Kevin Harvick predicts breakout season for Ryan Blaney

As the NASCAR season prepares to kick off, the final preseason projections are rolling in. And Ryan Blaney has been picked to have a breakout season by at least one well-connected insider in the sport.

Kevin Harvick picked the driver of the No. 12 as his breakout driver, fresh off a second-place finish in the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray.

“I really think that Ryan Blaney is due to break out here, because he has more speed than Joey Logano,” Harvick said on the Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast. “I don’t think Austin Cindric has the speed of either one of them, or the consistency to put himself in that position to be in the same conversation with Blaney and Logano. And I think he’s going to have to figure that out as they go through this year and next year.”

Harvick further opened up on the speed difference being one of the biggest potential factors working in Ryan Blaney’s favor.

“Blaney’s got more speed than Joey, but when he gets to the point that Logano is at where he makes those badass restarts at the right moment to win a championship and really puts all those pieces together (watch out),” Harvick said. “And every year that he goes through those moments is a year closer to that super breakout year.”

There is a potential pitfall for Blaney, though. It’s entirely possible his best driving in the car doesn’t sync up with when the equipment is at its best.

“Now the only thing that you hope doesn’t happen is it’s off timed with the cars being the best at Phoenix, or the best and having the most speed,” Harvick said. “That doesn’t last forever.”

Still, after a 2024 season in which Ryan Blaney produced wins at Iowa, Pocono and Martinsville, the potential for a monster year is clearly out there. He’s driving as well as anyone right now.

So what exactly would a breakout season be?

“I think it’s more of a Kyle Larson win season,” Harvick said. “Six-, seven-win race season. Being able to win consecutive championships. I know he did win the championship, but I still don’t know that it’s as consistent as Logano. Logano is setting the bar right now of being able to make more out of less, I guess is the best way to put it. Because his speed is not; he doesn’t have Ryan Blaney’s speed. They just, they dot the Is and cross the Ts better there.”