Ryan Blaney captured the win at Daytona’s regular-season finale on Saturday night by advancing from 13th position with only two laps remaining. His calm and calculated approach amid aggressive attempts by other drivers proved decisive in executing the Ryan Blaney Daytona win strategy.
As competitors vied desperately for the lead, Blaney applied a patient style, capitalizing on others’ mistakes to position himself for the final surge and ultimately claim victory.
Patience Over Aggression: An Insider’s View on Blaney’s Racing
Denny Hamlin, providing insight on the Actions Detrimental podcast, emphasized Blaney’s disciplined driving throughout the critical moments of the race. Hamlin noted that Blaney maintained composure without risky maneuvers, opting instead to allow other drivers to attempt moves that often fell short.
He was masterful in being patient,
Hamlin said.
What I saw was he was very patient and if you notice, he didn’t make a whole lot of moves. He allowed others to make moves and then he just held steady.
Hamlin also highlighted Blaney’s effective communication with his spotter, which helped him identify key allies and maintain focus on the top lane, predicting it would prove successful.
He knows who his help is. His spotter’s doing a good job telling him who’s behind him. At the time I think it was the 99 that was pushing him. He seemed pretty committed to him, so he wasn’t one of those guys weaving between lanes and all this other stuff. He just was very patient in saying, ‘The top line is going to prevail here, so I’m going to stay in it.’ And as people start to get toward the front, they’re peeling off to block and it’s just moving him up the queue of that line.
Challengers Falter as Patience Pays Off
Several drivers made late attempts to wrest the lead from Blaney’s line but failed to maintain their positions. Ryan Preece briefly threatened near the front but slipped back after losing momentum when blocked by Hendrick Motorsports cars. Meanwhile, Chris Buescher’s impatience proved costly despite pushing from second place.
Hamlin elaborated on Blaney’s steady climb as the field shuffled during the closing laps, remarking on the transition from behind to the lead.
At some point he’s probably, what, fifth on the outside line?
Hamlin recalled.
Well the leader just keeps pulling down, a new guy comes up front. He takes the lead, he pulls down, new guy. So he keeps moving up the queue as the laps go on. And then on the last lap, he just got the great push, he moved up.
The timing of Blaney’s final move, supported by his spotter’s guidance, was crucial as well.
It was very timely and good heads up of him and his spotter to, off of Turn 4, move up in front of that top line. Because it looked like, at that time, who was on the bottom? Cole Custer off of Turn 4, I believe Cole Custer was to his inside. I thought he was going to have more help, but his help kind of died and the top lane was coming and Blaney was like, ‘I’m going to go back to the well.’ And that’s what got him pushed out to the front.
Key Moments Reveal the Depth of Superspeedway Skill
Hamlin further explained that Blaney’s mastery extended beyond the number of moves made, highlighting the importance of timing and decision-making at superspeedway events like Daytona.
Listen, 13th at Martinsville with two laps to go is very, very different than being at Daytona with 13th with two laps to go,
Hamlin said.
Not only for distance, but time delta to the leader. While you’re 13th, you’re only actually a half a second from the lead. It’s not that big, but still you have to, as a driver, and where Blaney was impressive, is using his skill set to know push them out and then let them make a decision, and then I’ll figure out whether that decision is the right one or not, and I might go with you and I might not.
So that’s where I found I got much better at superspeedway racing 10, 15 years ago. It’s that not necessarily having to be the one to make the move, but pushing someone else to make them make a choice, and then you have time to process whether that choice was right or not.
Through this approach, Blaney skillfully maneuvered into position without over-committing or risking his place, a technique that paid dividends in the decisive laps.
Final Results and Playoff Implications
Ryan Blaney’s controlled performance earned him his second win of the season, moving him up to fourth place in the points standings heading into the playoffs. His victory at Daytona underscores the effectiveness of patience and strategic racing on superspeedways, validating his approach among the sport’s elite competitors.
This win not only boosts his confidence but also positions him as a strong contender for the championship, reflecting the value of experience and precision in racecraft.
