Defending Champ Ryan Blaney aims to make his team a Playoff Powerhouse

gettyimages-2170223504 — CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - SEPTEMBER 04: Ryan Blaney speaks with the media during NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day at the Charlotte Convention Center on September 04, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images)

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney comes into this year’s Playoff primed to defend his title, and the driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford likes his chances.

Blaney has two wins already this season (at Iowa and Pocono, Pa.) and heads into this 10-race title run ranked fifth in standings. His wrist was still sore for a couple days after a lap-three accident last weekend at Darlington abruptly ended his regular season, but Blaney says he isn’t in any pain now.

As the champion, Blaney is the current Playoff standard-bearer, driving for the team others are hoping to dethrone. Hendrick Motorsports’ Jimmie Johnson is the last driver to win consecutive titles, a feat only two drivers have accomplished in the last 30 years—NASCAR Hall of Famers Johnson 2006-10 and Jeff Gordon 1997-98.

“I don’t think so,” Blaney said of having the proverbial “bullseye” on his back. “I have gotten wrecked a lot this year, more than other years, so I don’t know if that means I have a bullseye (smiling).

“I feel like we’ve taken it as, my group, we’ve got to defend our championship,” Blaney continued. “We’re still in title defense. Until the year’s over, you’re still in title defense, so I think that’s motivated us a lot. Everyone’s kind of gunning for you and that goes to the crew guys and the pit crew guys, engineers and (crew chief) Jonathan (Hassler) because everyone’s kind of envious of where you’re at.”

In Blaney’s view, that’s not a bad thing.

“I think that really motivates us that everyone’s looking at you, not scared of you, but they know how good of a team this team is,” he acknowledged. “And that’s what I’ve told my guys, I want to scare every other team. I want you guys to be so good that every other team is nervous about us when we unload, and that’s kind of the mindset we’ve tried to have.

“I think it’s a great mindset for everyone on the team to have. You want everyone worrying about you because you can be that dangerous. I think we definitely are, and hopefully that carries over.”