Ryan Blaney Championship 4 Journey

Coming into the playoffs, Blaney wasn’t thought of a critical contender for the 2023 title, however that narrative has since been turned on its head.

With well timed wins at Talladega and final Sunday at Martinsville, Va., Blaney not solely earned a visit to the Championship 4 however with pretty much as good an opportunity as any to return away with the title.

That path ought to sound acquainted – it’s nearly similar to the one Blaney’s team-mate, Joey Logano, used final yr on his solution to his second profession Cup championship.

Logano obtained an early season win in 2022, however it was his pair of well-timed victories within the playoffs that despatched him to the title race, the place he got here away the winner once more.

“I believe there are some similarities,” Blaney stated. “The playoffs for us, for Joey final yr and me this yr, have been pretty related. Peaking at a very good time. That’s sort of what that group did final yr. We’re positively doing that this yr.

“Our teams work actually carefully collectively, me and (Logano) and (Austin Cindric) and (Harrison Burton) as nicely. All of us work actually shut collectively. It’s been enjoyable to work with Joey on that since he was out of the playoffs early, sort of working with Joey by that stuff, choosing his mind on a number of issues.

“Hopefully it is similar subsequent week to what Joey’s finish of the season was final yr.”

The opposite commonality between Logano’s look within the Championship 4 final yr and Blaney’s this yr is neither had been among the many title “favorites” getting into the playoffs and their respective organizations had efficiency difficulties throughout the season.

Whereas Kyle Larson and William Byron from Hendrick Motorsports have been two of high performers this yr and made the ultimate 4, Blaney’s look in addition to Christopher Bell’s exhibits robust playoff runs pays enormous dividends.

Shock groups exhibiting up as title contenders has turn out to be considerably of a development because the introduction of the Cup Collection’ Subsequent Gen automobile at first of the 2022 season.

“I don’t assume you’ll be able to ever rely anyone else out, any crew out. Particularly with this automobile now,” Blaney stated. “I’ve at all times associated this sport to an enormous circle of efficiency, proper? You’ve gotten groups on high of the circle for a very long time doing nicely, then they’ll dip down.

“It’s about peaking on the proper time. Our group is doing that. There’s no secret this summer time, we struggled. We simply went to work. They didn’t get down. Our group didn’t pout round. They only understood the place we would have liked to get higher, and so they obtained higher.

“That’s the group you wish to drive for.”

Blaney’s season to succeed in his first Championship 4 might be a microcosm of his Cup profession. He gained comparatively early, has struggled to persistently contend for wins, had some peaks and a few struggles.

But right here at age 29 he has a chance to win his first Cup title.

“A number of the different guys which might be round your age who sort of got here in on the similar time, proper, you wish to be the most effective of that crop. We haven’t, proper?” he stated. “We haven’t had the successes as like a Larson, Chase (Elliott), these folks.

“I attempt to not let that get to me, proper? Chase and I are nice mates. It sort of motivates me like, ‘Man, I wish to be that man, I wish to be that man profitable a championship, all these races, I wish to be that man.’

“I don’t actually let it get to me. I believe it motivates me greater than something simply to attempt to work on the issues that you just assume you are able to do higher. I believe that’s the most important factor that’s helped me out this yr.”