Racing in the rain has a splendid aura to it, something that we see happen at F1. No matter what weather it is, the race — goes on. But in NASCAR rain delays or races cut short are more common than other races. But then NASCAR got out their game-changing rain tires in 2023 and it’s safe to say, things are changing.

And this time we saw them being used quite a bit even at the Chicago race last week. Ryan Blaney was asked about racing in the rain and if they now have a specific training regiment for it and he had an interesting take on it.

Ryan Blaney says more testing is needed for wet tires!

NASCAR first used the wet-weather tires at North Wilkesboro in 2023 and for the first time this season, they used the tires in the first point-paying race. However, one cannot call it rain tires, as they can only be used on a damp track, not fully wet when the water is spraying and coming off the cars. 

And given that the rain gods are not really forgiving and we have seen rain slash throughout the races this season, it won’t be a surprise to have these tires coming back repeatedly. When it started raining in Chicago, NASCAR let the teams decide if they wanted to start the event on untreaded Goodyear tires or the wets. Getting more such laps on wet surfaces provides the drivers and teams with more data and areas in which they can improve.

And this is what Ryan Blaney highlighted recently. When asked about whether they were “rain-training” — he said one cannot train for it! He said, “One cannot train for something like that unless they have more testing in the rain. I felt like the rep speed gotten in the rain here on the different tracks is good for us, drivers and teams, just understanding what to do in the rain—kind of how you change up driving the car, how you change up the setup.”

Bringing rain racing into the mix more often will give teams and drivers better insight into how to handle these conditions. In Chicago the winner Alex Bowman was actually on wets as he won the victory. Despite the track starting to dry and a drier line forming that would have favored slicks, Bowman chose to stay out and maximize the life of his rain tires even though his crew chief advised him not to do so. His decision worked. And this just gives more promise. For now, NASCAR needs to test it more. And Blaney said for him Loudon is the best place for testing the wets. 

Can Ryan Blaney win the race at Pocono?

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Did you know that Ryan Blaney had won the first cup race at the Pocono track in 2017? He was with Wood Brothers Racing then! But well, like every good story, that too came to an end and ever since then his results have been more than lacklustre on the track. And with the next-gen car, it looked more dismal. 

In his last two starts on track, he finished in the rear end, he finished P33 and P30. However, this race on Sunday presents a crucial opportunity for him to regain his momentum and improve his standings. Moreover, he needs to get more ground before the playoffs start. Although he has won at Iowa and is not locked into the playoffs, collecting additional points and securing a better position is still important. Moreover, given his unlucky streak many times—like missing out on the Atlanta win by millimeters or running out of juice in Gateway—every advantage counts.

And guaranteed, Pocono isn’t his strong suit, his car although has good speed so he can put up a fight. Plus the car manufacturer Ford is known to make a late comeback—look at the Xfinity race where SHR driver Cole Custer won. He defined all odds and finished 1st and this was his first win of the season. So there is surely a chance. Although the best drivers like Kyle Busch are on the hunt too, so every step needs to be measured if they want this win.

Do you feel the tides will turn and Blaney can win it at Pocono? Let us know!