This weekend, Ryan Blaney goes to Martinsville for the Round of 8 cutoff race in an unprecedented position above the cutline. He’s 10 points above the line and will try his best to hold onto that points lead, or possibly win his way to the NASCAR Championship 4 in Phoenix.
Martinsville and Ryan Blaney have a little bit of a mixed relationship. The same goes for the NASCAR Playoffs and Blaney. Right now, it looks like the 12 team is in their best spot to make the Championship 4 since Blaney took over.
With how well he’s raced at Phoenix over the years, I think other drivers want Blaney to miss his chance at the championship.
After feeling like he was used up last week at Homestead-Miami, the Team Penske driver plans to be the aggressor this weekend.
“You definitely have to take,” Blaney said to media earlier this week. “Everybody in the Playoffs now, there’s no give anymore. It’s all take, and that’s what you have to do. People approach it differently. Everyone is different of how much they take and how they take it, but you can’t give anymore. If you’re giving, you’re going backwards, so it depends what spot you’re in, but in the Playoffs it’s hard to give. You have to be on the aggressive side and take and that’s just the nature of what it is.”
We will see if he takes it or if he gives it on Sunday.
Ryan Blaney at Martinsville
Over the years, Ryan Blaney has yet to find a win at Martinsville. The grandfather clock has evaded him to this point. However, that all could change soon. Sometimes racing is about consistency and getting close. You put yourself in the top-5 enough times, and you’ll eventually come out first.
For Blaney, that could apply to the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville. In 15 career starts, Blaney has seven top-5 finishes. He has an average finish of 9.5, the best of any active driver in the field. So, he doesn’t have a win, what does that matter?
10 points isn’t a lot for a cushion. It’s better than nothing, but not fantastic. What I like about Blaney in this race is the fact that he usually qualifies in the top-10. And, when he doesn’t, like in the April race this year, he still moves up through the field.
Blaney started P31 at that first Martinsville race and was able to finish P7. His other two finishes at Martinsville in the Next Gen era were P3 and P4. Just based on that history alone, I like Blaney’s chances.
Ryan Blaney will have a hard race on Sunday. Then again, six other drivers in the Round of 8 will be stressed and racing for their lives, too.