Ryan Blaney was tested multiple times during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
After cycling out from a late pit sequence sandwiched between Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson, Blaney made quick work of Elliott before scampering ahead of Larson.
With Larson breathing down his neck with 13 laps to go, it was Larson who made the mistake as he spun after slight contact with Blaney’s No. 12 Ford.
That set up another test for Blaney on the final restart with seven laps to go. The defending champion faltered on the restart on the front row, which dropped Blaney to fourth heading into turn one.
Blaney recalibrated and worked his way back to the lead with two laps to go.
However, polesitter Tyler Reddick had the last say as the 23XI Racing driver got around Blaney on the final lap to secure a berth in the Championship 4.
On a day that appeared to be in favor of Blaney left the 30-year-old empty-handed and disappointed.
“I had a good shot to win it and I didn’t have a very good last lap,” Blaney explained. “I thought I got into three hard and the 45 just went in there and it stuck for him, which is really impressive.
“I hate to give one away there like that. I don’t know if we gave it away. We got the lead back after losing it on the restart and just that last lap didn’t play out for us. I appreciate everybody on the 12 team for bringing a really fast race car.
“I had a really great shot to go to Phoenix and I still have one more chance, so we still have to look forward to that.”
While Blaney felt he did everything he could to hold off Reddick, he feels it’ll be a moment that he’ll “be thinking through it all night of what I should have done different, probably.”
“That is just the way it goes but I am really proud of the effort and hopefully we can bring it to them next week,” Blaney said.
Compartmentalizing is a crucial aspect of professional sports. For Blaney and his Team Penske team, switching focus to Martinsville (Va.) Speedway next week is fresh on Blaney’s mind.
Notably, Blaney scored a win at Martinsville last season to secure a berth in the championship round at Phoenix.
“Yeah, this feeling will suck for tonight and then we will look forward to Martinsville starting tomorrow morning,” Blaney said. “We try to forget things quick. I try to do that more and more as I have gotten older and just move on to the next thing good, bad or indifferent and focus on the next task.
“This team will do that. I just can’t say how proud I am of them, coming in here and understanding what we need to do. It is a shame it didn’t work out but we did have good fortune at Martinsville last year so hopefully we can bring the same kind of speed and be in contention to win.”
Blaney heads to the final race of the Round of 8 with a 38-point deficit to William Byron, who holds the final spot in the Championship 4.