Ryan Blaney mounts early title defence, leads 2024 NASCAR Cup standings after Phoenix

Reigning champion Ryan Blaney is off to a thumping start to his NASCAR Cup Series title defence.

Team Penske ace Ryan Blaney bagged the first Cup title of his career in the 2023 season. The 30-year-old won important races throughout the season, including a memorable Martinsville victory in the penultimate race of the season.

Finishing behind Trackhouse Racing's Ross Chastain in the season finale in Phoenix, Blaney etched his name into the history books. The Ohio native brought home the championship to Team Penske for the second season in a row.

Four races into the 2024 season, Ryan Blaney's championship defence is off to a stellar start. While yet to win a single race, Blaney secured three straight top 5 finishes in Atalanta, Las Vegas and Phoenix. In a historic three-wide finish, the Team Penske driver was the runner-up in Atlanta, as he lost out to Mexican driver Daniel Suarez by three one-thousandths of a second.

Notably, Blaney has secured eight top-six finishes in his last 10 races. With 151 points to his name, the 30-year-old driver maintains a 10 point lead over second-placed Hendrick Motorsports driver Kyle Larson and Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr.

While it is premature to make predictions for a back-to-back Cup championship win, Ryan Blaney's convincing kickstart to the campaign has sparked hopes among fans for a potential consecutive triumph.

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What did Ryan Blaney say before returning to Phoenix Raceway on Sunday?

This past weekend, Blaney was back on the track where he lifted the Cup Series championship a few months ago. The No. 12 Ford Mustang driver reflected on his past success and expressed anticipation for the Shriners Children's 500 race. He said (via Fox Sports):

"Haven’t thought too much about it. It will be nice to go back and kind of see it. I tested there in December, so that was kind of nice to go back shortly removed from the championship. It probably will bring back special memories that’s for sure. It will be nice to go back."

Blaney also highlighted his strong performances at the track in recent years. He said:

"It’s a place that’s been really good to us, our whole [Penske] group, really, for a long time, and especially the last two or three years."

While he failed to clinch a victory on the surface, Ryan Blaney would've been a happy man walking out of the race with a fifth-place finish and as the leader of the Cup Series standings.