Ryan Blaney suggests NASCAR move championship race 'every few years'

Phoenix has been good to Ryan Blaney in the past, but the reigning Cup Series champion isn’t against mixing up where NASCAR holds their finale.

Before COVID changed the landscape of the sport, NASCAR planned to rotate where the season finale, and championship-deciding race, would be held each season. However, Phoenix has kept the date for the last couple of seasons, mainly due to their extraordinary venue and accommodations.

While the racing on the track has left something to be desired, it worked out in Blaney’s favor last season, and the Team Penske wheelman captured his first Cup Series title there. However, speaking with FOX’s Bob Pockrass, Blaney actually revealed he’s confident wherever NASCAR wants to hold the event.

“I’m fine moving it anywhere,” Blaney stated. “I honestly think it’s good that it can get possibly moved around every few years. You give a venue a handful of good years there then hey, maybe you move it.

“You’re kind of limited that time of year to where you can go. But Miami has always put on a good race. Phoenix has put on good shows. And there’s a handful of other ones that you could possibly go to as well. So give it a few years, but I’m not really biased anywhere.”

In the past, Blaney’s shown the ability to win at all types of tracks, so it’s easy to see why he’s not against moving the final race of the season. Still, Phoenix has been one of his best tracks over recent seasons, so it’s a little surprising he’d be willing to give up such an advantage.

Alas, it’s all a part of Blaney’s more laidback attitude, which he’s developed after having the weight of hunting a championship lifted off his back.

“I think I have been a little bit more laid back about some things and tried to have the same mentality of what we had the last few months of the season last year and carry it over to this year,” Blaney added. “I feel like we were kind of the same way — just trying to be relaxed about it and not get too bent out of shape about things. I feel like it’s a little bit of a mentality from the end of last year and then the championship, too. I feel like you’re kind of more confident. 

“You don’t take things as harshly and as deeply. You’re just like, ‘This is part of it.’ Try to be a little bit more relaxed. I feel like that’s better.”

We’ll be keeping an eye on if NASCAR decides to move the championship-deciding race out of the desert in the future, but there’s no shortage of confidence in Ryan Blaney, as he believes his team is a threat wherever NASCAR holds the race.