The reigning Cup champion, Ryan Blaney, had a disappointing start to the season at Daytona, but he recovered magnificently by finishing in the top five in the next three races. Currently leading the points table for Team Penske, Blaney is now unofficially his team’s “Superstar.” Meanwhile, his teammates Austin Cindric and Joey Logano have been having a hard time getting to the top of the ranks lately. Therefore, despite all those disappointing forms, he recently shared a few encouraging feelings about the condition of his team by saying, “We’re all strong.”
Ryan Blaney stands strong regarding Team Penske’s condition despite teammates’ off-form
While Ryan Blaney is currently on fire in the Cup series sitting at a comfortable P4 in the drivers standings, some of his comrades have had less success, with Logano slipping to 26th place. Blaney laughed off being asked whether he felt lonely at the “Top” during a pre-race conference, expressing confidence that his teammates will get back on track soon. The 30-year-old said they prioritize getting their cars in top shape and focusing on improving speed.
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Besides, he seemed to take an authoritative position with his teammates in dismissing any concerns about their performance gap by stating that they had their own strategy. He said, “It’s early in the year. It’s, we’re only a month into this deal. So, anything can happen, we’ve just been, you know, running well, the last few weeks that have been able to get some good finishes and get some good stage points and, and things like that. So, you know, those other guys will figure it out for sure. I’m not worried about it.”
He also highlighted the collaborative effort among the team members and their crew chiefs to analyze feedback and improve performance. While talking about the different paths taken by each driver, he noted, “At the end of the day though, everyone kind of has their own little path they go down. Right. We all have a, you know, idea of where everyone’s at. We all know where each car is at in our camp. But every crew chief likes something a little different. Every driver likes something a little different. So there’s little things that are, that are different.“
He further added about the team’s plan, noting, “So the goal is to try to get all 3-4 of our cars where they need to be….So, I can’t really say too much about it I guess it’s just kind of, everyone’s a little different how they drive it and set it up and,, just, we’ve been hitting it pretty good in the last couple of weeks.”
Despite lackluster performances from his colleagues so far this season, the #12 driver maintains his consistent performance from the start of the year after having clinched the championship last year. However, being called a Cup champion is not his only goals as he recently revealed his vision to be like another NASCAR great.
Ryan Blaney wants to be like NASCAR legend Jeff Gordon
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With 10 NASCAR race victories under his belt, Ryan Blaney is looking to climb the ladder to the same level of fame as racing greats like Jeff Gordon. Recently, he shared his thoughts by stating, “I want to be Jeff Gordon in the nineties. He was everywhere…it has led him to where he is today and just notoriety. So that’s like, that’s the goal, I think that’s where everybody wants to be, so we’ll see who achieves it.”
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"I want to be Jeff Gordon in the nineties, you know?" @Blaney on what it’s like to be marketed as a superstar after winning the Cup Series championship.
📹 @TreyLyleVT pic.twitter.com/3VUDbE6tC9
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) March 16, 2024
Drivers like Gordon have shaped the sport by prioritizing team brands above personal identities, a philosophy that continues to shape the sport. Blaney thinks that Gordon’s time was the peak of stardom in NASCAR. He also made note of how NASCAR is evolving, saying that winning three or four races each year was formerly considered outstanding. However, he is now aware that winning 10 races every year is considered a normal thing.
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Read More: Can Ryan Blaney Finally Dethrone Chase Elliott From NASCAR’s Pinnacle
It seems Ryan Blaney has his eyes set on the goal. Will he able to turn it into reality?