Ryan Blaney has opened up about the agonizing defeat that still weighs on him—the 2020 Daytona 500, where he narrowly missed victory, marking his toughest moment at the iconic race. Reflecting on his Ryan Blaney toughest Daytona 500 loss, Blaney described in detail how the race’s final moments continue to linger in his memory, especially after coming so close to winning at Daytona International Speedway.
Blaney Recalls the Final Overtime Laps
Known for his calm demeanor on and off the track, Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney rarely expresses strong emotions, but the 2020 Daytona 500 is an exception. In that race, Denny Hamlin edged past Blaney in what became the second-closest finish in Daytona 500 history, denying Blaney his first win in NASCAR’s biggest event.
Sharing his perspective on the Chasing Checkers podcast, Blaney addressed the pivotal finish, as he and Ryan Newman battled toward the checkered flag. The race went nine laps into overtime and concluded under a caution triggered by a high-speed tangle between Blaney and Newman on the main straightaway.
“The 2020 Daytona 500, I’d say, is tough,”
—Ryan Blaney, Team Penske driver
Blaney recounted the moment,
“That’s the one (Ryan) Newman and I got together. We were running, coming down to the end of this race, the Daytona 500, our biggest race of the year, and I’m second coming towards the lead coming off turn four.”
—Ryan Blaney, Team Penske driver
In the final stretch, Blaney attempted to draft behind Newman, resulting in locked bumpers. The contact sent Newman’s car into the outside wall, flipping his vehicle in a dramatic crash that stunned onlookers. Although the accident appeared severe, Newman fortunately only required overnight hospitalization and was released the following day without major injury.
Regret and Reflection Over a Split-Second Decision
Blaney, still thinking about what he could have done differently, admitted,
“I kind of don’t make the best move probably, not the right one, and end up not winning the race,”
—Ryan Blaney, Team Penske driver
He added,
“That one haunts me to this day.”
—Ryan Blaney, Team Penske driver
The complexity of making critical decisions in the heat of the moment was evident as Blaney discussed how quickly events unfolded on the final lap. Blaney openly reflected on the challenges of second-guessing:
“It’s so easy to like Monday (morning) quarterback the thing,”
—Ryan Blaney, Team Penske driver
He expanded on this mindset,
“It’s like, ‘Well, gosh, just do this right,’ and I try not to be that way because it’ll drive you insane.”
—Ryan Blaney, Team Penske driver
Losing Twice at Daytona Adds to the Sting
The 2020 race was not Blaney’s only heartbreak at the Daytona 500. He also finished runner-up in the 2017 edition, trailing Kurt Busch to the line. Despite accumulating over 360 starts as a Cup Series driver, Blaney has yet to claim the Great American Race, though he did secure victory at Daytona International Speedway (DIS) in the 2021 summer event.
When analyzing his fateful move with Newman, Blaney wondered aloud about possible alternatives:
“Make a different move at the end of the race, like choose a different option, like a different lane,”
—Ryan Blaney, Team Penske driver
He acknowledged the burden of instant decisions, explaining,
“It’s a split-second decision, that’s why I try not to like go crazy thinking about that stuff.”
—Ryan Blaney, Team Penske driver
Learning From Painful Moments
Although the memory of the incident still troubles him, Blaney is determined to use it as a lesson rather than a source of regret. He approaches his mistakes pragmatically, analyzing what happened, preparing for similar situations, and making a conscious effort not to dwell on the past.
“So I have to be over it that night, and then I can wake up the next day like it’s a new week and let’s just move on from it.”
—Ryan Blaney, Team Penske driver
Blaney recognized that making different choices in that harrowing finish might have altered the outcome entirely. He admitted,
“If I would have just done this different, we would have won that race,”
—Ryan Blaney, Team Penske driver. Despite this lingering thought, he chooses to treat the experience as preparation for future opportunities, adding,
“All you can do is learn from it for the next time, and hopefully you make the right choice.”
—Ryan Blaney, Team Penske driver
Looking Ahead Despite Past Disappointments
Blaney’s history at Daytona, shaped by near-misses and memorable moments involving competitors like Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman, and Kurt Busch, continues to influence his approach as he seeks to finally secure a Daytona 500 win. His perspective highlights the razor-thin margins in NASCAR and how one move can define legacies on the sport’s grandest stage. With every season and each edition of the race, Blaney draws on past heartbreaks, hoping that persistence and lessons learned will eventually lead to triumph at Daytona.
