Kevin Harvick breaks down the “PROBLEM” Ryan Blaney has to overcome to defend his Cup title 

Ryan Blaney has secured his spot in the playoffs already with a win.

Kevin Harvick breaks down the “PROBLEM” Ryan Blaney has to overcome to defend his Cup title 

Kevin Harvick and Ryan Blaney (Via IMAGO)

The 2024 season so far has seen a mixed set of results for defending champion Ryan Blaney. Though he secured his spot in the playoffs with a win, unfortunately, he has failed to showcase any sign of being a frontrunner to win the title again this season. The general struggle of Team Penske racing also hasn’t helped his cause. 

2014 NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick via his podcast, recently discussed the chances of Ryan Blaney retaining the title. He has tight competition from Denny Hamlin, Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Christopher Bell. But according to the ex-SHR driver, it isn’t the only challenge there is for the No:12 Ford driver.

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He highlighted that the struggles Blaney’s Ford has had in the one-and-a-half mile tracks is really concerning. Ironically these same tracks have produced the best races so far this season. He reckons the Team Penske crew is good at Short tracks, but when it comes to intermediate tracks, they are vulnerable.

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Here’s the deal with those guys. I think that their short-track stuff, I think is okay. I think that St. Louis was good. I think Loudon was good. Both places that you’re shifting. Iowa, you know, that was kind of one of those scenarios, but they were good at all three races. The problem that they have is the mile-and-a-halves. That’s the problem.
Kevin Harvick said via Happy Hour Podcast. 

Kevin Harvick asserts Ryan Blaney needs top-5 runs at Intermediate tracks 

While further talking about the points, Kevin Harvick pointed out that to win the championship Blaney and his crew have to be more consistent at one and half mile tracks. He asserted that if they can run inside the top 5 at these tracks, they will be genuine contenders.

Ryan Blaney
Ryan Blaney (Via IMAGO)
It’s just going to be, can they get the mile-and-a-half program fixed, to the point where they can be competitive enough to run in the Top 5. I like the speed, I like the speed in the No. 12 car. I think that they’re back better than they were at the beginning of the year, and being in the conversation, but I’ve got to see them do more on the mile-and-a-half race tracks.
Kevin Harvick said.

The Fox Sports broadcaster has a valid point regarding the vulnerability of Team Penske at intermediate tracks. They have to navigate this challenge successfully and find a solution before it’s too late to make history in the Next-Gen era. 

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