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Ahead of his 2024 Daytona 500 stint, Ryan Blaney has disclosed his thought process on the pushing game and its evolution in the realm of NASCAR.
The final NASCAR Cup Series practice was called off due to heavy rains. Following the cancellation, 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney visited Daytona International Speedway's media center.
The 30-year-old driver has a NASCAR championship under his belt but hasn't yet won the Great American Race. Ahead of his Daytona 500 run, the Team Penske driver opened up about how bump-drafting has evolved over time and what is currently acceptable. He said (via speedwaymedia.com):
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“Pushing is a huge part of the speedways now. You see it more than ever. You see more pushing now. The only time you pushed more was the tandem racing, but that was solid connection being on somebody and now the bumpers kind of being round you kind of see the cars get out of control more. But, I think you have to push hard and I fully understand that."
Ryan Blaney admitted to pushing his rivals hard but emphasized the responsibility that one carries being a pusher. He said:
"I’ve pushed people hard, but I try to take care of people. As the pusher, you are responsible for the guy in front of you. You have just as much responsibility to make sure that you don’t shove the guy in front of you through somebody and you have to understand where you have to let him go."
Contrary to Ryan Blaney's back-logged grid position, his teammate seals the P1 spot with a historic feat
Clocking the fastest lap speed at 181.947 mph, 2x NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano sealed the top spot on the grid for the Daytona 500 race. The 500-mile race was earlier scheduled for Sunday, 2.30 pm ET, however, due to the weather conditions, it is now postponed to Monday, 4 pm ET.
It was Team Penske's first Daytona 500 pole and Logano's first pole since last year's Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The 2015 Daytona 500 winner will commence his run from the front whereas his teammate will start the 2.5-mile track run all the way back from P32 in his #12 Ford Mustang Dark Horse.
