INDIANAPOLIS — Solely two drivers stay alive within the $1 million NASCAR In-Season Problem heading into this weekend’s Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
As a sidelight to the celebrated Brickyard 400 on the historic 2.5-mile race observe, Ford drivers Ryan Blaney and Todd Gilliland will face off for the bonus cash, with the driving force who finishes higher amassing the prize for his workforce.
Blaney, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Sequence champion, drives for Crew Penske, whereas Gilliland wheels the No. 34 for Entrance Row Motorsports.
Gilliland says he’s had slightly luck en path to the fifth and ultimate spherical of the In-Season Problem.
“I undoubtedly suppose we’ve had luck on our aspect, however when you get previous 4 or 5 drivers at this level, it’s all the time gonna take slightly little bit of luck. I felt our pace was significantly better at North Wilkesboro, so I really feel like we earned that yet another,” mentioned Gilliland, who completed eighth at North Wilkesboro Speedway to earn a berth within the ultimate. “I’m enthusiastic about it. It’s been one thing enjoyable for my workforce to give attention to. They’re pushing tremendous exhausting for Indianapolis, so it’s been cool to see these guys rise as much as the event and we’re hoping for yet another actually good week.”
Blaney, in the meantime, has been one of the vital convincing drivers throughout the five-race run, profitable at EchoPark Speedway and advancing to the ultimate with an Eleventh-place effort at North Wilkesboro.
“I really feel fairly respectable about it. Anybody is gonna sit right here and inform you they really feel fairly good about it, however I really feel like we’ve executed a extremely good job this yr of discovering pace in locations the place we wanted to search out it, after which managing races to the place we perhaps haven’t had the very best pace, however we’ve gotten higher all evening,” Blaney mentioned. “The final two weeks in our constructing has been actually nice. It was good to sort of have an enormous win at Atlanta for us after which an absolute dominating win by the 22 group (teammate Joey Logano) at North Wilkesboro.”
Gilliland, who ranks twenty third within the standings after 21 races, mentioned profitable the In-Season Problem could be enjoyable for his workforce.
“It will be enjoyable. That’s the most important factor, like I mentioned, my workforce might be probably the most targeted on it of anyone,” Gilliland mentioned. “They actually respect it. It’s been some time since we’ve received something, so that might be good. General, workforce morale is all the time one thing that when you might help in any approach that’s what you want. We see our Truck groups going out and profitable getting a one-two final weekend, so it might be nice to win one thing even when it’s the In-Season Event. That will assist workforce mojo slightly bit.”
As well as, Blaney will mark his four-hundredth Cup Sequence begin on Sunday.
“ I had no thought it was 400 this weekend. It’s extremely exhausting to consider. It sort of goes again to my earlier reply – none of this occurs with out Roger Penske, his group, the Wooden Brothers – these people have actually given me the chance that I can solely dream of,” Blaney mentioned. “I’d by no means have dreamt that I’d make it to 400 begins.
“You simply attempt to proceed to take one begin at a time, however it does fly by. It doesn’t really feel like 400, so I’ve been actually fortunate to have a fantastic journey for these 400 begins and hopefully I could make it 400 extra, for certain. Rising up across the sport, watching my dad do it, I simply needed to do what my dad did. I used to be in love with the game. As a child, I used to be simply in awe of race automobile drivers and race vehicles. I simply needed to try this and I’ve been actually fortunate in my life to get these alternatives and get superb alternatives to be pretty profitable in that sport that I like.”
Blaney’s dad, Dave, made 473 Cup Sequence begins in his profession.
“That’s gonna be a extremely huge eye-opener for me if and once I go my dad in profession begins. That’s gonna be like, ‘Oh, man.’ I’d by no means have thought that, however it’s been a enjoyable 400 and, like I mentioned, I hope to make it 400 extra.”
