In the fast world of NASCAR, surprises are the norm, but some predictions defy expectations. Earlier in the season, Dale Earnhardt Jr made a bold statement about one of Roger Penske‘s drivers as a potential threat to this year’s contenders. Many dismissed it, but as the season progresses, Dale Earnhardt Jr’s words are ringing truer than ever.

Talladega Superspeedway provided fans with a spectacular race, culminating in one of the season’s most thrilling finishes. Stewart-Haas Racing’s star driver Kevin Harvick and Team Penske‘s Ryan Blaney dueled for supremacy in the closing laps. In the end, it was Blaney who emerged as the victor, sealing a dramatic win.

What was the Dale Earnhardt Jr prediction that’s threatening to become a reality

As the season approached its midpoint, there was no clear favorite for the Championship race in Phoenix. Names like Kyle Busch, William Byron, Kyle Larson, and even Chase Elliott were tossed around as potential champions. However, Dale Earnhardt Jr had different ideas.

Dale Earnhardt Jr isn’t known for making idle chatter. Back in June, the NASCAR Hall of Famer unveiled his four picks for the final four in Phoenix. Along with some daring predictions for the season’s second half. Among these predictions, one stood out. “My bold prediction is that Ryan Blaney has an incredible second half and emerges as a championship favorite.”

At the time, many shrugged off Dale Jr‘s words. However, as the season unfolds, Ryan Blaney is steadily making a case for himself.

Jeff Gluck, who had initially been skeptical of Dale Jr’s prediction, now sees the writing on the wall. “Ryan Blaney is continuing to establish himself as a great there [Talladega] because he has won for the third time. All in close races, this is his second multi-win season, and he’s through to the Round of 8,” said Gluck during his recent conversation with Jordan Bianchi.

Gluck went on to emphasize the significance of this round for Blaney, as he excels on intermediate tracks: “He needed a win like this right, or the roval, and now he’s through. The first two races of the next round are at mile-and-a-half tracks where he won the Coca-Cola 600. It’s not like they don’t have speed at all in intermediates.”

But the real surprise came when Gluck contemplated the Phoenix finale: “I don’t think you want to put Blaney in the mix at Phoenix with the championship on the line. You could have two straight out-of-nowhere Team Penske champions with different guys. This is a threat that the field needs to consider.”

As the championship race draws near, the narrative around Ryan Blaney is shifting. Once dismissed, he is now a legitimate contender, proving that Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s foresight may be more accurate than anyone imagined.

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Ryan Blaney’s victory came just by 12/1000 of a second over Kevin Harvick. And Blaney was slightly apologetic that he beat Harvick in his last race on a superspeedway.

Ryan Blaney explained why he apologized to the fans for beating Kevin Harvick over the line

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In the aftermath of the thrilling race at Talladega, a reporter questioned Ryan Blaney about racing against Kevin Harvick, especially considering it was Harvick’s last chance at a superspeedway victory before retiring from NASCAR.

Blaney’s response was a testament to the fierce competition that defines NASCAR. He stated, “No, no. He is another competitor at that point. I mean, that’s really the only thing you’re thinking about. So, yeah, another race. It was super fun to race with him, drag it out to the end down the front stretch with him.”

However, there was a touch of humility in Blaney’s post-race actions. He acknowledged some Kevin Harvick fans wearing his opponent’s shirts in Victory Lane. He said, “I apologized to some fans who had his shirt on after the race I saw on Victory Lane. Sorry, I beat your guy. Just another competitor at that point.”

READ MORE: Robbed by Ryan Blaney, NASCAR Denies Kevin Harvick His Runners-Up Crown as Tony Stewart & Co. Do Him Dirty

So do you agree with Dale Jr about Blaney’s threat of being the championship favorite? Will he make it to the Championship 4 race? Share your thoughts and predictions in the comments below.