Ryan Blaney enters the heart of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs riding a powerful streak of high finishes, seeking to keep the surge alive as he and Team Penske target another championship. With consistent performances stacking up over recent weeks, Blaney and his No. 12 Ford group have confidently advanced to the second round, positioning themselves as major contenders in the Ryan Blaney NASCAR Cup Playoffs push.
The recent success is not just the result of Blaney’s talent but reflects a united effort across Team Penske. Every facet of the operation—from crew chief to engineers and the pit crew—has contributed to a robust upswing, with the veteran leadership ensuring stability and focus within the team. This collective effort is credited for the group’s ability to maintain composure and consistency under postseason pressure.
Achieving Teamwork and Confidence in the Playoff Run
Blaney emphasized the steady chemistry that has grown within the crew, attributing recent results to shared belief and mutual support among all team members.
“I feel like we’ve just kind of gotten into this good rhythm, and that stuff just grows over time,”
said Blaney during a midweek media availability. He reflected on the team’s strong execution and mindset, sharing:
“That’s just how a team works. So yeah, I just think we are a pretty well-oiled machine.”
Blaney’s recent run includes eight top-10 finishes in his last nine Cup races, setting a strong tone heading into Sunday’s Round of 12 opener at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. That impressive stretch is punctuated by a win at Daytona International Speedway in the regular-season finale and back-to-back fourth-place finishes, including one at Bristol Motor Speedway, where Blaney’s nephew provided an unexpected boost of encouragement midrace.
Finding Performance at the Right Time Against Tough Rivals
Drawing upon past late-season runs, Blaney has previously surged into the Championship 4, finishing first and twice in second place in the closing races and clinching the Cup crown in 2023. This year, however, Team Penske’s dominant form has arrived earlier, providing reassurance even as the season’s competitive intensity rises. Still, Blaney notes the need to match the speed and execution displayed by Toyota teams, especially Joe Gibbs Racing, who swept all three opening playoff races in the Round of 16.
“Yeah, you take it where you can get it,”
Blaney admitted, reflecting on the fortuitous timing of this hot streak.
“I’ve been happy with the way we’ve been performing, and you just try to piece by piece get a little bit better, week to week. Toyotas are really strong. They’ve definitely … the last three weeks, you can’t take that away from them. They’ve been incredibly fast, and all their teams have been really executing really well, but I think we’re really close to where we need to be. I have confidence that we can get on that level. So yeah, we’ve been doing a good job of getting to where we need to be, and now it’s just a matter of executing and finding little things here and there that can continue to catapult you along.”
The playoff landscape shifted after four drivers were eliminated at Bristol, leaving 12 hopefuls. Notably, half of those still in the championship mix once competed for Brad Keselowski Racing in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series—highlighting the team’s legacy in cultivating elite talent. Among them are Team Penske’s own Joey Logano and Austin Cindric, as well as Chase Briscoe, Ross Chastain, and Tyler Reddick. Their varied experiences link them as former prospects who have matured into title threats.
Brad Keselowski’s Lasting Impact on the Playoff Field
Though Brad Keselowski Racing ceased operations after the 2017 season, Keselowski’s knack for identifying future Cup Series talent persists in the composition of this year’s playoff grid. Blaney, who delivered four wins for the team and forged important relationships, credits Keselowski’s mentorship and eye for talent.
“I think it just speaks a lot on Brad’s knowledge of finding drivers that he thinks have potential to have a solid Cup career,”
said Blaney, reflecting on his path from driving Keselowski’s trucks to ascending to the upper echelons of the sport. He recalled being given an important opportunity by Keselowski in 2012:
I’ll never forget when Brad asked me to drive his trucks for him in 2012, the second part of 2012, and eventually at the same time led to the Penske opportunity running some Nationwide (now Xfinity Series) stuff, and led to this today. Here we are 13 years later. It’s pretty amazing, honestly, when I sit back and look at it, but I think it speaks a lot to Brad and the opportunities that he gave a lot of great young kids that, hey, you never know where they’re gonna end up. You take a chance on somebody, and it’s pretty cool when it works out, so Brad has a huge part of a lot of our careers, and that was a lot of fun.”
“I loved my years at BKR. I loved winning races for them and loved the success that they had when I wasn’t driving those trucks anymore — a lot of good drivers have come from there, so that’s all Brad. That’s all Brad’s eye for who he wants to give a shot to, and it’s pretty cool that a lot of drivers today that are winning races and in the playoffs came from that stable. It speaks a lot to the people that were there, mainly Brad Keselowski.”
The legacy of Keselowski’s development program has a direct line to the high stakes and star power of the current Cup Series Playoffs, helping shape championship contenders such as Blaney, Logano, and others who now headline the postseason grid.
Chasing a Second Cup Title Through a Challenging Road
As a 15-time Cup Series winner and defending champion, Blaney aims to build on this foundation by pursuing another Cup victory. The remaining playoff rounds will test his skills at several tracks, including New Hampshire, Kansas Speedway, and the Charlotte Roval during the Round of 12, followed by a difficult Round of 8 stretch at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Talladega Superspeedway, and Martinsville Speedway. The ultimate showdown for the championship will take place on November 2 at Phoenix Raceway.
Blaney has previously recorded wins at three of the remaining seven tracks. While he has yet to win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, his performances there have been strong, with an average running position in the single digits in most of his recent starts. His last attempt at the New Hampshire oval ended with an incident involving Michael McDowell, derailing a run at victory in the closing laps. Looking ahead, Blaney believes the upcoming race presents a key opportunity to solidify his campaign.
The strength of his recent performances and consistent presence near the front of the field contribute to Blaney’s optimism that his next big moment could arrive this weekend.
“… I feel like we’ve run good enough there to where we contend for one.”
As the Ryan Blaney NASCAR Cup Playoffs story unfolds, Blaney and Team Penske are poised to draw on their unified approach, past experiences, and steadfast momentum in pursuit of another major triumph in the increasingly competitive NASCAR Cup postseason.
