Associated Press
Jul 15, 2024, 04:02 AM
LOND POND, Pa. -- Ryan Blaney still feels like the "silly, quiet kid" he was at 23 when he blazed past Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch over the final 10 laps in 2017 at Pocono Raceway to win a NASCAR Cup race for the first time.
At times, not much in life has changed for Blaney.
"I still drink a lot of beer," Blaney said, before waiting a beat, "probably more."
Blaney chuckled at the thought, but the reality is, at the track he's long outgrown the mold of a rising NASCAR star. At 30, he's a certified one as a NASCAR champion and serves as a bit of an elder statesman, promoting the sport this week coast-to-coast from the ESPYS to the "Today" show.
"I've just been fortunate to be on a cool journey," Blaney said.
His celebrity profile may have mushroomed, but the only journey that really matters in NASCAR is the one to victory lane. Blaney led the final 44 laps and won Sunday at Pocono, the site of his first career NASCAR Cup Series win and his second victory in the last five races this season.
"I feel like the last two months, we've been spectacular," Blaney said.
So has Team Penske. On any track. In any series.
Blaney made it a weekend sweep for Team Penske -- Scott McLaughlin and Will Power won IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway for the 87-year-old Roger Penske.
"Penske sweep!" Blaney belted out.
The 2023 NASCAR champion, Blaney won the inaugural Cup race last month at Iowa Speedway and added two more top 10 finishes headed into Pocono. The Team Penske driver's summer success in the No. 12 Ford has stamped him a legitimate threat to win a second straight championship.
"I definitely think we're in a better spot at this time than where we were last year," Blaney said. "I feel like our speed's better. Our execution's great."
Blaney was dialed in on the 2.5-mile track and was never seriously challenged over the final 10 laps by runner-up Denny Hamlin and Alex Bowman. Hamlin holds the Pocono record with seven career wins; Bowman won last's week Chicago Street Race.
Bowman and Hamlin were fast.
Just not fast enough to catch Blaney in front of another packed house at Pocono.
Hamlin, last year's winner, was in hot pursuit over the final six laps but the three-time Daytona 500 champion could never nip at Blaney's Ford.
"Never lose a race, just always run out of time, right? That's just part of it," Hamlin said.
No win, of course, in NASCAR is ever guaranteed, and there were some flashbacks to the cruel finish when Blaney ran out of fuel in early June while coming to the white flag at World Wide Technology Raceway.
"I was definitely more nervous today," crew chief Jonathan Hassler said. "You lose one on the last lap, and you certainly get an appreciation for, it's not over till you take the checkered."
Team Penske teammate Austin Cindric won that race in Illinois and fellow Penske driver Joey Logano won four races later at Nashville Superspeedway. Throw in Blaney's two wins and Penske drivers have won four of the last seven Cup races.
The 30-year-old Blaney, son of NASCAR driver Dave Blaney, grandson of dirt track star Lou Blaney, now has 12 career Cup wins dating back to the first one when he took the checkered flag for the Wood Brothers in 2017 at Pocono.
"I feel like you approach it a little bit differently seven years later," Blaney said.
One example? Blaney stayed in victory lane and signed autographs for fans that mobbed the trophy presentation.
Blaney already knows the importance of getting hot late in the season. Blaney turned up his performance last season in the No. 12 Ford in the playoffs. Over the final six weeks, Blaney racked up two wins, two runner-ups and didn't finish lower than 12th.
Blaney's first career title was the fourth Cup championship for Team Penske and 44th overall for the storied organization.
"I couldn't find myself at another place," Blaney said. "They just work really hard and put their heads down and figure out how to be better. It's cool to drive for a company like that."
TOP FIVE
William Byron was fourth and Logano fifth.
PACKED HOUSE
Pocono announced a sellout crowd for the second straight year.
One problem, because of heavy rain and severe weather early in the morning that forced staff to seek shelter, traffic was a nightmare around Pocono. Fans complained routine rides were stretched by several hours, with the worst standstill actually occurring on roads inside the track leading to parking lots.
"This unforeseen situation caused an unprecedented delay in our parking operations," Pocono said in a statement. "As a company that prides itself on honesty and transparency, we will make this right for those affected."
EARLY ENDINGS
Ross Chastain was knocked out of the race after just 53 laps, putting a serious dent in his playoff push. Chastain saw his points lead for the final spot cut from 53 points to 27 points over Bubba Wallace.
There are five races left before the 16-driver playoff field is set. There are four spots open with the 12 race winners securing an automatic berth.
Busch was turned by Corey LaJoie and ignited a late wreck that kept him from gaining the points he needed to try to creep back into the playoff race. Busch remained winless this season. He has won a Cup race every year since 2005.
Noah Gragson snagged a ride this week with Front Row Motorsports for 2025. At Pocono, Gragson was the first driver out, with issues only 13 laps into the race in the No. 10 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing. There were 13 drivers who did not finish the race.
UP NEXT
NASCAR returns to the 2.5-mile oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 30-year anniversary of stock cars racing at the historic venue. NASCAR raced on the oval from 1994 through 2020, but under Roger Penske's ownership of IMS the race was held on the 2.439-mile road course the last three seasons as part of a shared weekend with the IndyCar Series.
"It's just a big event," Hamlin said. "It's still over time, some of the best cars with the best engines, best aerodynamics, best execution on pit road, all of those things equals a win at that track."
