“There’s no give anymore”: Ryan Blaney plans on being the aggressor as Team Penske driver looks to solidify final 4 spot

Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney has been going through an impressive NASCAR Cup Series season so far. He earned two wins, including a Talladega playoff race and is in a good position to advance into the Championship 4 for the first time in his career.

This weekend, the 29-year-old heads to Martinsville Speedway for the Round of 8 elimination race in a comfortable position above the cutoff line. He currently sits in third place in the playoff standings and has a 10-point cushion over Tyler Reddick to advance on points.

Heading to Martinsville, Ryan Blaney talked about his plans to lock his spot for the Final 4 at Phoenix Raceway. He said that in the playoffs it’s hard to give so he will be aggressive this weekend.

“You definitely have to take. Everybody in the Playoffs now, there’s no give anymore. It’s all take, and that’s what you have to do. People approach it differently. Everyone is different of how much they take and how they take it, but you can’t give anymore. If you’re giving, you’re going backwards, so it depends what spot you’re in, but in the Playoffs it’s hard to give. You have to be on the aggressive side and take and that’s just the nature of what it is,” Blaney said as quoted by speedway media.

The Team Penske driver returned to the track where he has yet to find a victory. He has made 15 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series at Martinsville Speedway and had a track-best finish of second on November 1, 2020. He has earned seven top-5s, nine top-10s and led 377 laps. He has a hunger to get a trip to victory lane and it will be interesting to see how the #12 Ford driver does this weekend at Martinsville.

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“We still have a job to do” – Ryan Blaney on being above the cutline

The #12 Ford driver stated that it is good to have a 10-point cushion ahead of Martinsville elimination race but he still has to work hard to make sure of his spot into the Final 4 grid.

On being above the cutline in the Round of 8 elimination race, Ryan Blaney said:

“Personally, I don’t think I look at it any differently. I mean, it’s nice to be in that spot, being above instead of clawing your way in. You’re still going to have to fight hard. I don’t think you can get relaxed unless you are (Christopher Bell or Kyle Larson) this weekend. We still have a job to do, and you still have to work hard, whether you’re below or above (the cutoff).”

Watch Ryan Blaney at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023.