"Stubbs: Ryan Blaney Aims for a Repeat of Past Success"
Ryan Blaney is accustomed to being the dark horse.
It was, in fact, just a year ago that no one considered the 30-year-old, third-generation driver a serious contender for the NASCAR Cup Series title.
As history will always remember, Blaney and Team Penske caught fire in the playoffs, putting together a run that saw him win two of the final six races and claim the Cup Series championship with a second-place finish at Phoenix.
Blaney's triumphs at Talladega and Martinsville can be described as the defining moments of his championship journey, as they propelled him to the Round of 8 and the Championship Four, respectively, and also made it clear to the rest of the field that he was not to be underestimated.
One year removed from the greatest postseason performance of his career, Blaney is now defending his title, although a rough and tumble race at Las Vegas -- the first race of the Round of 8 -- has put him at a disadvantage as the series heads to Miami.
A crash on lap 89 at Las Vegas caused suspension damage to Blaney's Ford Mustang Dark Horse, forcing him to limp around the track for the rest of the race with a damaged car.
After helping teammate Joey Logano in his quest for victory at Las Vegas, Blaney is hoping for some good luck of his own for the No. 12 team.
Blaney currently sits seventh in the playoff standings, 47 points behind the fourth and final transfer spot. While two flawless races could potentially earn Blaney a spot in the Championship Four based on points, the simpler path to Phoenix is through the winner's circle.
The good news for Blaney? History is on his side, as the 2023 Las Vegas playoff race was also a rollercoaster of emotions for the High Point, N.C. native. His sixth-place finish was initially disqualified, but the disqualification was later overturned.
Blaney's most recent visit to Homestead-Miami Speedway ended with a second-place finish to Christopher Bell, following a chaotic race that saw Kyle Larson hit the sand barrels on pit road and Denny Hamlin's championship hopes dashed by a steering issue that sent him into the wall.
And then there was the half-mile paperclip of Martinsville, where Blaney dominated en route to a victory that secured his spot in the Championship Four.
Coincidentally, Blaney now needs another crucial win at either Homestead or Martinsville to keep his title hopes alive.
Past results do not guarantee future success in sports, but Blaney has the opportunity to give fans a sense of deja vu with another clutch stretch of races.
Blaney may have his back against the wall, but that could mean he has his competitors exactly where he wants them: with Blaney as nothing more than an afterthought in the championship hunt.
After all, it was from that exact position that Blaney rose to victory last year, forever etching his name in NASCAR history.
--Samuel Stubbs, Field Level Media