Ryan Blaney captured an important victory at Daytona during the regular season’s finale, boosting his standing to second place and adding to his Ryan Blaney Daytona playoff achievements. Despite experiencing seven DNFs this season, Blaney’s win secured him a critical playoff berth and additional points, marking a strong finish for both driver and team.
Blaney entered the Daytona race sitting fifth in points, aiming to solidify his position and earn valuable playoff bonuses. With a determined effort on Saturday, he not only claimed another win but also jumped to second in the overall regular season standings. The Daytona triumph awarded him five extra playoff points, raising his Saturday tally to nine and increasing his momentum heading into the postseason.
When asked about the significance of finishing second in points despite a challenging year, Blaney pointed to his consistency and the team’s perseverance.
“I think it just speaks volumes to how good we’ve been when we have finished races. Obviously, you don’t want to have that many DNFs on the card and I’d say half those DNFs, we had a good shot of winning the race and at least running top five. I think it just shows that we’ve been running good through the races and the stages and stuff like that and just maybe not have gotten the finishes that we deserve. But we really just powered through it. And just go on the next week and this group’s been really good all year, to be honest with you,”
—Ryan Blaney, Cup Series Driver
Blaney reflected on recent weeks, noting improvements and smoother races. He emphasized the team’s ability to stay competitive regardless of setbacks and credited their preparation and commitment as factors behind their high standings despite the DNFs.
“I think it really speaks volume of how good this team is and hopefully we can show it over the next 10 weeks,”
—Ryan Blaney, Cup Series Driver
Blaney’s Daytona win also affected the playoff landscape beyond his own success. Because he secured victory at Daytona, Alex Bowman managed to advance to the playoffs, as the scenario prevented a new winner from bumping him out of contention. After the race, Bowman humorously remarked that he owed Blaney seven million beers for the assist. Blaney, referencing the joke, replied he’d settle for five million and would gladly accept Bowman’s offer.
Blaney Shares Thoughts on Aggressive Racing and Driver Respect at Daytona
Following the race, Blaney discussed the behavior of competitors who needed a win to make the playoffs, many of whom were expected to make bold moves on the track. He noted that he didn’t witness excessive blocking, except for one instance involving Justin Haley and Cole Custer, which ultimately did not result in a crash.
Blaney observed a high level of respect among his fellow drivers, contributing to a clean and competitive event.
“They raced really smart and well and didn’t throw their cars in any foolish situations. I thought everyone did a great job of just having a great race, but also, keeping it clean as well. So, I think props to everybody where you didn’t have a guy that needed to win that was just an absolute hammer out there,”
—Ryan Blaney, Cup Series Driver
Blaney continued by highlighting the respectful conduct of drivers in the must-win bracket, saying that their careful approach helped create a fair and safe environment for all competitors. This sense of mutual respect was particularly notable given the stakes of the regular season finale, and it provided a positive example for upcoming playoff races.
Ryan Blaney’s win at Daytona demonstrates his resilience throughout the season and positions him as a strong contender as the playoffs begin. With the support of his team and evident camaraderie among competitors like Alex Bowman and Justin Haley, Blaney heads into the next 10 weeks aiming to build on his achievements and continue pursuing the NASCAR Cup Series championship.
