CONCORD, N.C. — Carrying momentum on his aspect, Workforce Penske driver Ryan Blaney might be trying to win his second Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Blaney, who received the occasion in 2023, has completed third in back-to-back races at Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway coming into the Memorial Day weekend basic.
“It was cool to win this race a pair years in the past. I grew up going to this race rather a lot watching dad run it. I spent a number of time with the household. Memorial Day Weekend is all the time actually particular,” Blaney mentioned Tuesday. “Having the ability to see a number of troops and meet their households across the racetrack and meet these households with their son or daughter that’s driving with us on our windshield is all the time a very particular second. It was neat to perform and an enormous feat two years in the past.
“Final 12 months, I believed we had an honest run going and sadly we didn’t end it, however it’s a robust place.”
Blaney acknowledged that confidence is on the aspect of the No. 12 Ford workforce.
“I feel it’s gonna be a very good racetrack for us. I get pleasure from going there. We’ve put collectively actually good mile-and-a-halves thus far this 12 months and, hopefully, that interprets,” Blaney mentioned. “I used to be really capable of be part of a tire check in Charlotte a pair months again, so it was good to get a little bit bit extra monitor time.
“We don’t actually get to check fairly often anymore, so it was good to spend a pair days going by way of some tires, engaged on some issues we might work on with the race automotive, so I’ve excessive hopes.”
Blaney talked in regards to the keys to contending for victory in NASCAR’s longest race.
“The important thing I really feel like is simply staying within the sport. Like I mentioned earlier, there are gonna be ups and downs all night time. The racetrack is gonna change,” Blaney mentioned. “You’ve received 600 miles to determine it out, so simply mentally staying in it, not solely me, however all the blokes staying within the sport, doing their job proper and what you need your race to appear like on the 450-mile mark.
“I attempt to break it up that means into quarters – 150, 300, 450, 600. The place do you wish to be at every stage of this race and what does it appear like for the tip of this factor. You’ve received to persevere all night time and we have been ready to do this two years in the past. We have been actually good early. We weren’t the perfect automotive within the center and we received to be the perfect automotive on the finish, so it was similar to staying with it and staying in contact with the lead and what your automotive wants is among the most vital issues.”
Blaney understands the significance of racing on Memorial Day weekend, which is among the largest phases of the season for motorsports.
“It’s the most important weekend in motorsports. I rise up Sunday morning and watch Monaco, after which I prepare for Indy,” Blaney defined. “I normally watch Monaco from my home, no less than the primary half, and I catch the tip of it on the bus, after which I watch Indy on the race monitor, after which I get able to go, so it’s only a enjoyable day for me too, to look at after which take part in one of many races.”
