Ryan Blaney on NASCAR fuel mileage strategy remains a topic of intense discussion each season, as drivers and teams continue searching for the elusive perfect formula to conserve fuel and win races. As another NASCAR year unfolds, driver decisions and fuel management remain critical, with crew chiefs, engineers, and competitors facing constant challenges on race day.
Fuel Mileage: A Persisting Challenge in NASCAR
For over 75 years, the debate around fuel mileage has continued, with drivers and their teams striving to unlock the optimal strategy for reaching the finish line with just enough fuel. Despite advances in technology and experience, no one—crew chiefs, engineers, or drivers—has been able to guarantee flawless execution of these strategies, resulting in unpredictable race outcomes and frequent debate throughout the sport.
Historical attempts to solve the fuel mileage puzzle have shown that even with supposed “magic formulas,” races often turn into a gamble. Crew chiefs may feel confident about making it on minimal fuel, but success is always uncertain, making fuel mileage a source of tension and excitement at every event.
Driver Perspective: The Role of Adaptability and Instinct
In a recent conversation on the Team Blaney Podcast, Ryan Blaney, champion driver of the No. 12 Team Penske ford/”>Ford Mustang, discussed the ongoing battle with fuel management in modern NASCAR. Drivers like Blaney highlight that a racer’s instincts and split-second judgment often become as important as any pre-calculated strategy because track conditions and situations can change rapidly.
Blaney emphasized that executing a team’s plan is only one piece of the puzzle; often, drivers must exceed decisions made on the pit box, adapting to shifting circumstances during the event. Making a final dash without another pit stop is sometimes possible if the driver feels there is just enough fuel left in the tank, which can mean victory if calculated correctly and disaster if not.
Todd Gordon, Blaney’s former crew chief, is known for his humorous but insightful advice: the optimal time to start saving fuel is from the moment you wake up on race day. Despite the levity in this statement, it acknowledges the reality that countless factors—from track surface and tire wear to the threat of rain—can force teams to alter strategies unexpectedly, often within the span of a single lap.
Unpredictability and Real-Time Decision Making
Fuel mileage events may represent a minority of races, but fuel savings have become a constant focus in today’s NASCAR, with drivers being prepared for unexpected developments at any moment. As Blaney points out, even in races not dominated by fuel calculations, drivers remain conscious of saving gasoline for critical situations, especially during unpredictable pit stop cycles and cautions.
“It’s part of the game sometimes,”
—Ryan Blaney, NASCAR Cup Series Driver
“In a fuel mileage race, if it’s tight (for) your last pit stop and then a caution comes out and it’s like, ‘All right, well, we have to pit.’ Even if you’re going to be two laps short, you’ve got to pit at that point, then try to save what you can,”
—Ryan Blaney, NASCAR Cup Series Driver
Managing pit cycles at different tracks presents distinct challenges. Large speedways such as Daytona, Indianapolis, Talladega, and Pocono often allow for a complete refuel, while smaller or unique tracks like Bristol, Martinsville, and Atlanta typically force teams to make rapid stops, sometimes departing with only partially topped-off cars to minimize time lost on pit road.
“Save gas nowadays all the time,”
—Ryan Blaney, NASCAR Cup Series Driver
“And if it’s for a pit stop, you kind of speed up just because you never know what predicament you’re going to be in (if/when a caution occurs),”
—Ryan Blaney, NASCAR Cup Series Driver
Track Variation Influences Fuel Strategy Complexity
The range of track types in NASCAR means that fuel mileage strategy can become more or less difficult depending on the venue. Saving a few laps’ worth of fuel differs greatly from one location to another, with longer circuits like Michigan or Dover presenting significant distance for every extra lap conserved, compared to shorter ovals.
“Sometimes it pops up like, ‘Hey, you need three laps’ and it’s easier at some tracks than others. Three laps at Dover is a little bit different than saving three laps at a Michigan. Three laps, that’s a lot of miles in Michigan, that’s six miles.”
—Ryan Blaney, NASCAR Cup Series Driver
Skill and Timing Distinguish the Elite
Beyond mathematical calculations, drivers are challenged to adjust their style in real-time, finding the balance between fuel conservation and maintaining competitive lap times. Blaney acknowledged that this dynamic skillset can define performance under pressure, separating top competitors from the rest.
“It’s kind of like a skill: some guys are really good at it when they have to save, and how it’s not only saving, it’s ‘How much time do you not lose while saving? That’s a skill that you have to have,”
—Ryan Blaney, NASCAR Cup Series Driver
“You’re completely changing up your driving style in the moment on the fly while trying to keep the best lap time, but also trying to save as much gas as you can. NASCAR is neat because you don’t know how much gas is in it, you’re just calculating how much you think you’ve got in, you can see the fuel mileage on it in real-time,”
—Ryan Blaney, NASCAR Cup Series Driver
The Impact of Technology and the Next Gen Car
With the introduction of the Next Gen car, fuel strategy has become further complicated by drafting dynamics on superspeedways such as Daytona and Talladega. While fans may hope for less emphasis on fuel conservation and more on flat-out racing, changing the ingrained nature of strategy-based decisions may not happen quickly.
NASCAR’s mix of track types, unpredictable weather, and evolving car technology ensures that fuel mileage debates will continue. As drivers like Blaney and crew chiefs such as Todd Gordon demonstrate, adaptability, experience, and quick thinking remain essential in the ongoing struggle for victory on race day. This ongoing tension highlights the skill required at the top level and ensures that fuel strategy will stay at the heart of the sport’s most dramatic moments.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. What did Kyle Petty say about Ryan Blaney?
A. Ryan Blaney had a response for Kyle Petty after winning a Cup Series championship. Back in March 2023, Kyle Petty, who used to race in NASCAR, commented on Blaney’s performance. Petty mentioned that while many believe Blaney has great potential, he has yet to achieve much.
Q. Has Ryan Blaney ever won Talladega?
A. Blaney secured victory at the Talladega fall race by beating Ryan Newman by only 0.007 seconds. This win moved him into the Round of 8, even though he had earlier spun onto pit road.
