NASCAR Takeaways: Ryan Blaney into Round of 8 with Narrow Talladega Win

Ryan Blaney won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, advancing to the Round of 8 in the playoffs. Blaney’s win was his third at Talladega and his second of the season.

Blaney’s victory was a thrilling one. He passed Kevin Harvick on the final lap to win by just 0.012 seconds. The finish was so close that it took NASCAR several minutes to review the video footage before declaring Blaney the winner.

Blaney’s win was a big one for him in the playoffs. He came into the race at Talladega just 17 points above the cut line for the Round of 8. With his win, Blaney is now locked into the Round of 8 and has a chance to race for the championship.

Here are some takeaways from Blaney’s win at Talladega:

• Blaney is a master of Talladega. Blaney’s three wins at Talladega are the most of any active driver. He is also the only driver to win at Talladega in three consecutive seasons.
• Blaney is a threat to win the championship. Blaney has two wins this season, which is tied for the most of any driver. He also has four top-five finishes and seven top-10 finishes.
• The playoffs are getting more exciting. Blaney’s win was the third race in the Round of 12 that was decided by less than one second. The playoffs are now down to eight drivers, and all of them have a chance to win the championship.

What’s Next for Blaney?

Blaney and the other seven drivers in the Round of 8 will race next weekend at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. The ROVAL is a unique track that combines elements of a road course and an oval. Blaney has finished in the top 10 in two of his three races at the ROVAL.

Blaney will need to finish well at the ROVAL in order to advance to the Championship 4. The Championship 4 is the final race of the playoffs, and it will determine the NASCAR Cup Series champion.