“It’s pretty simple. We got to win one of the next two weeks. Hopefully, we can rebound and do it.” Ryan Blaney said this after his day at Las Vegas ended in a heartbreak DNF when his No. 12 Ford got slammed in late stage 1. Blaney, who started the Round of 8 second in points, now sits at the bottom. Yet, that calm post-race tone hints at the quiet mental strength he’s built through seasons of close calls and comebacks.

This isn’t Blaney’s first encounter with playoff peril. Back in 2023, he grabbed sixth at Vegas and second at Homestead, only to face a must-win at Martinsville, where he delivered a clutch victory to punch his ticket to Phoenix and eventually won the title. Now in 2025, with three spots left for Phoenix after Hamlin’s triumph at Vegas, Blaney eyes Talladega and Martinsville as his shot to repeat the magic. But pulling it off starts in the mind, a place where veterans like him know how to reset fast.

Ryan Blaney’s mental approach comes from years 0f experience

In the latest media interview, Ryan Blaney opened up about shaking off the Vegas sting, a testament to how a decade in NASCAR has sharpened his ability to refocus. “I allowed myself to be upset about Vegas until I woke up Monday morning… but when the new week comes… you’re going to be fully focused on the next week,” he shared, underscoring a deliberate shift he’s honed over years of highs and crashes.

This isn’t just mere talk; Blaney‘s eighth DNF this season alone has tested him, yet he’s turned his early-career habits, like overthinking about losing or crashes, into lessons on how to quickly get away from these types of thoughts. And he credited team-wide discipline for staying locked on the rebound. In a sport that demands split-second decisions amid 200-mph packs, mental toughness isn’t optional; it’s survival, pushing drivers to process wreckage quickly without losing sight of the next races.

Blaney’s resilience shines brightest under playoff lights, where one lap can rewrite a season, like his 2023 Martinsville masterclass, leading the final 20 laps to snag the win and a title shot after trailing big. Now, he’s 31 points down with the upcoming Talladega’s challenge and Martinsville waiting; he leans on experience to avoid the trap of overthinking.

“That just comes with time and experience and getting older… just move past it, you know. What good is it going to do me for thinking about four days, you know, and stewing over it and stuff like that? That just takes your mentality, and you’re off of what’s next.” Blaney added, explaining how reflection only lingers if it’s a self-inflicted wound or bad luck like Vegas.

It’s why veterans like him thrive: the mental muscle to reset bad luck fast, which, if not done timely, can be a potential title killer, keeping the focus razor-sharp for the fights ahead.

NASCAR’s mental grind hits hard, as seen in Ross Chastain’s Charlotte Roval heartbreak last month, where a last-lap spin with Hamlin booted him from contention. Trackhouse owner Justin Marks pulled him aside right after, saying, “Just, just the one favor I’m going to ask you is just get over it quick. Just get over it quick.”

Chastain, known for stewing in silence, took it to heart, vowing to dive back into prep by morning, a playbook Blaney’s mastered, proving quick recovery isn’t innate but built through scars and tough seasons.

With only three berths left for the final 4, Blaney’s approach could be the edge that echoes his 2023 triumph. Yet even as he steels himself for Talladega’s unpredictability, whispers from the garage suggest his championship dreams aren’t dashed just yet.

Blaney’s backdoor to Phoenix still open

NASCAR insider Jordan Bianchi isn’t sounding alarms on Blaney’s bid, pointing to the driver’s short-track prowess as a real edge heading into the Round of 8 close. On The Teardown podcast, Bianchi zeroed in on Martinsville, Blaney’s next stop after Talladega: “I’m going to take the guy—it doesn’t matter the tire compound—who’s won the last two races at Martinsville and feel pretty confident about that. I’m going to go ahead and say he’s the favorite there.”

Blaney swept the last two fall races there, including that 2023 thriller that punched his Championship 4 ticket, averaging a solid 4.0 finish over seven recent starts. With his No. 12 crew dialed in for long runs on the paperclip, Bianchi sees it as a prime setup to claw back from the 31-point hole, especially if Talladega‘s Big One scatters the field.

Bianchi doubles down on the optimism, urging fans to stay calm amid the chaos. “If you’re a Ryan Blaney fan, I wouldn’t hit the panic button yet. I still feel like there’s a clear path to get to Phoenix without freaking out over these next two weeks. Yeah, it’s going to be a little hairy, but remember—he went to Martinsville last year just a week after coughing up the lead at Homestead, a race he should’ve won, and bounced right back to take the victory. So I still think Blaney’s in a really good spot.”

That 2023 rebound mirrors today’s spot, where Blaney’s five superspeedway wins, including three at Talladega, add wildcard potential. Bianchi’s take underscores Team Penske’s track record in crunch time, keeping Blaney’s repeat shot alive without a must-win fairy tale.