Although Austin Dillon intends to lend a hand at Daytona to RCR teammate and fellow Chevrolet driver Kyle Busch in his must-win playoff bid, the 2023 NASCAR Cup champion, Ryan Blaney, admits he will take a self-serving approach in the final race of the regular season.<\/p>\n
Just 25 points behind Chase Elliott for second in the regular season standings, Blaney believes he can leapfrog the No. 9 driver at Daytona this weekend. The Team Penske ace acknowledged that climbing to second has been a major focus this week, calling it a considerable gain that would bring critical playoff bonus points as the field heads into the postseason. Considering the string of DNFs his team has endured, Blaney said it is remarkable they still sit fifth.<\/p>\n
For him, that speaks volumes about their overall performance, and having a legitimate chance at second is, in his words, \u201creally, really strong,\u201d making it well within reach. He plans to keep a close eye on the drivers around him at various points throughout the stages and then, in the final stage, position himself to chase the win while maximizing stage points along the way.<\/p>\n
When pressed on balancing his duty as a Ford driver to assist RFK Racing or other Ford-affiliated teams against his own goal to win, Blaney was unequivocal.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I have the chance to go win, I\u2019m gonna go win the race. I\u2019m not gonna lay over for, I know their fellow Fords, whether it\u2019s Front Row or RFK, I\u2019m not gonna lay over for them to win the race and get in when I have a shot to win the race.\u201d<\/p>\n