By David Morgan, Associate Editor
AVONDALE, Ariz. – No driver in the NASCAR Cup Series has won back-to-back championships since Jimmie Johnson in 2009-2010 at the end of his run of five straight championships.
Ryan Blaney will be looking to buck that trend when the green flag flies on Sunday’s Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway where he enters as the defending series champion.
In a title run eerily similar to his run a year ago, the driver of the No. 12 Team Penske Ford comes into the season finale having won in a walk-off at Martinsville, carrying the momentum into the championship race and on to his first Cup Series title.
Coming off that same win at Martinsville, Blaney will be looking for that same wave of momentum to carry him to the top of the mountain once again.
“I talked about momentum last year and confidence coming into this race and we were able to utilize that and I think it’s the same way, especially how we won it,” Blaney said.
“You know, I feel like it’s even more momentum than last year because kind of winning that must win last week at Martinsville. I think that Martinsville win last week was even bigger than 23 because we didn’t have to win that race last year at Martinsville.
“We just had to have a good day, but we still ended up winning, which was great momentum for us. But I think just the lows of me losing the race at Miami, us rebounding, Martinsville must win, doing it coming from where we did in the pack to get the lead there at the end and carrying it into this week.
“Having the chance to do what we can do this week and going back-to-back. Riding high for sure, but we’re fully focused on what it takes to do it.”
Assessing his chances to pull off the back-to-back feat, Blaney noted that his team has just as good if not better odds of making it happen given they already have the playbook from doing the same last year and the confidence throughout the entire team that once again, it’s their year.
“Every one of us is gonna say we feel great about our chances and we think we’re the best group and as they should, right? Everyone needs to be confident in their team,” Blaney said.
“But yeah, I can personally say by our group, I feel like we’ve been incredibly strong all year, really. It doesn’t really show how great we’ve been really as a 12 team. It’s easy for me to see it and how they are operating. I feel like it has been just…
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