Ryan Blaney ‘can’t be mad about losing by three inches’ in Atlanta

Ryan Blaney has no hard feelings after losing by mere seconds in Atlanta earlier this NASCAR Cup Series season.

The reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion came close to capturing his first victory of the season in Georgia earlier in February, but instead became part of the sport’s illustrious history, finishing as one of the closest runner-ups since the inception of NASCAR, as Daniel Suarez won the race.

Speaking with FOX’s Bob Pockrass, Blaney explained why he was happy with Suarez winning the race, and why he chalked it up to being a part of racing, because he’s been on the other side of it before.

“It will be fine. It’s cool. Daniel and I have known each other for a long time. I was happy for Daniel. I can’t be mad about losing one by three inches,” Blaney said, regarding the insane finish. “I’ve won probably more than I should have by a couple feet.

“I’ve been on the good fortune side of that stuff. And when you lose them by that little, there’s not really much you can do. You can’t be too mad about it.”

At least Blaney has the wherewithal to recognizes there’s always two sides to a finish. He’s been in Suarez’s position before, so he knows the thrill of winning by mere seconds, but he was the runner-up in Atlanta. His approach is certainly a healthy one.

Moving forward, there will be plenty of opportunities for Blaney to get that first win since becoming a champion. He’s already shown immense speed at Daytona, came close at Atlanta and battled during a trip to Las Vegas. Now, the Cup Series returns to Phoenix this weekend, where he became immortal in 2023.

During his time in the Cup Series, it’s been one of Blaney’s better tracks. Especially in 2023, Blaney performed well in the desert, both in the spring race of last season, and of course during the championship race. Blaney didn’t win either event, but he came close, and left with a Cup Series title during the latter.

If Phoenix doesn’t do it for Blaney, there will be a couple more super-speedway races on the schedule, at places where Blaney has won in the past. Maybe the next photo-finish will be more kind to him than Atlanta was.

Time will tell, but Ryan Blaney isn’t fretting about his P2 finish in Atlanta. The Team Penske wheelman has entered the upper-echelon of drivers, and he’s not going anywhere, anytime soon.