Blaney wins again in Pocono

Ryan Blaney celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania on Sunday. Derik Hamilton/Associated Press

LOND POND, Pa. – Ryan Blaney still feels like the “goofy, quiet kid” he was at 23 when he sped past Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch in the final 10 laps at Pocono Raceway in 2017 to win a NASCAR Cup race for the first time.

Sometimes not much has changed in Blaney’s life.

“I still drink a lot of beer,” Blaney said, waiting a moment, “probably more.”

Blaney chuckled at the thought, but in reality he has long since outgrown the mold of a NASCAR rising star. At 30, he is a recognized star as a NASCAR champion and serves as something of an elder statesman, promoting the sport from coast to coast this week, from the ESPYS to the “Today” show.

“I was just lucky enough to have a cool trip,” Blaney said.

While his popularity has increased dramatically, the only path that really matters in NASCAR is to Victory Lane. Blaney led the final 44 laps and won Sunday at Pocono, the site of his first NASCAR Cup Series victory, giving him his second victory in the last five races.

“I think we’ve been spectacular the last two months,” Blaney said.

This also applies to Team Penske. On every track. In every series.

Blaney provided a weekend victory for Team Penske after Scott McLaughlin and Will Power won IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway for 87-year-old Roger Penske.

Blaney, the 2023 NASCAR champion, won the first Cup race at Iowa Speedway last month and scored two more top-10 finishes on the way to Pocono. His summer success in the No. 12 Ford has made him a real contender for a second consecutive championship title.

“I definitely think we’re in a better position right now than we were last year,” Blaney said. “I feel like we’re faster. Our execution is great.”

Blaney was fully focused on the 2.5-mile track and was never seriously challenged by second-place finishers Denny Hamlin and Alex Bowman over the final 10 laps. Hamlin holds the Pocono record with seven career wins; Bowman won the Chicago Street Race last week.

Bowman and Hamlin were fast, but not fast enough to catch Blaney in front of another packed house at Pocono.

Hamlin, the defending champion, was hot on his heels for the final six laps but was never able to catch Blaney’s Ford.

“I knew our car was fast enough,” Blaney said.

Blaney now has 12 Cup victories to his name, starting with his first win in 2017 at Pocono, when he took the checkered flag for the Wood Brothers.

“It’s great to be back,” Blaney said in Victory Lane. “It was very special to win here seven years ago with the Wood Brothers. It’s just as special to win here today.”

William Byron finished fourth and Joey Logano fifth.

Blaney already knows the importance of getting momentum toward the end of the season. In the final six weeks a year ago, he picked up two wins, two second places and never finished lower than 12th. Blaney’s first career title was Team Penske’s fourth Cup title and 44th overall for the storied organization.

“I couldn’t see myself anywhere else,” Blaney said. “They just work really hard and put their heads in the sand and think about how they can improve. It’s cool to drive for a company like that.”

Full house

Pocono announced a sold-out house for the second year in a row.

One problem: Traffic was a nightmare due to heavy rain and early morning storms that forced staff to seek shelter. Fans complained that routine journeys were stretched for several hours, with the worst congestion occurring on the roads inside the track leading to the parking lots.

“This unforeseen situation has caused an unprecedented delay to our park operations,” Pocono said in a statement. “As a company that prides itself on honesty and transparency, we will make this amends for those affected.”

START TIME

Ross Chastain was eliminated after just 53 laps, dealing a major blow to his playoff bid. Chastain entered the race 53 points ahead of the 17th-place driver.

Kyle Busch was also beaten, causing a late crash that prevented him from scoring the points he needed to get back into the playoff race and kept him winless this season. Busch has won a Cup race every year since 2005.

Noah Gragson secured a spot with Front Row Motorsports for 2025 this week. At Pocono, Gragson was the first driver to retire, struggling after just 13 laps in the No. 10 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing.

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