1 week agoIf we were to tell you that there was a driver who hasn't finished worse than fifth in the last seven races at Phoenix Raceway, a normal reaction would be, "well he has definitely won at least one or two of those, right?" Unfortunately for Ryan Blaney, that answer is no. Some how, some way, he is still searching for his first victory at Phoenix Raceway despite entering this weekend's Shriners Children's 500 with a seven-race streak of top-five finishes at the track -- including four runner-up results over the last five. Now the question is, will Blaney finally break through and get a win this weekend? It certainly wouldn't be surprising. The No. 12 Ford was one of the strongest on the long runs during practice on Saturday, as Blaney looked solid when it came to tire fall-off and ranked inside the top five when it came to 15-, 20-, 25-, and 30-lap average. With his track history and strong practice times, Blaney is an excellent fantasy choice all around, especially in DraftKings since he qualified 12th and has some place-differential upside to go along with it. Even at $10,800, Blaney is a very good DFS option this weekend.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: ifantasyrace
2 weeks agoTeam Penske's Ryan Blaney obtained a starting position of 25th after qualifying for this week's Echopark Texas Grand Prix at Circuit of the Americas. This marks the third consecutive race in Blaney's Cup career where he will start outside of the top 10 at the site. In four starts at COTA, the No. 12 Team Penske Ford driver has an average finish of 14.0 and has never placed lower than 21st. Blaney also collected positive place differential in his previous two races at the Texas road course after starting at the back half of the field, similar to this week. In both the first and final practice sessions, Blaney displayed top-10 speeds in most formats on speed, and he has great upside from his starting position. DFS Players will find Blaney to be an excellent addition for lineups in this week's race based on his salary ($7,800).
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: DriverAverages.com
3 weeks agoOn Sunday, Ryan Blaney of Team Penske went through an eventful race, the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, but managed to leave with a fourth-place result. Blaney began the race from the lead but eventually faded back to eighth by the end of the first stage, scoring a few stage points. The second stage was quiet for Blaney as he ended it in 12th and failed to earn more stage points, but the third stage was where Blaney started experiencing setbacks. After a few pit stops and some strategy, Blaney eventually managed to trade the lead with a few drivers until Carson Hocevar bumped him on lap 234, sending him spinning. Blaney saved the car from being out of the race and then rallied back to the front by the end to capture the sixth top-10 finish of his Cup career at Atlanta since 2022.
--Sean Engel - RotoBallerSource: NASCAR.com
3 weeks agoRyan Blaney is the odds-on favorite to win the Ambetter Health 400 at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend, with some sportsbooks posting Blaney as short as three-to-one to take the checkered flag in Hampton. And, honestly, that shouldn't be too surprising. Blaney has been elite here at Atlanta ever since the track was repaved and reconfigured prior to the 2022 season, and he's currently on a five-race streak of finishes of ninth or better at the 1.5-mile track--including second- and third-place finishes in the two races last season. Additionally, Blaney will bring the field to the green this weekend, as the No.12 Ford was the fastest in qualifying during the session on Sunday. As far as DraftKings goes, Blaney is sure to be picked by many on the DFS site despite having no Place Differential upside. It's certainly possible that the Team Penske Fords control this entire race on Sunday, and Blaney could put up a significant number of laps led. That, paired with a victory, would likely put the 2023 Cup Series Champion into the optimal DraftKings lineup.
--Jordan McAbeeSource: The Athletic
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