Ryan Blaney attributed his continued winless streak in 2025 to a series of “dumb decisions” following a frustrating run at Texas Motor Speedway.
Blaney has notched four top-five finishes this season, including three in his last four starts. However, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion is yet to reach victory lane in his current campaign and lock in a playoff spot.
Ryan Blaney Slams ‘Dumb Decisions’ After Disappointing Texas Run
Blaney had a prime opportunity to take the lead during a late caution restart, running second when the yellow flag waved. But he chose the inside lane behind Kyle Larson and allowed Michael McDowell to grab the top spot from the outside.
McDowell nailed the restart and briefly took the lead, but another caution quickly followed. That gave Blaney a second chance. He lined up again on the front row, in the exact position he had been kicking himself over moments before.
McDowell ultimately caused the late-race caution with a crash of his own, forcing the race into overtime. Blaney restarted alongside Joey Logano but was sluggish off the line, getting passed by both Logano and Ross Chastain.
“The one time I didn’t pick the outside (lane), the 71 [McDowell] got the lead and then I couldn’t get it back,” Blaney said after the race.
“Just (the) driver making dumb decisions and not doing his job…The 12 car was a fast car today. I just can’t do anything right currently. Hopefully it will work itself out.”
Blaney is often praised for the speed of his car this season, but he is still winless. His vehicle’s incredible speed prompts him to believe that better results are just around the corner, but with repeated near-misses, that confidence might fade soon.
In the season’s second race at Atlanta, Blaney was running fourth with 32 laps remaining when a push from Carson Hocevar sent him spinning. Remarkably, Blaney recovered to finish P4, and Hocevar later apologized for the incident.
At Phoenix, the fourth race of the season, Blaney was holding eighth place when a blown engine derailed his race with just 23 laps to go.
Blaney’s strong run at Las Vegas came undone on a restart with 72 laps remaining when a miscommunication with his spotter led him to move up while unaware of two cars on his outside. Running seventh at the time, he crashed out.
READ: $5 Million Ryan Blaney Bolsters Family Legacy With Bold Ownership Move
Blaney led a race-high 124 laps at Homestead during the sixth race of the season, capturing the first stage win and finishing third in the second stage for 18 stage points. However, with 60 laps to go, his engine blew while running in third.
The Team Penske star must be frustrated about how his season has gone so far, but his recent performance should make him optimistic.
The P3 finish in Texas is the best result Blaney has produced this season, and he has finished top-5 in each of the last three races he finished. If he can keep on pushing, a win might not be far away.