Ryan Blaney’s Daytona win matches NASCAR feat last achieved by Dale Earnhardt Jr.

NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 - Source: Getty
Ryan Blaney (left) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (right) - Source: Getty

Following his win in the Coke Zero Sugar 400, Ryan Blaney became the first driver to emerge victorious at Daytona International Speedway from pole position. The last driver to do so was NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2015.

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Given the unpredictability of pack racing at Daytona, starting up front doesn’t usually carry the same advantage as it does at other tracks. That makes Blaney’s accomplishment a rare feat, even if he didn’t actually set a qualifying lap since the session was canceled due to lightning in the area.

When Dale Earnhardt Jr. won from pole at the 2.5-mile superspeedway in 2015, he led for 96 of 161 laps to finish ahead of then-Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin, respectively. It marked his second-to-last NASCAR Cup Series win (total of 26) before retiring in 2017.

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NASCAR Insights shared this statistic between Blaney and Earnhardt Jr. on X.

“Did you know: While there was no qualifying, Ryan Blaney became the first driver to win at Daytona after starting 1st since Dale Earnhardt Jr. in July 2015,” NASCAR Insights wrote.
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This year’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 saw Ryan Blaney capture his second win of the 2025 season in a thrilling four-wide finish over Daniel Suarez, Justin Haley, and Cole Custer. The dramatic conclusion carried extra weight, as all three runner-ups were still fighting for playoff spots in what was the regular-season finale.

The 2023 NASCAR champion concluded the regular season with two wins, 10 top-5s, and 14 top-10s. Despite collecting seven DNFs, he managed to rank fourth in the points standings ahead of his Team Penske teammates Austin Cindric (10th) and Joey Logano (12th).

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“Everything just kind of flowed correctly”: Ryan Blaney on recent win at Daytona

Ryan Blaney shared his thoughts on winning at Daytona International Speedway. He felt everything aligned in the #12 team's favor, allowing him to make key moves, particularly when he capitalized on Justin Haley blocking Cole Custer on their way down to the inside on the final lap.

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In an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, the #12 Team Penske Ford driver said:

“Tonight, it was one of those things where everything just kind of flowed correctly for us, you know, and we're able to just kind of make moves that made sense, and especially at the end.”

He added:

“So yeah, it just worked out, and nice to be back. I can look forward to starting the playoffs next week.”
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Ryan Blaney won the 2025 Coke Zero Sugar 400 - Source: Imagn
Ryan Blaney won the 2025 Coke Zero Sugar 400 - Source: Imagn

Next on the calendar is the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, the first race of the 2025 NASCAR playoffs. The other two tracks in the Round of 16 are World Wide Technology Raceway and Bristol Motor Speedway.

Blaney will compete in the first round against Kyle Larson, William Byron, Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Shane van Gisbergen, Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe, Bubba Wallace, Austin Cindric, Ross Chastain, and Joey Logano. Josh Berry, Tyler Reddick, Austin Dillon, and Alex Bowman will also join the fray below the cutline

Get the latest NASCAR All-Star race news, Xfinity Series updates, breaking news, rumors, and today’s top stories with the latest news on NASCAR.

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Edited by Zarec Sanchez
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