Ryan Blaney hails from a family of racers, and this weekend, heโll be up for a huge task competing against his father, Dave Blaney, a former NASCAR driver. Before hitting the Tricky Triangle on Sunday for a Cup Series race, Blaney will start his weekend with the Superstar Racing Experience Series (SRX) at Sharon Speedway, a 0.35-mile dirt track, on Saturday night.
Not only will he race against his dad, but he will also be racing against other racing legends like Tony Stewart, the founder of the series. His other competitors are former and current drivers from different motorsport fields competing with equal stock cars.
While expressing his excitement about racing his father, Blaney said he couldnโt wait to race his father. Though he knows that his father might โwaxโ him, he thinks itโs still cool to race him. Speaking to the media, Blaney said:
โIโm excited, I canโt wait to race with dad...Heโs probably going to wax me pretty good. Itโs just going to be cool to race with him.โ
This will not be the first time Blaney will race alongside his dad. The two have raced together a couple of times. However, this one is somewhat special for Blaney since he doesnโt know if heโll ever get another chance before his father quits racing. The best part of Saturdayโs race is that it will be held in his home state of Ohio, where his familyโs racing reputation is well known.
Ryan Blaney on missing the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs in 2022
After the SRX Series on Saturday night, Ryan Blaney will head to Pocono Raceway for his 22nd race of the 2022 season, where he will be working to secure a direct playoff ticket. The 2022 season has been one of the best seasons of his career, collecting points after points.
He is currently among the top drivers in the driver standings, sitting in third place with an average finish of 12.2. However, despite the impressive performance, Blaney is still winless, which means his spot in the playoffs is still at risk. If the playoffs were to be held today, Ryan Blaney would be in 15th place, getting a spot through points.
Blaney has addressed the possibility of missing the playoffs despite being at the top of his game. He has stated that he isnโt nervous about it because he knows itโs possible and anything can happen.
Speaking to the media, Ryan Blaney said:
โI donโt really get too nervous over it. I know in the back of my mind, like, OK itโs a possibility that stuff can happen. But right away, I think, if we just win a race, weโre fine. So I just try to focus on winning.โ
NASCAR has recorded 14 winners in its last 21 starts, with only six events remaining in the regular season. The playoffs only host 16 drivers who have won in the regular season and one winless driver with the most points. However, with six events remaining, this yearโs playoffs might not have a spot for a winless driver.
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