Ryan Blaney hopes championship lightning strikes twice after going back-to-back within the NASCAR Cup Sequence elimination race at Martinsville Speedway.
Blaney used his 2023 win to propel him to final yr’s finale, the place he earned his first Cup Sequence championship. On Sunday night time, the Staff Penske driver rose to the event in a must-win state of affairs to earn his spot at Phoenix Raceway and attempt to make it two in a row.
“I positively consider in momentum, and I consider in confidence and stuff like that,” Blaney mentioned. “I believe this is similar as final yr, proper? You carry it into subsequent week.”
Blaney entered the weekend 38 factors out of a switch spot. The walk-off victory differed from a yr in the past as a result of Blaney didn’t have to win at Martinsville to advance.
Within the elimination period, no driver has gained back-to-back Cup Sequence championships. The final driver to repeat as champion was Jimmie Johnson throughout his run of 5 straight championships from 2006 by means of 2010.
Blaney used a robust long-run automotive to chase down the leaders within the remaining stage of the Xfinity 500. The ultimate restart occurred with 87 laps to go and Blaney was lined up tenth when the inexperienced flag flew.
He was inside the highest 5 with 43 laps to go and moved to second place with 24 laps remaining. Blaney and Kyle Larson traded a number of photographs whereas battling for the place, and Blaney additionally ran over the curb in Turns 3 and 4 as he tried to get beneath the Hendrick driver.
The profitable go, on Chase Elliott, got here with 14 laps to go. Blaney then drove away and went unchallenged to the end.
Joey Logano, Blaney’s teammate, was already locked into the championship race, as was Tyler Reddick from 23XI Racing. Along with Blaney profitable his method into the finale, William Byron took the fourth and remaining spot by means of factors.
“These guys had a few weeks to sort of put together, nevertheless it’s like you may solely put together a lot,” Blaney mentioned of Logano and Reddick. “When your automotive is constructed, your automotive is constructed. And we even have guys which might be engaged on the automotive prefer it was going to the championship. Everybody does in Spherical 8, simply in case it does occur, it doesn’t matter what week it occurs. Folks ask me, which (race) would you moderately win? I don’t care; any of them to get to Phoenix.
“This group is admittedly ready to do it. Hopefully, we are able to carry that momentum that we had final yr profitable this race on to subsequent week, as nicely.”
Blaney and Logano have gained the final two Cup Sequence championships. A triumph for both driver Sunday at Phoenix would make it three in a row for Staff Penske.
