"This team is really prepared": Ryan Blaney counting on momentum in hopes of winning a second NASCAR Championship
Following his win at Martinsville, Ryan Blaney addressed the subject of momentum heading into Phoenix. The Team Penske driver entered the last race of the Round of 8 staring into a must-win scenario, which he pulled off and joined his teammate Joey Logano in the Championship 4.
During his post-race press conference, Blaney was asked whether his momentum would carry through into Phoenix just as it did last year.
"I definitely believe in momentum. I believe in confidence and stuff like that. I think this is the same at last year, right? You carry it into next week. This team is really prepared to do it. Hopefully we can carry that momentum that we had last year winning this race on to next week, as well," Blaney replied.
Speaking about the #12 team, Blaney said that they're ready to go, and the way it turned out for them last year, they're excited to see if they can do it all over again.
It's worth mentioning that just like last season, Ryan Blaney closed out his Round of 8 with a win, which was preceded by a second-place finish at Homestead.
With his Championship 4 spot booked, Blaney would be hoping to become the first driver in the Next Gen era as well as the first driver since Jimmie Johnson in 2010 to win consecutive Cup championships.
Ryan Blaney isn't sure being a past champion would provide a massive advantage over his competition
Before Ryan Blaney booked his spot in the Final 4, his teammate Joey Logano did it a couple of races earlier. Logano, a 2x Cup champion, won at Las Vegas in the first race of the Round of 8.
This means that both Team Penske drivers, competing for the championship this year, are past champions. Regarding this, Blaney was asked if being past champions gives the Penske duo an advantage over William Byron and Tyler Reddick.
"I don’t know if that gives us an advantage over the other two. I think just understanding what the week’s like is pretty nice. Having gone through it, it’s Tyler’s first time going through it. It was mine last year. How different is the week? All the different stuff. There’s a lot asked of you for sure," Blaney replied.
The 2023 Cup champion added that being experienced always helps. But as for that experience being 'a massive, massive advantage,' Ryan Blaney wasn't sure. He added that at the end of the day, a driver hopes to beat everyone else.
It'll be interesting to see if Blaney can repeat last season's result in the Phoenix championship race and join his teammate as a 2x Cup Series champion. Or would his teammate, Joey Logano, get ahead and become the active driver with the most Cup titles to his name?