Ryan Blaney looks to defend NASCAR championship as playoff run begins

The career path of a modern NASCAR champion is usually straightforward. 

Most drivers will have a breakout season in which they win a slew of races, make a deep playoff run and then win the championship a year or two later. 

It appears that Ryan Blaney has decided to take his own unorthodox route to NASCAR superstardom. 

Before the 2023 playoffs, Blaney was thought to be a rather unassuming championship threat. A proven winner, sure, but nobody has him earmarked as a driver who could make a run to the Final Four, especially in a down year for the No. 12 team. 

After catching fire in the postseason, however, it was Blaney who hoisted the Bill France Cup in Phoenix, officially etching his name into history as a NASCAR Cup Series champion. 

That 2023 championship run has led to one of Blaney’s best seasons in 2024, where he’s won twice and has consistently been a contender. 

If not for a matter of inches at Atlanta and one lap of fuel in St. Louis, Blaney could be tied with Kyle Larson atop the standings with four victories. 

In the span of a year, the No. 12 team has gone from a dark-horse championship pick to one of the favorites, as well as the team carrying the banner for both Team Penske and Ford. 

Blaney won’t be able to catch his competitors by surprise this year, but if he is as fast in the postseason as he was over the summer, he won’t need to. 

As Blaney looks to defend his 2023 championship, there’s nobody in the garage area who would be caught by surprise if the No. 12 team made another run.