Ryan Blaney less stressed this season after winning Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte

With the NASCAR Playoffs, drivers can get a little nervous toward the end of the regular season. That was Ryan Blaney last year. This season, Blaney is locked into the playoffs with his win at the Coca-Cola 600 and has performed well in the points standings throughout the year. So, what does that do for his confidence? A lot.

If we go back to a year ago, Ryan Blaney had to fight it out with Martin Truex Jr. over the final spot in the postseason. When the Daytona 400 was over, it came down to three points that decided that spot. Blaney is the one who took it.

Earlier in the summer, Blaney was the winner in a thrilling Coca-Cola 600 and broke his winless streak that had lasted since the second half of the 2021 season. This year, everything is different with that win.

“It’s definitely less stressful than last year — a lot less,” Blaney told Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports. “This time last year it was getting a little worrisome not having won yet and in a big points battle with the 19 [Martin Truex Jr.] and not knowing if you’re going to win that weekend, if someone else is going to win that weekend and bump another spot out. 

“So it was nice to have won at Charlotte and just trying to focus on getting ready for next month and trying to get playoff points, trying to get wins, battling some guys in the points to try to get some bonus points when the regular season ends. It’s nice not having that stress like we had last year. That definitely wasn’t fun. But, honestly, the goal is still the same. It’s just you feel a little bit better about it.”

Ryan Blaney on how much less pressure he feels at the end of the regular season this year thanks to his Charlotte win compared to last year when he didn’t have a win and was fighting to make the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/7CEd4GcnEm

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 10, 2023

Now is the time of the year when Ryan Blaney and his team can focus on the playoffs. What do they need to get better before the postseason, and how can they make steps to get there?

Ryan Blaney needs to finish out races

One thing that has plagued the No. 12 Team Penske team in the last month or so, is finishes. While speed has been there at times in the last few races, execution has not been the best. Pit road penalties and other mistakes on the track can make a top-10 day a top-20 day or even worse.

In the last couple of weeks, Ryan Blaney has been able to wheel his way to a P14 finish at Richmond and P9 at Michigan. That is decent progress compared to his finishes at Sonoma (P31), New Hampshire (P36), and the Chicago Street Course (P33).

With all of the RFK Racing hype, it appears that Team Penske is taking a step back in the Ford group. RFK looks to have the strongest Mustangs out on the track. Chris Buescher’s back-to-back wins are good evidence of that, as are the finishes by Brad Keselowski.

As the playoffs get closer, Ryan Blaney and his team will try to close that gap. Not just between themselves and their manufacturer teammates, but also the rest of the field.