Ryan Blaney is experiencing the second longest winless streak of his career – 55 races – but certainly arrives in Talladega with well-founded confidence. He’s finished top-10 in nine of the last 10 races on the big track including back-to-back wins in 2019-20 – making him the only back-to-back race winner since Jeff Gordon swept both races in 2007.
Although he hasn’t hoisted a trophy in more than a year, the popular 29-year old driver finished runner-up twice last year – both times in Playoff races. He was second here at Talladega in October and then again in the Phoenix season finale in November.
The driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford has four top-10 finishes in the opening nine races of 2023, including a runner-up showing in Phoenix. He comes to Talladega off a seventh place showing at Martinsville last week.
“Honestly the only time I think about it is when ya’ll ask me about it or when a fan’s like, ‘when you going to win again? I put money on you,'” said Blaney, who will roll off fifth from Sunday’s Talladega grid.
“Of course, I’d like to win. We’re trying like hell. It’s not like we’re sitting here happy with a fifth. I don’t sit around every night and stew about it, I just try to figure out how to win the next one.”
And, Blaney said, a lot of overcoming a dip in performance is being optimistic each week.
“I wouldn’t say I get more excited to come here than anywhere else,” Blaney said of Talladega. “[But] I enjoy speedway racing. A lot of people talk that they don’t really enjoy it and it’s kind of a burden. I’ve just never kinda been that way. If you’re going into a place not liking it, why show up.
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