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There's Growing Concern For NASCAR Cup Series Driver Ryan Blaney

Originally posted on The Spun | By Tzvi Machlin | Last updated May 8, 2025 3:08 PM ET

After winning the NASCAR Cup Series in 2023 and finishing second in 2024, Ryan Blaney has had a mixed bag of results to start the 2025 season.

After finishing seventh at the Daytona 500 and top 20 in the two races after that, Blaney suffered through three straight races without reaching the checkered flag and then had a fourth at Talladega a few weeks ago. He currently sits seventh on the NASCAR regular season standings.

Blaney has been his own worst critic, verbally punching himself for his poor lane choice in the NASCAR Cup Series at Texas Motor Speedway race this past weekend. He finished third and was practically fuming after the race.

“The one time I didn’t pick the outside, the 71 got the lead and then I couldn’t get it back,” Blaney said, via Motorsport.com. “Just (the) driver making dumb decisions and not doing his job… The 12-car was a fast car today. I just can’t do anything right currently. Hopefully, it will work itself out.”

We had a fast Mustang and our 12 Crew battled to put us where we needed to be to win the race. We left with a P3 but wanted more. Thank you to everyone @team_penske and Congrats to the 22 team. Thank you to my supporters and partners. Kansas is calling. pic.twitter.com/chDzhwgZvX
— Ryan Blaney (@Blaney) May 5, 2025

For former NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. the results themselves are the tip of the iceberg for Blaney's problems. On the latest episode of his Dale Jr. Download podcast, Dale Jr.

“Ryan Blaney choosing the second row on the inside instead of starting next to (Kyle) Larson late in the race. And he got out and said, ‘Yeah, I messed up,'” Dale Jr. said. "The only type of driver that I see make that move and I go, ‘Oh, okay,’ is a guy like (Ross) Chastain. I know that he’s probably thinking, ‘I’m (expletive) going three-wide here. But Blaney is not that guy. Blaney is not going to put his fellow competitors in a three-wide situation.

"I feel like in those situations, I know you don’t love restarting on the outside, but I think you have to. You just have to do it. If we get a chance to see Blaney, we’ve got to ask him what’s going on. Something’s going on with Blaney.”

We all know that Ryan Blaney has what it takes to be a NASCAR champion. He literally did it less than two years ago.

Hopefully his current bad luck only temporary.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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