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Ryan Blaney Interview following win at Daytona | VICTORY LAP

Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour presented by NASCAR on FOX Aug 25, 2025 10 min

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About this episode

Ryan Blaney reflects on his thrilling Daytona win, highlighting the strategic moves in the final laps and the importance of playoff points. He discusses the strength and adaptability of his team, the Pinsky group, and their readiness for the upcoming playoff races, including challenges at Talladega and the Roval. Blaney also shares personal insights about balancing racing with preparing for fatherhood, noting how this new chapter is shifting his focus and priorities. The conversation blends race strategy with life changes, offering a unique look at the mindset of a top NASCAR driver.

Topics: daytona win race strategy playoff points team strength playoff schedule road courses talladega challenges personal life fatherhood balancing racing and family

Fresh off his dramatic win at Daytona, Ryan Blaney joins Kevin Harvick for this week’s Victory Lap. The two break down the final laps at Daytona, how Blaney sealed the deal in one of the most exciting finishes of the season, and what the victory means heading into the postseason. Blaney also opens up about his playoff preparation, how he’s approaching each round of tracks, and the mindset it takes to survive the postseason grind. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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It's one of those days to where everything kind of works. You never know what can happen anywhere.

I mean, you can go have a bad week anywhere you go.

It's just a matter of kind of going and doing our job and just executing.

Well, Ryan, congratulations. That was, man, that was, that was an exciting last couple laps.

I didn't even see you in the picture with two to go.

And then all of a sudden with one to go, it seemed like everything opened up for you and just worked out.

Yeah. Yeah. I mean, didn't really go anywhere after the restart.

And I, we were behind Custer and I told Timmy to go down and talk to Custer spotter.

Like, Hey, if, you know, if he goes third lane, I'll go with you.

And, and I think we would draw a couple other guys to go with us too.

And we could move forward. And so I was really just waiting on him to kind of go.

And the opportunity came up with two to go on the front stretch when they split priests

that the top gains some momentum.

And the guys in front of us kind of shaded back down to the middle and Cole and I got connected

in the short shoot after the tribal and was able to get, you know, a lane and have momentum.

And then we had massive momentum down the back stretch.

We got hooked up early and shoved down the back and got him, I think, even with the lead

and, and they got him clear for the lead on the front stretch on the last lap.

And then, you know, with the seven got a good shove and he was far out front

and Cole and I were coming with another head of steam off of two and the seven,

you know, covered it and it made Cole have to make a move and leave me

and that just kind of left me in the catbird seat where I got a big shaft on the back

and then was able to kind of bop back and forth between middle and top to the start finish line.

So it's it's one of those days to where it kind of everything kind of worked.

And the last couple laps just kind of played out perfectly for us.

And I've had we've all had days at Daytona, Talladega, where you feel like nothing works

and every move you make is terrible.

And I've had a lot of those days, but for some reason Saturday night,

it just kind of played out for us and we were able to hang on.

So pretty cool, pretty cool way to end it.

Yeah.

And I can I can think of a lot of those days over the last couple of years

that haven't worked out for you at Daytona.

So it's it's kind of that those 50 50 odds that that kind of seemed to be

with super speedway racing.

I think for me watching that race, were you were you guys aware

of how tight the battle was for second in the points and all the

I know you got to play off points for the win, but that those points matter.

And I think when you look at that, that last little cycle of the win

in the race and getting second in the points and getting those regular

season playoff points, that's huge going into into these next 10 weeks.

Yeah.

Oh, for sure.

That was I mean, that was job number one for us going in the weekend.

We knew we could get to second racing, you know, the nine, the five,

the 11, we also knew we could possibly lose a couple spots

if we had a bad night.

So it was a big swing and points.

There was a group of us that were super close.

So yeah, goal one was focusing on the stages.

How do we run well in the stages and grab enough points or a lot of points

there and then kind of see where we're at and then we go race to the finish.

So yeah, that was that was job number one.

And after we got a decent amount of stage points in the first two,

then it was just like figuring out where those other guys were at

and not only trying to win the race, but also trying to

get to second.

So and then honest, you know, obviously winning the race was just the cherry

on top of everything of it.

But yeah, that was a that was a huge point in our mind.

That was kind of number one on our list through the week.

And we were able to execute it even better than expected.

So when you look at the playoffs, man, I look at the I look at the schedule

of races, I look, you guys have run good all year.

But when I look at the schedule over the over the last 10 weeks,

I see the 22 car show them back up, you know,

as we've got through the last several weeks.

It just seems like you guys always find your way and the tracks really.

They suit.

I mean, you guys run good everywhere, but they really suit the

Pinsky group as far as the way that these things are laid out.

What what is the strength of the team?

Obviously, you have the momentum now winning last week.

Where do you where do you think the strength is?

What races are you worried about over the next 10 weeks?

Yeah, I think I look forward to the tracks in the playoffs.

I think there's, you know, some in there that are, you know,

like gateway that's been added.

We've always been really good at gateway.

I hope that continues.

I've been proud of our effort all year.

I think I think getting a second and the regular season points

with 70 NFS is really shows how strong we've been through

the year when we've been able to finish.

And I just think the Pinsky group, they just understand

you know, and it's a constant work to be better and trying

to figure out ways to always improve.

And it all comes down to people.

I mean, if you don't have the people that can dig down deep

and find new things and not be complacent, that's what

it's all about.

And I think that's what we have.

So I really don't.

I mean, the only tracks I'd be worried about is like if you

if you get to Talladega in the round of eight, you know,

that's obviously a toss up.

You never know what can happen at the Roval in the round

of 12.

You never know what can happen anywhere.

I mean, you can go have a bad week anywhere you go.

But I think all the tracks we've really done well at.

I think a road course program has gotten way better.

I look at the last couple of road courses.

We've been really strong from Sonoma and the Glen.

Hopefully we can learn some stuff for the Roval that

get some speed, but I like all of them.

Honestly, it's just a matter of kind of going to do

it our job and just executing the way that I know

this team can do it.

And hopefully it's great to have all of our cars in it.

It's great to have the Woodbrothers car in it.

So yeah, I think it it lines up well for what we do,

but it's just it's just people willing to compromise

and learn and new tires here and new rules packages

that and they just do the work and try to come up

with the best things through the weeks that really

show up on the weekends.

Well, you guys do a great job of putting yourself

in position and you think back to all that bad luck

at the beginning of the year.

It truly is amazing that you guys battled back to to

get to those those second and a points.

But before I let you go.

Has it have you thought about being a dad yet?

I mean, this is this is going to be a this is going

to be a big transition here, buddy.

Do you have you as the reality of that set in or

is racing still front of mind or are we planning yet?

I'm it's both it's both my I'm trying to it's a

new thing that I have to balance of preparing for

our son and focusing on racing in the playoffs, right?

So it's like having to really go back and forth.

And I don't ever want to take away from either one.

Like I try to put a hundred percent effort at either

at both racing and get ready for our our child

and what we have to do and and just making sure

that everything is as best that we can get it

making sure, you know, Gianna is feeling good

and comfortable and and all that stuff.

But people asked me they're like, oh,

you had a Sunday off, did you party?

And I was like, no, we went stroller in car seat shop

in yesterday. Tell you how life changes.

That's for sure. But no, we're excited.

It's, you know, the only thing that's on my mind

is the preparation work of making sure everything

is as ready as it can be and then, you know,

hoping everyone's healthy when that day comes

and things like that.

So but we're we're really excited.

It's funny like at the stage of my life

for all my buddies are having kids, you know,

like Bubba and Scotty Mack.

And I have a few other friends that are pregnant

right now and it's funny how that life everyone

kind of times up their their child birth together.

And I'm excited for for our son to grow up

with Bex with Bubba's boy and, you know,

so it's it's a fun time right now.

But yeah, trying to juggle all that is

it's definitely been a lot,

but it's been a fun fun part of it for sure.

It's going to make you better

and you guys are already doing pretty good,

but it's so strange how that focus

when you get that circle of life complete with with all that

all of a sudden you almost become more focused

because you don't have time to do everything else.

But we're we're excited to to watch the garage become

parents that you guys are the older generation now.

So it's it's always fun to watch that that transition.

It didn't take long for you guys to become old.

I tell you, Kevin,

it is blowing my mind because like,

you know, I'm 31 and right.

All of us are kind of in this.

All of my buddies are who are around that age

are kind of in the process of having kids.

And and now I'm at the age of like

your boy, Keelan is kicking butt, right?

And he's going to be there soon wherever he ends up

at whatever professional racing level.

He's going to be there really soon.

Now I got to worry about your kid coming up

and whipping my butt here before too long.

And then he got these these really good kids coming in

who are like 18 years old.

I'm like, man, these kids are young.

And I was that guy, you know, 10 years ago.

So it's a transition.

That's for sure.

And but it's definitely a weird time,

but it's it's really neat to have different perspectives

as you get older in this deal.

Well, congratulations on life in general and congratulations

on putting yourself in a position to to race

for another championship.

And we'll be watching.

Thanks for taking the time to do it.

Yeah.

Thanks, Kevin.

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