my first Cup title, I got emotional in the car. I’m not a very emotional guy. Thank you, guys, for coming. Hope it was an awesome show.”

“Appreciate Menards/Dutch Boy, Ford, Wurth, Advance Auto Parts, BODYARMOR, Dex Imaging, Wabash, everybody that makes this possible. John Menard is here, so cool to get him a championship. Can’t wait to celebrate with my guys.”

Some may question whether Blaney is a deserving champion but he absolutely remains worthy of such an accomplishment. Blaney may not be the best statistical champion ever; however, his performances over the last month of the 2023 season were very impressive. Impressive enough to where it paid off with a Cup Series championship.

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Blaney powers to first Cup Series title, Chastain wins at Phoenix

For the first time in 10 years of the elimination Playoff format, the NASCAR Cup Series champion failed to win the title race-not that it mattered one bit to 2023 champion Ryan Blaney. When he took the checkered flag in second place in the NASCAR …

For the first time in 10 years of the elimination Playoff format, the NASCAR Cup Series champion failed to win the title race—not that it mattered one bit to 2023 champion Ryan Blaney.

When he took the checkered flag in second place in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race, the driver of the No. 12 Ford gave Team Penske its second straight title in NASCAR’s premier series and gave Ford a sweep of Championship Weekend at Phoenix Raceway.

Oh, and as Blaney was pulling away from Kyle Larson and William Byron over a 31-lap green-flag run to the finish to claim his first Cup championship on Sunday, Ross Chastain secured his second victory of the season.

In a fierce battle for the title against 2021 champion Kyle Larson, Blaney edged ahead of the Hendrick Motorsports driver on lap 292 and secured second place behind Chastain, who grabbed the top spot from Denny Hamlin after a restart on lap 282.

 

Chastain crossed the finish line 1.230s ahead of Blaney, whose elation wasn’t dulled one iota by the runner-up result—given the bigger prize he won by finishing second.

“Unbelievable year, unbelievable Playoffs for us,” said Blaney, who won last week at Martinsville to advance to the Championship 4 with Larson, Byron and Christopher Bell. “To win back-to-back Cup titles for (team owner Roger) Penske, that’s so special. Having my family here, winning my first Cup title, I got emotional in the car. I’m not a very emotional guy.

“You never want to count yourself out. I mean, I think in the summer we were struggling a little bit, but we never gave up. We just went to work. I’ve said that all week, like, this group goes to work, and they figure out problems. That’s why they’re such an amazing group to be with, with the Team Penske folks, ’cause they just put their head down and do the work, accept the challenge.”

Bell fell out of the race on lap 108, but Blaney, Larson and Byron came home second, third and fourth. Blaney’s margin over Larson at the finish was 2.243s. Though Larson beat Blaney off pit road during the final caution for Kyle Busch’s spin in Turn 3 on lap 275, Larson couldn’t hold off Blaney’s superior car.

“Yeah, his car was really fast,” Larson acknowledged. “Really the last few months. Yeah, especially here today. Our pit crew and pit road really kept us in the game. We weren’t the greatest on the track, but I was just hoping for pit stops ’cause I knew the way our team executed… the way our pit crew can execute a fast pit stop, I knew that was going to be our only shot really to win.

“They did everything in their power to give us the winning job done there. Huge thank you to them. I needed to come out the leader on that restart. Ross got a really good start from the second row. Was hoping I could get clear of Denny and get the lead, have Ross kind of protect for me behind me.

“I’m not sure if it would have made a difference.”

Byron took off from the pole position and won the first 60-lap stage wire-to-wire but not without a challenge from third-place starter Kevin Harvick and a charge from Chastain, who was eighth on the grid to start the race.

Over the final three laps of the stage, Byron used the high line through the corners to hold off Harvick, who finished second. Chastain was third after 60 laps, 0.584s behind the stage winner at the green/checkered flag.

First off pit road from stall one, Byron opened a lead of more than a second after the break. Larson, Blaney and Bell all improved their positions on pit road and soon were running fourth, fifth and sixth with Byron in the lead and Harvick and Chastain in front of them.

On lap 86, Bell made a deft pass of Blaney for fifth. Lap 93 brought a dramatic change at the front of the field, as Harvick surged to the outside of Byron in Turns 1 and 2 and cleared him down the backstretch. Byron dropped another spot to Chastain and traded third with Blaney, who secured the position on lap 107.

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“Once the track rubbered in, we got really tight,” Byron said. “Especially when we lost the lead on track, we just had a big balance shift and got tight back in second through fifth, just couldn’t gain a lot of speed through [Turns] 1 and 2, just kind of having to really over-slow the car, get it to the bottom.

“That’s all we had there.”

On lap 108, Bell’s race fell apart. Complaining of brake issues, he crashed hard into the outside wall in Turn 3 when his right front rotor exploded and was eliminated from the race in 36th place, leaving Blaney, Byron and Larson to battle for the championship.

“Well, I mean that was my first time I’ve ever exploded a rotor in my career,” Bell said after a mandatory trip to the infield care center. “So, yeah, I was surprised, but early on in the race I had a little bit of brake fade, and the second run it just kept getting worse and worse. I don’t know. Just obviously a disappointing way to end.

“It stings to not have a shot at the end of it, obviously. We were all four really close, and we all four showed strengths at different times.”

Bell’s accident caused the second caution and provided a welcome opportunity for pit stops and adjustments. After the subsequent restart on lap 117, Chastain passed Harvick for the lead and stayed out front for 54 consecutive laps until Buescher passed him for the top spot on lap 171.

Buescher pulled away to win the second stage, which ended on lap 185. Byron finished fourth and held the edge in the championship battle over Blaney in sixth and Larson in seventh.

As the laps counted down, however, the race came to Blaney.

Chastain led a race-high 157 laps to 95 for Byron. Harvick finished seventh after leading 23 laps in his final season as a full-time driver NASCAR Cup Series driver.

“We built a team here at Stewart-Haas Racing,” Harvick said. “We built so many things from the bottom up. I think the hard work is something that people recognize. As you guys have seen through the week, I’m a pretty emotional person. I’ve just done a really good job of hiding that.”

For his part, Chastain enjoyed competing against Harvick in his final race almost as much as he enjoyed winning.

“Racing him early in the race was bucket list, little kid in me,” said Chastain who won for the first time at Phoenix and the fourth time in his career. “Racing that 2005 (NASCAR) game, I drove as the No. 29 GM Goodwrench car (Harvick’s first Cup car with Richard Childress Racing). Now I’m driving a Chevy for GM to Victory Lane, a Camaro.

“I am beside myself that we were able to do that. That last caution we were really tight. It saved us. (Crew chief) Phil Surgen and this group at Trackhouse, all of our GM support staff, sim staff, everybody came up with a way to make this thing turn, and we drove off into the sunset.”

RESULTS

Ryan Blaney wins the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series championship at Phoenix

Ryan Blaney has won the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series championship at Phoenix Raceway! This is Blaney’s first career Cup Series title.

The 2023 NASCAR season has come to a conclusion and there is a new Cup Series champion. Team Penske driver [autotag]Ryan Blaney[/autotag] passed Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson with 20 laps to go and pulled away for the remainder of the event. Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain won the race as a non-Championship 4 driver wins the final race for the first time.

Team Penske has now won two straight Cup Series titles with Joey Logano winning it during the 2022 NASCAR season. The driver of the No. 12 car now joins a prestigious list of Team Penske champions after peaking at the right time of the year. Blaney finished the season with three victories but didn’t need to win at Phoenix Raceway to clinch a title.

As for the other Championship 4 competitors, Larson finished in 3rd place, William Byron ended in 4th place, and Christopher Bell crashed out with a blown brake rotor for a 36th-place finish. Ford has swept the 2022 NASCAR season with Ben Rhodes winning the Truck Series championship while Cole Custer clinched the Xfinity Series title during the weekend.

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Championship 4 berth shows Blaney has ‘paid his dues,’ says Team Penske’s Czarnecki

Ryan Blaney is headed to the championship race for the first time in his NASCAR Cup Series career, and Team Penske is already drawing strength from his breakthrough. “I think you used the operative term there – ‘breakthrough,'” said Walt Czarnecki, …

Ryan Blaney is headed to the championship race for the first time in his NASCAR Cup Series career, and Team Penske is already drawing strength from his breakthrough.

“I think you used the operative term there — ‘breakthrough,’” said Walt Czarnecki, executive vice president of Team Penske. “Clearly a breakthrough. It’s given him the self-confidence. I looked at something the other day that said he’s been in the final eight four times previously, but he never entered the last elimination race above the cutline. That happened this year.

“That was part of that confidence building. Of course, to win at Martinsville really put him over the top.”

Blaney entered last Sunday’s elimination race 10 points above the cutline. It was his fifth attempt at transferring into the Championship 4 and this time, he had a car fast enough to do so. In the race’s final stint, Blaney drove from 13th place to the race win, which was his first on a short track.

“I had several people comment to me about his demeanor after the race in the interviews, on the stage and the rest,” Czarnecki said. “Someone said, ‘He looks like a champion.’ He really did.”

Blaney seemed to be the third-best Team Penske driver behind teammate Joey Logano and former teammate Brad Keselowski. Not only did they win on a more regular basis, but competed for the championship, too.

Logano is a two-time series champion with five appearances in the title race. Keselowski, the 2012 champion, made two appearances.

This season, Blaney is the winningest Team Penske driver over Logano (one victory) and sophomore Austin Cindric (winless). Blaney is the lone Team Penske driver in the championship race; Cindric did not earn a postseason berth, and Logano was eliminated in the first round.

“He’s paid his dues, and if he wins this championship on Sunday, he will have paid his dues with a flourish,” Czarnecki said of Blaney now having the resume of a championship contender for the organization. “Joey being the senior person, Joey is still a great source of stability, information, assurance to both Austin and Ryan. He’s been a great aid to both of them.

“But I think you’re right — if he wins this championship and even if he doesn’t, the fact that he’s gotten to this point is really important for his future.”

5 things to know about NASCAR’s Championship 4 drivers before season finale at Phoenix

Who will be the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion?

After about nine months and 35 races since the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season began back in February, it all comes down to Sunday’s championship event at Phoenix Raceway.

Surviving the first nine races of the playoffs and edging out the other 12 title contenders, four drivers — Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, William Byron and Christopher Bell — will compete on the one-mile Arizona track for the 2023 championship.

The final four drivers represent three different teams and manufacturers with Larson and Byron competing in Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolets, while Blaney is in a Team Penske Ford and Bell a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

So ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series championship race Sunday at Phoenix (3 p.m. ET, NBC), here are five things to know about the Championship 4 drivers.

Why Ryan Blaney will win the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series championship

Ryan Blaney’s breakout season has come down to Phoenix. Find out why Blaney will win the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series championship!

[autotag]Ryan Blaney[/autotag] left the opening Round of 8 race with the mindset that he needed to win if he wanted to compete for a NASCAR Cup Series championship. Well, Blaney accomplished just that at Martinsville Speedway as he finally conquered the venue en route to his first career Championship 4 appearance.

Right now, the driver of the No. 12 car for Team Penske has the most momentum of any competitor in the field. Blaney has two straight top-2 finishes and wants to close out the year with two straight victories.

Here, we go through three reasons why Blaney will win the 2023 Cup Series championship at Phoenix this weekend.

Who will be the 2023 NASCAR Cup champion?

This is probably not the last four drivers many had standing in the NASCAR Cup series postseason, or even a combination of some of them. But here we are in a Hendrick Motorsports versus Joe Gibbs Racing versus Team Penske battle, and it doesn’t …

This is probably not the last four drivers many had standing in the NASCAR Cup series postseason, or even a combination of some of them.

But here we are in a Hendrick Motorsports versus Joe Gibbs Racing versus Team Penske battle, and it doesn’t include the names Chase Elliott, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., or Joey Logano.

The 2023 edition of the Championship 4 is not the sexiest, flashiest, most experienced or even the most quote-worthy. These four, however, represent the future of NASCAR for years to come, and they’ve put together respectable, but different kinds of seasons that still landed them all here.

Kyle Larson is the only previous champion in the bunch. He could become just the third driver to win multiple titles under the elimination format and at 31 years old, he’s the oldest of the bunch.

Christopher Bell, 28, is making a repeat trip to the Championships 4. How many playoff brackets had Bell as the lone representative for Joe Gibbs Racing?

William Byron has dominated the season and, at 25 years old, is experiencing his first championship battle. Byron returns to Phoenix as its most recent winner.

And then there’s 29-year-old Ryan Blaney, who has given Ford a chance to win a championship in one of its toughest seasons. Blaney, who bucks the stock car trend in not doing celebration burnouts, has reached the promised land in his eighth attempt.

Here is more on the drivers who will compete to be the next NASCAR Cup series champion:

Larson is the only previous champion in the final four. Nigel Kinrade/Motorsport Images

Kyle Larson, Hendrick Motorsports No. 5

Wins: 4 (Richmond I; Martinsville I; Darlington II; Las Vegas II)
Laps led: 1,127
Top 10 finishes: 17
Finishes in the playoffs: First, fourth, second, 31st, 15th, 13th, first, 34th, sixth
Championship 4 appearances: 2 (2021; 2023)

Larson clinched his spot with a victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the first race in the third round. It will be the first time Larson has been among the Championship 4 since winning his first championship in 2021. His other two finishes in the round were 34th at Homestead-Miami Speedway (when he arguably had the best car) and a quiet sixth-place finish at Martinsville Speedway.

It was pretty smooth sailing for Larson & Co. in the playoffs. Larson won the opening race of the playoffs, Darlington, to immediately clinch his spot in the second round. In the first round, Larson finished no worse than fourth. Although his numbers in the second round weren’t as pretty (his average finish was 19.6), it never felt like Larson was in a perilous position of not advancing.

Larson’s season has been solid but not without inconsistencies. During the regular season, Larson won twice in the first 10 races but also had four DNFs in that span. Of his eight DNFs, six came in the regular season. But no matter how far off the No. 5 team might be one weekend, there should never be any panic about the wheels completely coming off when Cliff Daniels is at the helm. Once the postseason started, Larson and his team have looked like the championship contenders they’re expected to be.

Bell is making his second consecutive final four appearance. Lesley Ann Miller/Motorsport Images

Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs Racing No. 20

Wins: 2 (Bristol dirt; Homestead-Miami)
Laps led: 599
Top 10 finishes: 19
Finishes in the playoffs: 23rd, eighth, third, fourth, 14th, 15th, second, first, seventh
Championship 4 appearances: 2 (2022; 2023)

Bell and his team have dug deep all year to perform and it’s brought them to the championship race once more. Multiple times during the regular season, Bell spoke of the potential the team was capable of but how they weren’t showing it. Mistakes. Misfortune. Just not being fast enough.

A victory on the Bristol dirt clinched Bell’s spot in the postseason and at one time, sat as high as second in the championship standings. Bell’s playoffs got off to a rocky start with issues on pit road and Bell making his share on the racetrack. But by the time the Round of 8 came around, it seemed everyone was settled and ready to take the next step.

Las Vegas was nearly flawless for the team as Bell won the pole and finished second. It went as well as it could have, being one spot short. Homestead-Miami Speedway, where Bell won, was the best example of how much they’ve dug deep this year. Bell drove with determination, the team did their jobs on pit road and got the car where it needed to be after early adjustments took them in the wrong direction.

The 28-year-old is quickly becoming one of the best the Cup series has to offer and by stacking up appearances in the championship round, seems well on the way to becoming a champion. Perhaps sooner rather than later in his career.

Byron is the youngest driver in the final four. Motorsport Images

William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports No. 24

Wins: 6 (Las Vegas; Phoenix; Darlington; Atlanta II; Watkins Glen; Texas)
Laps led: 921
Top 10 finishes: 20
Finishes in the playoffs: Fourth, 15th, ninth, first, second, second, seventh, fourth, 13th
Championship 4 appearances: 1 (2023)

Byron, Rudy Fugle and the No. 24 team have been the best all season long. Byron leads the series in victories, top-10 finishes and is tied with two other drivers (Larson and Denny Hamlin) for the most top-five finishes. Their victories have come on every type of racetrack.

It is fitting and satisfying that the No. 1 seed in the postseason is racing for a championship. Byron had an incredible first two rounds with an average finish of 5.5 and after two top-10 finishes in the first two races of the third round, it seemed like Martinsville Speedway should have just been a formality with a 30-point advantage.

Instead, Byron and his team showed what they are capable of with one of his most impressive drives in the series. Byron battled his car and his body to reach the finish, while Fugle kept this driver in the game, and the team did what they needed to do on pit road. It wasn’t pretty, but the playoffs are about surviving and advancing, and they did when put in that position.

Competing for the championship is the next step in Byron’s career. Since being paired with Fugle, the two have continued to knock down different milestones, from how far they’ve gone in the postseason to how many races they’ve won in a season. Now they have an opportunity to cap off what has already been a career year.

Blaney heads to Phoenix with momentum on his side. John Harrelson/Motorsport Images

Ryan Blaney, Team Penske No. 12

Wins: 3 (Charlotte; Talladega II; Martinsville II)
Laps led: 560
Top-10 finishes: 17
Finishes in the playoffs: Ninth, 12th, 22nd, 28th, first, 12th, sixth, second, first
Championship 4 appearances: 1 (2023)

Until Austin Cindric was moved into the Cup series last season, Ryan Blaney had always been “the other Penske driver.” Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski were champions with multiple appearances in the Championship 4, while Blaney could never seem to get over the hump and played the wingman to his more accomplished teammates.

Blaney was there but never really championship-relevant.

Finally, Blaney has broken through the ceiling, and he did so with a great third round of the postseason that made it hard to write him off. Blaney’s average finish was third in the Round of 8 with speed, execution, and a solid pit crew doing their part. Sunday at Martinsville Speedway was a masterclass and a bit unexpected, considering that Blaney has gone there in the Round of 8 before and left disappointed.

Momentum is real and it’s on Blaney’s side. The No. 12 team has to be feeling dangerous, having made it this far and the way they’ve been running. Also, don’t forget Blaney felt he had the best car in the finale at Phoenix last year but played the bridesmaid … to teammate Logano’s championship effort. But now, it’s finally all eyes on Blaney.

Blaney wins his way into Championship 4 at Martinsville

Ryan Blaney did what Denny Hamlin couldn’t do in Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway. As a result, Blaney will race for the NASCAR Cup Series championship next Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, and Hamlin exits the Playoffs after a hard-luck …

Ryan Blaney did what Denny Hamlin couldn’t do in Sunday’s Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

As a result, Blaney will race for the NASCAR Cup Series championship next Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, and Hamlin exits the Playoffs after a hard-luck Round of 8.

During a 168-lap green-flag run to the finish, Blaney tracked down Aric Almirola and passed him for the lead on lap 478 of 500. Twenty-two laps later, Blaney took the checkered flag 0.899s ahead of Almirola to earn advancement to the Championship 4 race.

 

Blaney joins fellow Round of 8 winners Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell in race for the title, along with William Byron, who fought an ill-handling car all day but edged Hamlin for the final Playoff spot by eight points after finishing 13th.

Hamlin came home third, 4.149s behind the race winner.

Chris Buescher, Martin Truex Jr. and Tyler Reddick joined Hamlin on the sidelines after finishing eighth, 12th and 26th, respectively.

The victory was Blaney’s third of the season, his first at Martinsville and the 10th of his career, and it propelled him into the Championship 4 for the first time. Blaney aced the Round of 8 with a sixth-place finish at Las Vegas, a runner-up result at Homestead and the win at Martinsville.

“Well, I mean, felt like we put together really strong Playoffs—especially the Round of 8… We had a good run in the whole Round of 8,” Blaney said. “Yeah, just overall really proud of the whole effort. RP (Team Penske owner Roger Penske) couldn’t be here, unfortunately, but I know he’s watching. This is awesome. Can’t wait to get to Phoenix next week.”

In front of a sold-out crowd at the 0.526-mile short track, Blaney earned the grandfather clock trophy he has long coveted.

“I grew up in High Point, not too far from here,” Blaney said. “Really cool. Wanting to win here for a long time. Been super close for many years. Awesome to close it out.”

Hamlin won the 130-lap first stage, finished second to Blaney in Stage 2 and was in position to advance to the title race until the race turned under caution for Michael McDowell’s spin in Turn 2 on lap 323. Blaney pitted from the lead, with Hamlin behind.

Ten cars stayed on the track under the yellow, among them Almirola and Chase Elliott, who led 77 consecutive laps before Almirola passed him for the top spot on lap 412. On newer tires, Blaney was able to work his way through traffic and take the lead, where Hamlin could only advance to third.

Hamlin entered the race 17 points below the cutoff for the final round because of a power steering failure that cost him dearly at Homestead the week before.

“The mechanical failure last week with the power steering, that sealed our fate,” said the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, who led a race-high 156 laps to Blaney’s 145. “Really proud of this whole FedEx Toyota team for showing up today when we really needed to, having probably a mid 50-point day. They did great. They did absolutely great.

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“The No. 12 car (Blaney) was the best car today, so congrats to them—all the final four that made it. It’s going to be great. Hate we’re not in it. Definitely, I was happy with the performance we had today. Really all-around.

“Just in the Round of 8, you can’t have one bad week. Unfortunately, mechanical failure takes us from running really well to in the 30s. That’s it.”

Truex, the regular-season champion, led the first 47 laps from the pole, but a pit road speeding penalty on lap 219 mired him in traffic, a circumstance he couldn’t overcome.

“I felt like we did really good to get back to where we did,” Truex said. “You just burn the tires off so much worse back there in the hot, dirty track, dirty air. You’re in more rubber. It’s just a dogfight.

“I don’t know. We gave it a hell of an effort. I felt like we had a really strong car. I don’t think we could have beat the No. 12 (Blaney). He was really, really strong. We were definitely close.”

When Hamlin or Truex led the race, Byron was out of the Championship 4 as they ran. But the driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet held onto the final berth with a determined effort over the final green-flag run. Byron was 13th at the finish, the first driver one lap down.

“Obviously we were not very good,” Byron said. “Our worst race of the year. These guys deserve it so much. They work so hard. Honestly, probably with 50 to go I felt really, really bad. I just had to drive the hell out of it. The guys stuck with me, they kept motivating me through little bits and pieces, just kind of keeping my mind straight.

“I’m just really thankful for them. It was just, yeah, a slugfest. Everyone raced me good there at the end. Congrats to Ryan. I was really happy for him…but man, we just had to hang on. Just had to dig a little bit deeper.

“I knew when I got out of the car I was just beat. The result means more than anything. These guys work so hard. We’ve worked so hard all season. I’m just really proud of them.”

Chase Briscoe and Joey Logano finished fourth and fifth. Larson, Bell, Buescher, Austin Cindric and Todd Gilliland completed the top 10.

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