Debbie Powers
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A Look Back at Homestead, and a look ahead at a Blaney Foundation Event
Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Homestead, Florida
June 2020
Ryan Blaney claimed his best finish in five career starts at the 1.5 mile Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday in the Dixie Vodka 400 and his fifth top-five finish in the last six races.
Starting 11th, Blaney, after multiple lightning delays, found his way into the top five by lap 30 and was in the lead by lap 37, holding it through lap 75. Fighting a tight-handling Menards/Jack Links Ford Mustang, the No. 12 Team Penske driver was passed by No. 11 of Denny Hamlin but held onto a second-place finish in Stage 1.
Blaney started Stage 2 in third place, but grabbed the lead by lap 91, falling back to second as green flag pit stops cycled through, and, with the balance on the No. 12 still not to his liking, dropped two positions late in the stage to come in fourth at the end of that stage.
With one segment left to go, Blaney was in fourth place; he worked back up to second on lap 180 and again grabbed the lead on lap 194. After a track bar adjustment on lap 217, the No. 12 Ford Mustang came to life, Blaney began going after the leaders; however, n matter how hard he tried, he had to accept a third-place finish.
Sitting in fifth in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, Blaney is 52 points behind leader No.4 Kevin Harvick. But Blaney continues to be a strong contender and the No. 12 team knows how to get to winners' circle, so...soon fans, soon!
Blaney heads to Talladega this Sunday for the Geico 500 in the No. 12 Menards/Sylvania Ford Mustang.
Fact: .007 was Blaney's margin of victory (in seconds) at Talladega last year, the sixth-closest finish in NCS history!
Also, be sure to check out the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation, dedicated to fighting Alzheimer's. You can join their Longest Day Fundraiser and play LIVE Ryan Blaney trivia for cash and prizes this Saturday, June 20, at 8 pm (ET).
Register at: http://act.alz.org/goto/rbfflongestday
Help Ryan honor his grandfather, Lou Blaney, in the fight against Alzheimer's.
Chat With me Here: @DebbiePowers11
Need the latest 2020 Nascar gear? Help us out through our link by Clicking Here Now.
Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Homestead, Florida
June 2020
Ryan Blaney claimed his best finish in five career starts at the 1.5 mile Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday in the Dixie Vodka 400 and his fifth top-five finish in the last six races.
Starting 11th, Blaney, after multiple lightning delays, found his way into the top five by lap 30 and was in the lead by lap 37, holding it through lap 75. Fighting a tight-handling Menards/Jack Links Ford Mustang, the No. 12 Team Penske driver was passed by No. 11 of Denny Hamlin but held onto a second-place finish in Stage 1.
Blaney started Stage 2 in third place, but grabbed the lead by lap 91, falling back to second as green flag pit stops cycled through, and, with the balance on the No. 12 still not to his liking, dropped two positions late in the stage to come in fourth at the end of that stage.
With one segment left to go, Blaney was in fourth place; he worked back up to second on lap 180 and again grabbed the lead on lap 194. After a track bar adjustment on lap 217, the No. 12 Ford Mustang came to life, Blaney began going after the leaders; however, n matter how hard he tried, he had to accept a third-place finish.
Sitting in fifth in the NASCAR Cup Series standings, Blaney is 52 points behind leader No.4 Kevin Harvick. But Blaney continues to be a strong contender and the No. 12 team knows how to get to winners' circle, so...soon fans, soon!
Blaney heads to Talladega this Sunday for the Geico 500 in the No. 12 Menards/Sylvania Ford Mustang.
Fact: .007 was Blaney's margin of victory (in seconds) at Talladega last year, the sixth-closest finish in NCS history!
Also, be sure to check out the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation, dedicated to fighting Alzheimer's. You can join their Longest Day Fundraiser and play LIVE Ryan Blaney trivia for cash and prizes this Saturday, June 20, at 8 pm (ET).
Register at: http://act.alz.org/goto/rbfflongestday
Help Ryan honor his grandfather, Lou Blaney, in the fight against Alzheimer's.
Chat With me Here: @DebbiePowers11
Need the latest 2020 Nascar gear? Help us out through our link by Clicking Here Now.
Blaney Leave Charlotte 6th in the Standings
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Concord, North Carolina
May 2020
Starting 18th, Ryan Blaney hit the track strong in the No. 12 BODYARMOR Ford Mustang on Thursday night and moved into 11th position within the first 20 laps. Opting to stay out during the lap-20 competition caution, and following a delay for inclement weather, Blaney was in second place at the end of Stage 1.
Staying in the top-5, the Team Penske driver briefly fell back, but then worked his way around teammate Joey Logano to take the second position on lap 90, and again claimed place 2, this time for Stage 2's conclusion.
Pitting for four tires and a slight air pressure adjustment under the stage break, Blaney was in the fifth position for the beginning of Stage 3 and quickly worked his way to the front, driving the BODYARMOR Ford up to second by lap 140.
Restarting fourth, Blaney moved up to second behind Chase Elliott and then lost that second spot on the final lap, bringing the NO. 12 Ford Mustang home in third place.
"We got to second and the No. 4 (Kevin Harvick) was really fast getting going and the No. 9 (Chase Elliott) got by me. I kind of thought I was equal with him when we were both running the No. 4 down and I just got tight. I was a little bit free all night and we tightened it up just a touch for that last run, and it was the longest run we had, and we just kind of burned the right-front tire off of it and couldn't stay with the No. 9 there late in the run, and then the No. 11 (Denny Hamlin) got by me. Overall, not a bad day for our BODYARMOR Ford Mustang. We had two solid races here at Charlotte. We just need to find a little bit more speed, but we are right there. I'm really proud of this team" Blaney said in his post-race comments.
On Sunday, Blaney started 26th in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte and brought his No. 12 DEX Imaging Ford Mustang home 12th in Stage 1, 9th in Stage 2, and 3rd in Stage 3.
Thursday's race was Blaney's second consecutive third-place finish including the Coca-Cola 600 last Sunday.
Blaney will start this coming Sunday's race at Bristol in 4th position, next to teammate Joey Logano in 3rd position, and behind teammate Brad Keselowski, who will start from the pole.
Can the youngest Team Penske driver in the mix beat his veteran teammates? Stay tuned because you know he’s gonna be up on the gas!
Catch all the action Sunday, May 31, at @3:30 pm ( ET) on FS1!
Chat With me Here: @DebbiePowers11
Need the latest 2020 Nascar gear? Help us out through our link by Clicking Here Now.
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Concord, North Carolina
May 2020
Starting 18th, Ryan Blaney hit the track strong in the No. 12 BODYARMOR Ford Mustang on Thursday night and moved into 11th position within the first 20 laps. Opting to stay out during the lap-20 competition caution, and following a delay for inclement weather, Blaney was in second place at the end of Stage 1.
Staying in the top-5, the Team Penske driver briefly fell back, but then worked his way around teammate Joey Logano to take the second position on lap 90, and again claimed place 2, this time for Stage 2's conclusion.
Pitting for four tires and a slight air pressure adjustment under the stage break, Blaney was in the fifth position for the beginning of Stage 3 and quickly worked his way to the front, driving the BODYARMOR Ford up to second by lap 140.
Restarting fourth, Blaney moved up to second behind Chase Elliott and then lost that second spot on the final lap, bringing the NO. 12 Ford Mustang home in third place.
"We got to second and the No. 4 (Kevin Harvick) was really fast getting going and the No. 9 (Chase Elliott) got by me. I kind of thought I was equal with him when we were both running the No. 4 down and I just got tight. I was a little bit free all night and we tightened it up just a touch for that last run, and it was the longest run we had, and we just kind of burned the right-front tire off of it and couldn't stay with the No. 9 there late in the run, and then the No. 11 (Denny Hamlin) got by me. Overall, not a bad day for our BODYARMOR Ford Mustang. We had two solid races here at Charlotte. We just need to find a little bit more speed, but we are right there. I'm really proud of this team" Blaney said in his post-race comments.
On Sunday, Blaney started 26th in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte and brought his No. 12 DEX Imaging Ford Mustang home 12th in Stage 1, 9th in Stage 2, and 3rd in Stage 3.
Thursday's race was Blaney's second consecutive third-place finish including the Coca-Cola 600 last Sunday.
Blaney will start this coming Sunday's race at Bristol in 4th position, next to teammate Joey Logano in 3rd position, and behind teammate Brad Keselowski, who will start from the pole.
Can the youngest Team Penske driver in the mix beat his veteran teammates? Stay tuned because you know he’s gonna be up on the gas!
Catch all the action Sunday, May 31, at @3:30 pm ( ET) on FS1!
Chat With me Here: @DebbiePowers11
Need the latest 2020 Nascar gear? Help us out through our link by Clicking Here Now.
Honored to have LT. Donald Cioffi on our car last night. Remember what this day is about. https://t.co/lVSCcISuDn pic.twitter.com/IlKCbbucAL
— Ryan Blaney (@Blaney) May 25, 2020
Real Heroes 400
Darlington Raceway
Darlington, South Carolina
Sunday May 17th, 2020
Ryan Blaney's afternoon in Darlington not what team hoped for..
Ryan Blaney pulled the seventh-place starting position for Sunday's REAL HEROES 400 in Darlington, SC through a random draw. But before 20 laps were run, his No. 12 Menards/Duracell Ford Mustang was tight and for much of the race also lacked front grip.
Although crew chief Todd Gordon made changes during the opening stage of the race, including air pressure, wedge, and track bar adjustments, Blaney remained outside of the top-10 for most of the race and ended the first segment in 18th place.
During Stage 2, the car continued to be on the tight side; Blaney brought home a 13th-place finish after a caution on lap 174 allowed him to have a 10-lap run on fresh tires.
During the third and final stage, the team and Blaney began to finally overcome earlier handling issues, but it wasn't soon enough to make much of a difference, or allow the young driver to make a run for the win.
Blaney fell back to 21st, but the team improved the balance of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford and he was able to claim a 16th-place finish.
"It was great to be back at the track today. We struggled with the balance of our Menards/Duracell
Ford. We were too tight to start and finally got the car to the loose side by the end of the race. Darlington has been a challenge in the past and we'll regroup and get ready to go racing again on Wednesday night" Blaney commented afterward.
Now eighth in the NASCAR CUP Series driver standings, Blaney sits 74 points behind leader Kevin Harvick (8th).
His best finishes in Darlington to-date have been in September of 2016 with Wood Brothers Racing and in September of 2019 with Team Penske, claiming a 13th-place finish in both of those races.
Chat With me Here: @DebbiePowers11
Need the latest 2020 Nascar gear? Help us out through our link by Clicking Here Now.
Darlington Raceway
Darlington, South Carolina
Sunday May 17th, 2020
Ryan Blaney's afternoon in Darlington not what team hoped for..
Ryan Blaney pulled the seventh-place starting position for Sunday's REAL HEROES 400 in Darlington, SC through a random draw. But before 20 laps were run, his No. 12 Menards/Duracell Ford Mustang was tight and for much of the race also lacked front grip.
Although crew chief Todd Gordon made changes during the opening stage of the race, including air pressure, wedge, and track bar adjustments, Blaney remained outside of the top-10 for most of the race and ended the first segment in 18th place.
During Stage 2, the car continued to be on the tight side; Blaney brought home a 13th-place finish after a caution on lap 174 allowed him to have a 10-lap run on fresh tires.
During the third and final stage, the team and Blaney began to finally overcome earlier handling issues, but it wasn't soon enough to make much of a difference, or allow the young driver to make a run for the win.
Blaney fell back to 21st, but the team improved the balance of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford and he was able to claim a 16th-place finish.
"It was great to be back at the track today. We struggled with the balance of our Menards/Duracell
Ford. We were too tight to start and finally got the car to the loose side by the end of the race. Darlington has been a challenge in the past and we'll regroup and get ready to go racing again on Wednesday night" Blaney commented afterward.
Now eighth in the NASCAR CUP Series driver standings, Blaney sits 74 points behind leader Kevin Harvick (8th).
His best finishes in Darlington to-date have been in September of 2016 with Wood Brothers Racing and in September of 2019 with Team Penske, claiming a 13th-place finish in both of those races.
Chat With me Here: @DebbiePowers11
Need the latest 2020 Nascar gear? Help us out through our link by Clicking Here Now.
Photo Credit: Don Charest
Blaney’s Day in the Desert ends early through no fault of his own at Phoenix Raceway
Phoenix, Arizona
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Ryan Blaney, driver of the Team Penske No. 12 Ford Mustang, started Sunday’s Fanshield 500 in Phoenix with a fifth-place position but his day was abruptly ended on Lap 65 by an accident involving Denny Hamlin and teammate Brad Keselowski, sending him hard into the outside wall.
From the opening laps in Stage 1, Blaney fought loose handling on his Menards/Tarkett Ford Mustang and made his only pit stop under caution on lap 59 for tires, fuel, and a significant air pressure adjustment after having fallen back to tenth during the segment.
Blaney was running the high lines in Turns 3 and 4 when the race resumed on lap 64 but as fate would have it, he couldn’t avoid Denny Hamlin’s and Brad Keselowski’s sideways cars in the ensuing accident and due to the damage, Crew Chief Todd Gordon brought the No. 12 to the garage, ending Blaney’s day in 37th position and moving him from the drivers’ points standings lead to sixth, (-41) behind new points leader and teammate Joey Logano.
Commenting afterward, Blaney is ready to focus on Atlanta this upcoming weekend. “I thought we were going to roll the top pretty good through turns three and four. It looked like the number eleven (Hamlin) tried to send it in there below the number 2; Keselowski got loose, hit him, then over-corrected and got us. We got up in the dirt and right into the fence. It sucks to have it end so early in the race. I hate it, especially for Menards/Tarkett and Ford. We weren’t great the first run but we made a big swing at it and we don’t know how that change was. It stinks to get taken out like that but we’ll just go on to Atlanta and see what we can do.”
Blaney’s best Atlanta race finish has been 12th, in Feb of 2018, for Team Penske, however, he led 51 laps there in February 2019, finishing Stage 1 in sixth and Stage 2 in fourth positions.
Don’t count this young man out! Team Penske just renewed his contract and The Captain has an eye for talent!
Team Penske announced it has renewed Ryan Blaney’s contract in a multi-year extension.
In a statement regarding the decision, Roger Penske commented, “Ryan is a true talent with a long runway ahead of him and we are excited to have him as a part of the future of Team Penske. Since joining our team, Ryan has developed into a championship-caliber driver and his personality and engagement with fans has made him a terrific ambassador for NASCAR. Also, Ryan has done a great job of working with our partners to support their activation and investment throughout each year. I am looking forward to even more success together.”
For his part, Blaney is happy, stating,” I’ve always said, it’s been a lifelong dream to drive a race at for Roger Penske. I am proud of what we have accomplished with the No. 12 Team Penske Ford and our ability to represent great brands like Menards, Advance Auto Parts, DEX Imaging, and BODYARMOR. It’s really exciting to know I will continue to drive for this organization in 2021 and beyond. I am fortunate to be surrounded by extremely talented people throughout the organization and have no doubt we will continue to compete for wins and championships well into the future.”
Chat With me Here: @DebbiePowers11
Phoenix, Arizona
Sunday, March 8, 2020
Ryan Blaney, driver of the Team Penske No. 12 Ford Mustang, started Sunday’s Fanshield 500 in Phoenix with a fifth-place position but his day was abruptly ended on Lap 65 by an accident involving Denny Hamlin and teammate Brad Keselowski, sending him hard into the outside wall.
From the opening laps in Stage 1, Blaney fought loose handling on his Menards/Tarkett Ford Mustang and made his only pit stop under caution on lap 59 for tires, fuel, and a significant air pressure adjustment after having fallen back to tenth during the segment.
Blaney was running the high lines in Turns 3 and 4 when the race resumed on lap 64 but as fate would have it, he couldn’t avoid Denny Hamlin’s and Brad Keselowski’s sideways cars in the ensuing accident and due to the damage, Crew Chief Todd Gordon brought the No. 12 to the garage, ending Blaney’s day in 37th position and moving him from the drivers’ points standings lead to sixth, (-41) behind new points leader and teammate Joey Logano.
Commenting afterward, Blaney is ready to focus on Atlanta this upcoming weekend. “I thought we were going to roll the top pretty good through turns three and four. It looked like the number eleven (Hamlin) tried to send it in there below the number 2; Keselowski got loose, hit him, then over-corrected and got us. We got up in the dirt and right into the fence. It sucks to have it end so early in the race. I hate it, especially for Menards/Tarkett and Ford. We weren’t great the first run but we made a big swing at it and we don’t know how that change was. It stinks to get taken out like that but we’ll just go on to Atlanta and see what we can do.”
Blaney’s best Atlanta race finish has been 12th, in Feb of 2018, for Team Penske, however, he led 51 laps there in February 2019, finishing Stage 1 in sixth and Stage 2 in fourth positions.
Don’t count this young man out! Team Penske just renewed his contract and The Captain has an eye for talent!
Team Penske announced it has renewed Ryan Blaney’s contract in a multi-year extension.
In a statement regarding the decision, Roger Penske commented, “Ryan is a true talent with a long runway ahead of him and we are excited to have him as a part of the future of Team Penske. Since joining our team, Ryan has developed into a championship-caliber driver and his personality and engagement with fans has made him a terrific ambassador for NASCAR. Also, Ryan has done a great job of working with our partners to support their activation and investment throughout each year. I am looking forward to even more success together.”
For his part, Blaney is happy, stating,” I’ve always said, it’s been a lifelong dream to drive a race at for Roger Penske. I am proud of what we have accomplished with the No. 12 Team Penske Ford and our ability to represent great brands like Menards, Advance Auto Parts, DEX Imaging, and BODYARMOR. It’s really exciting to know I will continue to drive for this organization in 2021 and beyond. I am fortunate to be surrounded by extremely talented people throughout the organization and have no doubt we will continue to compete for wins and championships well into the future.”
Chat With me Here: @DebbiePowers11
Photo Credit Merry Mendoza
Ryan Blaney sits 1st in the NASCAR driver points standings (+11) after California run
Fontana, California
Sunday March 1, 2020
Ryan Blaney led four times, for 54 laps, in Sunday's Auto Club 400 in Fontana, CA and his 19th place finish wasn't what fans expected when he was forced to pit with three laps to go because of a right-rear tire coming apart.
Starting 16th in the 200-lap race, Blaney was up to the fifth position by lap 11. On lap 28 he made his first pit stop under green for four tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment and after the cycle of stops was complete on lap 36, he was second in the running order, remaining there until Stage 1 ended on lap 60.
Restarting second when Stage 2 went green on lap 66, Blaney grabbed the lead on lap 69 and after going back and forth with Jimmie Johnson and William Byron, he took the lead on lap 93, leaving everyone behind him to win Stage 2, his first stage win of 2020.
Blaney restarted third when Stage 3 went green on lap 127 and the Body Armour Ford driver fell back to sixth, but then jumped back up to second after his final scheduled pit stop on lap 160.
With ten laps to go, Blaney was closing in on race leader Alex Bowman when he reported a vibration which forced him to pit road because the right-rear tire was coming apart. Slowing on the backstretch, he came to pit road on lap 197; the unfortunate event took him down to a 19th-place finish in the final stage.
Blaney remains the leader in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings with an 11-point edge over Penske teammate Joey Logano.
"We led a little bit with our BodyArmour Ford and ran pretty good. I just corded a right-rear at the end. We lost the lead there at the beginning of the third stage and kind of got swallowed up and the No. 88 (Bowman) got away. It is just the way it goes sometimes."
Blaney ran a Kobe Bryant paint scheme in Fontana in tribute to those who lost their lives in the tragic helicopter accident a few weeks back with proceeds of merchandise sales going 100% to the other victims' families; both Kobe and Gianna's numbers were displayed prominently on the rear decklid of the NO. 12. Kobe was an initial investor in BODY ARMOUR, Blaney's sponsor, at its start-up and Blaney had also personally met the talented Bryant previously.
Blaney and the NO. 12 Penske team now head to Phoenix to try to conquer the desert on Sunday in the FanShield 500.
Chat With me Here: @DebbiePowers11
Fontana, California
Sunday March 1, 2020
Ryan Blaney led four times, for 54 laps, in Sunday's Auto Club 400 in Fontana, CA and his 19th place finish wasn't what fans expected when he was forced to pit with three laps to go because of a right-rear tire coming apart.
Starting 16th in the 200-lap race, Blaney was up to the fifth position by lap 11. On lap 28 he made his first pit stop under green for four tires, fuel, and an air pressure adjustment and after the cycle of stops was complete on lap 36, he was second in the running order, remaining there until Stage 1 ended on lap 60.
Restarting second when Stage 2 went green on lap 66, Blaney grabbed the lead on lap 69 and after going back and forth with Jimmie Johnson and William Byron, he took the lead on lap 93, leaving everyone behind him to win Stage 2, his first stage win of 2020.
Blaney restarted third when Stage 3 went green on lap 127 and the Body Armour Ford driver fell back to sixth, but then jumped back up to second after his final scheduled pit stop on lap 160.
With ten laps to go, Blaney was closing in on race leader Alex Bowman when he reported a vibration which forced him to pit road because the right-rear tire was coming apart. Slowing on the backstretch, he came to pit road on lap 197; the unfortunate event took him down to a 19th-place finish in the final stage.
Blaney remains the leader in the NASCAR Cup Series driver standings with an 11-point edge over Penske teammate Joey Logano.
"We led a little bit with our BodyArmour Ford and ran pretty good. I just corded a right-rear at the end. We lost the lead there at the beginning of the third stage and kind of got swallowed up and the No. 88 (Bowman) got away. It is just the way it goes sometimes."
Blaney ran a Kobe Bryant paint scheme in Fontana in tribute to those who lost their lives in the tragic helicopter accident a few weeks back with proceeds of merchandise sales going 100% to the other victims' families; both Kobe and Gianna's numbers were displayed prominently on the rear decklid of the NO. 12. Kobe was an initial investor in BODY ARMOUR, Blaney's sponsor, at its start-up and Blaney had also personally met the talented Bryant previously.
Blaney and the NO. 12 Penske team now head to Phoenix to try to conquer the desert on Sunday in the FanShield 500.
Chat With me Here: @DebbiePowers11
Photo Credit Debbie Powers
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Photo Credit Debbie Powers
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Ryan Blaney takes over points standing by three after Vegas run
Las Vegas, Nevada
February 23, 2020
Even though it wasn’t the finish Ryan Blaney and the No.12 Menards/Pennzoil team hoped for, Blaney now sits +3 points over teammate Joey Logano in NASCAR Cup standings.
Starting 4th, Blaney was leading on lap 262 when a caution reared it’s ugly head; making a tough “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” pit strategy call, crew chief Todd Gordon elected to bring Blaney in for four tires, and the different pit strategies found the young driver shuffled back to 11th on the final restart on lap 265. Blaney immediately began moving through the field but damage to the No.12 Ford Mustang found him in 11th place when the race concluded. Passing Logano on lap 50 for the fourth position, he held that spot until the stage ended on lap 80.
During the stage caution, Blaney pitted, allowing the Menards pit crew to make significant changes to the Ford Mustang, including track bat and air pressure adjustments, restarting sixth when Stage 2 began on lap 87. Blaney was up to third by lap 123, then pitted for four tires, fuel, and air pressure adjustment. A strong job by the No.12 crew put him back out in third and he soon
passed Martin Truex, Jr for the second. When Stage 2 ended under caution, Blaney sat second just behind Chase Elliott.
During the stage break, Gordon called for continued track bar and air pressure adjustments and added a piece of tape on the No 12’s nose to help Blaney’s final run, a good call & great pit work resulting in his taking the lead on lap 163. After the race went green on lap 166, Blaney contended for the lead with Logano, Elliott, and Kevin Harvick for the next 51 laps, with Elliott slipping past him on lap 205, at which time Blaney let his team know his Penske Ford was losing front turn. Blaney made a scheduled pit stop on lap 218, taking four tires, fuel, and air pressure adjustments. When the seventh caution of the race came out four laps later for an incident involving Elliott, Blaney got the free pass and was back on the lead lap; Gordon brought him in for four tires on lap 224. Restarting third, Blaney found his way around Harvick, and snatched the lead from Logano on lap 255! Steadily gaining distance on the field behind him, an eighth caution came out on lap 263 for a spin by Ross Chastain ( in the 6 car for Ryan Newman); pit strategies and circumstances would find him ultimately with an 11th place finish.
Afterward, Blaney states, “ It was just a rough situation for our Menards/Pennzoil team. I thought we had it once we were in clean air. The caution came out and we pitted; some guys didn’t, some guys took 2 tires, and we just ended up getting torn up trying to dive back through the field. It’s easy to look back on it and say we should have stayed out.
That’s a tough call for Todd Gordon but I’ve got to thank him for giving me a great Menards/Pennzoil Ford Mustang. We were so good on long runs and that’s something to hold our heads up high about. It just stinks about the finish.”
Blaney now heads to Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA where he will run a special paint scheme for his sponsor, Body Armour, in tribute to Kobe Bryant; Bryant invested in the company in 2014.
All proceeds for merchandise sales for this paint scheme will go to MambaOnThree.Org
On the car’s rear deck the numbers 2 and 24 will honor Gianna Bryant and Kobe.
Think Blaney can bring the car to Victory Lane? I can guarantee you it won’t be for lack of effort if he doesn’t...#MambaMentality
Photo Cred Debbie Powers
Las Vegas, Nevada
February 23, 2020
Even though it wasn’t the finish Ryan Blaney and the No.12 Menards/Pennzoil team hoped for, Blaney now sits +3 points over teammate Joey Logano in NASCAR Cup standings.
Starting 4th, Blaney was leading on lap 262 when a caution reared it’s ugly head; making a tough “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” pit strategy call, crew chief Todd Gordon elected to bring Blaney in for four tires, and the different pit strategies found the young driver shuffled back to 11th on the final restart on lap 265. Blaney immediately began moving through the field but damage to the No.12 Ford Mustang found him in 11th place when the race concluded. Passing Logano on lap 50 for the fourth position, he held that spot until the stage ended on lap 80.
During the stage caution, Blaney pitted, allowing the Menards pit crew to make significant changes to the Ford Mustang, including track bat and air pressure adjustments, restarting sixth when Stage 2 began on lap 87. Blaney was up to third by lap 123, then pitted for four tires, fuel, and air pressure adjustment. A strong job by the No.12 crew put him back out in third and he soon
passed Martin Truex, Jr for the second. When Stage 2 ended under caution, Blaney sat second just behind Chase Elliott.
During the stage break, Gordon called for continued track bar and air pressure adjustments and added a piece of tape on the No 12’s nose to help Blaney’s final run, a good call & great pit work resulting in his taking the lead on lap 163. After the race went green on lap 166, Blaney contended for the lead with Logano, Elliott, and Kevin Harvick for the next 51 laps, with Elliott slipping past him on lap 205, at which time Blaney let his team know his Penske Ford was losing front turn. Blaney made a scheduled pit stop on lap 218, taking four tires, fuel, and air pressure adjustments. When the seventh caution of the race came out four laps later for an incident involving Elliott, Blaney got the free pass and was back on the lead lap; Gordon brought him in for four tires on lap 224. Restarting third, Blaney found his way around Harvick, and snatched the lead from Logano on lap 255! Steadily gaining distance on the field behind him, an eighth caution came out on lap 263 for a spin by Ross Chastain ( in the 6 car for Ryan Newman); pit strategies and circumstances would find him ultimately with an 11th place finish.
Afterward, Blaney states, “ It was just a rough situation for our Menards/Pennzoil team. I thought we had it once we were in clean air. The caution came out and we pitted; some guys didn’t, some guys took 2 tires, and we just ended up getting torn up trying to dive back through the field. It’s easy to look back on it and say we should have stayed out.
That’s a tough call for Todd Gordon but I’ve got to thank him for giving me a great Menards/Pennzoil Ford Mustang. We were so good on long runs and that’s something to hold our heads up high about. It just stinks about the finish.”
Blaney now heads to Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, CA where he will run a special paint scheme for his sponsor, Body Armour, in tribute to Kobe Bryant; Bryant invested in the company in 2014.
All proceeds for merchandise sales for this paint scheme will go to MambaOnThree.Org
On the car’s rear deck the numbers 2 and 24 will honor Gianna Bryant and Kobe.
Think Blaney can bring the car to Victory Lane? I can guarantee you it won’t be for lack of effort if he doesn’t...#MambaMentality
Photo Cred Debbie Powers
Honored that @drinkBODYARMOR is running a Kobe Bryant tribute scheme this weekend. I was fortunate enough to meet Kobe & this is a great way to honor him, Gianna & all the victims. Stay tuned for merch details and all proceeds will go to https://t.co/WdOVfr5mRk. #MambaMentality pic.twitter.com/UrtylAIsCK
— Ryan Blaney (@Blaney) February 25, 2020
Not the Duel Ryan Blaney hoped to execute..
February 14th, 2020
Ryan Blaney started, and finished, in 14th position in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 after a two-car clash resulted in multiple pit stops for repairs.
The resulting damage has the No. 12 team going to a back-up car for the Daytona 500, and Blaney will come off pit road in the 27th position but have to drop to the rear due to the back-up car.
Blaney was able to move the Menards Ford Mustang into the top-10 in the first ten laps of the 60-lap Duel and then ride along the top with Ford Performance teammates; on lap 31, in an attempt to enter pit road, Blaney's No.12 and the No. 96 of Daniel Suarez got together off Turn 4. Blaney's crew made repairs and got him back on the track on the lead lap.
Holding on to the lead pack, Blaney struggled to make it back to the front due to the damage to his car and finished in the 14th position.
"We got lucky and should not have never been in that spot in the first place. It was just an error on my part and kind of a little lack of communication that didn't end well. I feel bad for my guys, but I know we will have a Menards Ford as strong as the primary car and get ready for Sunday" Blaney remarked afterward.
Fun Fact: Ryan Blaney has led 131 laps in the last two Daytona 500 races!
Since joining Team Penske, Blaney has started as high as 3rd in the 500 in 2018, and his best finish with the team was in that same year, coming in 7th. When he was with Wood Brothers Racing, he had a best-qualifying position of 7th, and his best finish was in February of 2017, coming in 2nd!
Looking forward to what this young man will accomplish this year!
Follow and chat with me here:
@DebbiePowers11
Photo Credit: Don Charest
February 14th, 2020
Ryan Blaney started, and finished, in 14th position in the Bluegreen Vacations Duel 1 after a two-car clash resulted in multiple pit stops for repairs.
The resulting damage has the No. 12 team going to a back-up car for the Daytona 500, and Blaney will come off pit road in the 27th position but have to drop to the rear due to the back-up car.
Blaney was able to move the Menards Ford Mustang into the top-10 in the first ten laps of the 60-lap Duel and then ride along the top with Ford Performance teammates; on lap 31, in an attempt to enter pit road, Blaney's No.12 and the No. 96 of Daniel Suarez got together off Turn 4. Blaney's crew made repairs and got him back on the track on the lead lap.
Holding on to the lead pack, Blaney struggled to make it back to the front due to the damage to his car and finished in the 14th position.
"We got lucky and should not have never been in that spot in the first place. It was just an error on my part and kind of a little lack of communication that didn't end well. I feel bad for my guys, but I know we will have a Menards Ford as strong as the primary car and get ready for Sunday" Blaney remarked afterward.
Fun Fact: Ryan Blaney has led 131 laps in the last two Daytona 500 races!
Since joining Team Penske, Blaney has started as high as 3rd in the 500 in 2018, and his best finish with the team was in that same year, coming in 7th. When he was with Wood Brothers Racing, he had a best-qualifying position of 7th, and his best finish was in February of 2017, coming in 2nd!
Looking forward to what this young man will accomplish this year!
Follow and chat with me here:
@DebbiePowers11
Photo Credit: Don Charest
