Ryan Blaney just seems to have a clutch gene when it comes to Martinsville Speedway in the fall.
For the second straight year, the 2023 champion drove the race of his life at the half-mile short track, passing Chase Elliott to take the lead and eventually win the race.
The victory puts Blaney in the Championship Four for the second consecutive season and gives him the chance to defend his title.
Blaney started 14th on Sunday afternoon, and drove himself up to fifth by the end of Stage 1. Blaney finished second in Stage 2 to Brad Keselowski, and it was in the second stage where the strength of Blaney’s car on the long run really showed.
However, Blaney was fourth with 47 laps to go, and needed a miraculous drive in order to win the race and advance to the Championship Four.
As it turns out, a miraculous drive was exactly what he turned in.
After passing William Byron for third with 47 laps to go, Blaney ran down leaders Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson, passing Elliott for the lead on Lap 486 and never looking back.
By the time the race ended, Blaney had extended his lead to over 2.5 seconds, making up five seconds over the last 45 laps of the race.
“So proud of the effort by everybody on the No. 12 group, never giving up,” Blaney told NBC Sports. “To have another shot at a championship is really special.”
Blaney will try and defend his 2023 championship at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday.
