CONCORD, N.C. — Carrying momentum on his side, Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney will be looking to win his second Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Blaney, who won the event in 2023, has finished third in back-to-back races at Texas Motor Speedway and Kansas Speedway entering the Memorial Day weekend classic.
“It was cool to win this race a couple years ago. I grew up going to this race a lot watching dad run it. I spent a lot of time with the family. Memorial Day Weekend is always really special,” Blaney said Tuesday. “Being able to see a lot of troops and meet their families around the racetrack and meet those families with their son or daughter that’s riding with us on our windshield is always a really special moment. It was neat to accomplish and a huge feat two years ago.
“Last year, I thought we had a decent run going and unfortunately we didn’t finish it, but it is a tough place.”
Blaney acknowledged that confidence is on the side of the No. 12 Ford team.
“I think it’s gonna be a really good racetrack for us. I enjoy going there. We’ve put together really good mile-and-a-halves so far this year and, hopefully, that translates,” Blaney said. “I was actually able to be a part of a tire test in Charlotte a couple months back, so it was nice to get a little bit more track time.
“We don’t really get to test very often anymore, so it was good to spend a couple days going through some tires, working on some things we could work on with the race car, so I have high hopes.”
Blaney talked about the keys to contending for victory in NASCAR’s longest race.
“The key I feel like is just staying in the game. Like I said earlier, there are gonna be ups and downs all night. The racetrack is gonna change,” Blaney said. “You’ve got 600 miles to figure it out, so just mentally staying in it, not only me, but all the guys staying in the game, doing their job right and what you want your race to look like at the 450-mile mark.
“I try to break it up that way into quarters – 150, 300, 450, 600. Where do you want to be at each stage of this race and what does it look like for the end of this thing. You’ve got to persevere all night and we were able to do that two years ago. We were really good early. We weren’t the best car in the middle and we got to be the best car at the end, so it was just like staying with it and staying in touch with the lead and what your car needs is some of the most important things.”
Blaney understands the importance of racing on Memorial Day weekend, which is one of the biggest stages of the season for motorsports.
“It’s the biggest weekend in motorsports. I get up Sunday morning and watch Monaco, and then I get ready for Indy,” Blaney explained. “I usually watch Monaco from my house, at least the first part, and I catch the end of it at the bus, and then I watch Indy at the race track, and then I get ready to go, so it’s just a fun day for me too, to watch and then participate in one of the races.”
