Ryan Blaney emphatically rejected any comparison to Dale Earnhardt after his impressive win in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona on Saturday night. Although Blaney’s late-race charge from 13th place to win evoked memories of Earnhardt’s historic move at Talladega in 2000, Blaney insisted he was not on the same level as the seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. The race took place at the World Center of Racing, where Blaney’s strategy and patience secured a dramatic victory.
Despite the obvious parallels, Blaney was quick to shut down questions about feeling like Earnhardt, repeatedly responding with a firm “no” when prompted. His reluctance to be likened to the legendary driver reflects his humble approach to his recent success at superspeedways.
Blaney Acknowledges His Growth and Learning from Teammates
Now with three career wins at Talladega and a points victory at Daytona, Blaney is widely regarded by his peers as one of the premier drivers in <a href="https://www.big14news.com/nascar/”>NASCAR. Still, he spoke modestly about his abilities, attributing much of his improvement to absorbing knowledge from experienced teammates such as Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski.
“I feel like I do a decent job,”
Blaney said, downplaying his accomplishments.
He described his learning process as one of patience and experience, explaining how he gradually applied lessons learned from others to improve his racing tactics, particularly in high-pressure situations like Daytona and Talladega.
“I just try to be patient. It’s easy to get impatient in this deal, in the Daytona (and) Talladega things — feeling like you have to take a run right now,”
he added.
“Sometimes you just have to let it play out and see what happens. I try to be that way. I try to be patient and disciplined and in it for the long haul, and that’s what we were tonight.”
Team Penske Celebrates Blaney’s Superspeedway Expertise
Michael Nelson, Team Penske’s president of NASCAR operations, praised Blaney for his consistent competitiveness, especially on superspeedways. Nelson highlighted Blaney’s frequent ability to position himself for wins late in races throughout the season, not only at Daytona but also at Darlington and other venues.
“Think about how many races we’ve had this year where he’s really coming through (and) challenging for the win at the end,”
Nelson stated.
“And really, that’s just him in general, Darlington earlier in the year and so many races where when the end comes around, there he is and there’s that 12 car.”
“He’s pretty special. And again, we just needed a little bit of things to go our way tonight to get it across the finish line, but no, he’s there every week.”
Despite such accolades from team leadership and fellow drivers, Blaney remains cautious about claiming credit solely for himself.
“A lot of things go into it,”
Blaney commented.
“I can’t do it by myself. It wasn’t me out there making those — I didn’t just turn left and pass everybody by myself. You have to wait, which is what I think a good speedway racer is, ready for the opportunity to make the big move.”
“I try to be patient for that opportunity. If it doesn’t come, it doesn’t come, and that’s what it is. If it never comes, whatever.”
The Final Opportunity That Sealed the Victory
Blaney described the crucial moment in the closing laps when he and Cole Custer simultaneously gained momentum on the frontstretch just as the cars on the bottom lane began to lose speed. Both drivers capitalized on the opening, moving up together to carry the momentum necessary for Blaney’s winning move.
“You have no time to think about that stuff,”
Blaney said.
“It’s a bang-bang play. You’d better just go with whatever your gut says. That was our opportunity to do it. If he wouldn’t have done that, I don’t know if we would have got there, honestly.”
“It just kind of worked to where he and I were on the same page of we kind of just moved up together and we were able to carry all the momentum. It’s all situational and you go with your gut on a lot of things. And I make a lot of bad decisions too out there, but this one tonight just happened to work out.”
Blaney also acknowledged the role that teamwork and strategy have played in his ongoing success, underscoring the collaboration with spotter Timmy Fedewa to find optimal track positions.
“I just try not to cause any big wrecks. That’s the biggest thing.”
His measured approach, combined with the experience gained from mentors and cautious decision-making at critical moments, positions Blaney as one of the modern elite on superspeedways despite his reluctance to embrace comparisons with past legends.
Blaney’s Distinct Identity in NASCAR Remains Clear
Though some observers see shades of Dale Earnhardt in Blaney’s Daytona performance, the driver himself remains focused on carving out his own legacy rather than being measured against iconic figures of the past. His refusal to accept that particular comparison signals a grounded confidence in his current abilities and a focus on continuous growth.
Blaney accepted the question with humor but firmly dismissed the equivalence, stating thanks for the laugh but making it clear he prefers to be judged on his own terms. This perspective further underscores his disciplined mindset and focus as he continues his career with Team Penske and Ford.
