Currently number 2 in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, Ryan Blaney has his eyes set on the top step of the podium in Bristol. Blaney is hungry for a win at the Food City 500 this weekend on a track that has made him toil for a podium.

Blaney took his first win at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2014, winning the Xfinity race with Team Penske. In 2015, he added another victory at the 0.533-mile short oval, but that came in the Truck Series. He overcame a one-lap penalty to win the UNOH 200.

Unfortunately, Ryan Blaney has never had the same success at Bristol at the Cup level. The 2023 Cup Series champion has had four top-five finishes, including matching his best finish of fourth last time out.

Bristol is a track that has been haunting Blaney for various reasons. In the 2024 Food City 500, he took pole, but finished the race in 16th. This time, though, he has different hopes.

Speaking to Sirius XM NASCAR, Blaney said:

"I love racing in Bristol, whether it's the night race or the spring race, it’s always been a favourite track of mine."

Recalling his misfortunes at the Cup level, he added:

"I really hope I can win in a Cup car there one day. I’ve won there in a truck. I’ve been close in the Cup car a handful of times, just haven’t been able to quite do it.”

Tire management will be crucial in Bristol, according to Ryan Blaney.

“We’ll see what the tires do, that place has been, especially in the spring race, has been kind of a big tire management deal there," he added. "I think it’s going to be about conserving tires, picking lanes. It’s always been a pretty fun one. And so yeah, it’ll be a wild one."

Ryan Blaney’s fight for the regular-season title

Driving the #12 Ford for Team Penske, Ryan Blaney has been one of the strongest performers this season. After seven races, he trails Tyler Reddick, who has an impressive four wins, by just 82 points.

Despite a DNF and some pit troubles, Blaney has been a consistent top-ten finisher this season with five top tens, including two top fives, one of which was his win at Phoenix Raceway. The championship leader has been the only one more consistent than Blaney. Four of Reddick’s five top-ten finishes have ended with him as the winner.

Ryan Blaney, however, is quietly picking up stage points, with 64 in seven races. If he keeps up his performances and the pit crew performs as well as they did in Martinsville, Blaney is a serious contender for the regular-season title before giving it his all in the Chase.

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Debrup Chaudhuri

Edited by

Yask Kotak