That definitely doesn’t imply he’s a lock by any means.
Blaney enters Sunday’s race at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway – the final likelihood to qualify for the title race – fourth within the playoff standings and a 10-point cushion over the cutoff line to advance on factors.
Nonetheless, being above the cutline line in any respect continues to be the most effective place Blaney has discovered himself in his profession at this level within the semifinal spherical of the playoffs.
“Personally, I don’t assume I take a look at it any in another way. I imply, it’s good to be in that spot, being above as a substitute of clawing your approach in,” Blaney stated Wednesday. “You’re nonetheless going to must battle laborious.
“I don’t assume you will get relaxed except you’re (Christopher Bell or Kyle Larson) this weekend. We nonetheless have a job to do, and you continue to must work laborious, whether or not you’re beneath or above (the cutoff).”
“You continue to must have the mindset that we have to do an honest job as a result of different groups are going to do an honest job as effectively. We have now to be on that degree.”
Picture by: Jared East / NKP / Motorsport Photos
Ryan Blaney, Workforce Penske, MenardsDuracell Ford Mustang
Whereas Blaney has a pair of wins this season – the second-most of his eight full-time Cup seasons – it has been an up-and-down yr for Workforce Penske and Blaney’s No. 12 Ford staff.
Teammate Austin Cindric didn’t qualify for the playoffs and teammate and final yr’s champion Joey Logano has already been eradicated from title rivalry.
Blaney, 29, credit a devoted effort by his staff to search out velocity late within the season which helped right their struggles all through the summer season months.
“I’m simply extremely pleased with all of Workforce Penske for digging down and discovering what we have to discover halfway by means of the season to get us the place we’re at at the moment,” he stated.
“It’s no secret that we struggled in the summertime months, not being the place we wished to be and much more the beginning of the playoffs. We had been struggling somewhat bit and looking for velocity.
“We put out heads down and we actually put collectively a very good eight weeks to place us on this place, particularly the final couple weeks at Miami and Las Vegas. We’ve performed a fully wonderful job at discovering velocity and executing wonderful races.”
Picture by: Lesley Ann Miller / Motorsport Photos
Race winner Ryan Blaney, Workforce Penske, Menards/Pennzoil Ford Mustang in victory lane
Blaney kicked off the semifinal spherical of the playoffs with a stable sixth at Las Vegas then adopted that up with an excellent efficiency Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the place he dueled Bell for the win all the way in which to the checkered flag and completed as runner up.
Due to dangerous races at Homestead by fellow playoff drivers Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr., that left Blaney within the prime 4 of the standings heading to Martinsville.
It’s under no circumstances a viable security web however given Blaney’s observe file at Martinsville – he hasn’t completed worse than eleventh in his final 9 races there – he enters Sunday’s race with optimism.
“I really feel pretty first rate about it. We’ve run fairly first rate there prior to now,” Blaney stated. “It’s good to have run effectively prior to now at locations you’re going to, however I don’t assume you possibly can totally depend on that.
“Issues change. We have now a distinct tire this weekend. The observe modifications, vehicles change. It’s necessary you make the most of what you’ve discovered prior to now that made you good, however you possibly can’t put all of your chips into that basket.
“You need to proceed to evolve and be taught, each from a driver’s facet, a set-up facet, and what we’ve discovered at brief tracks this yr.”
