Ryan Blaney on pole at Kansas Speedway
Ryan Blaney tops Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr at Kansas Speedway. He grabbed his first career pole.
He joins a unique list of NASCAR drivers who picked up poles with Wood Brothers Racing. Other drivers to do it include; David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, A.J. Foyt, Neil Bonnett, Donnie Allison, Buddy Baker, Ricky Rudd, Dan Gurney, Junior Johnson, Glen Wood and Marvin Panch.
Ryan Blaney is the 4th Wood Brothers Racing driver to pick up their first pole with the team. Other drivers picking up their first pole with the Wood Brothers include; Glen Wood, Cale Yarborough (Atlanta) and Dan Gurney (Riverside).
How does it feel for the NASCAR newcommer? Ryan Blaney speaks with Jammie Little on FS1, “It feels really good. We got better and better each round. That’s all you can ask for. Honestly, I didn’t think I got through that lap, that great. It came up a pretty decent time.”
He’s been close many times in 2017, “I think we’ve been 2nd, three times this year. So, that was getting old. It’s so cool to sit on pole. We’ve been working really hard at it. We’ve been getting really close. That’s something I really wanted to do. Qualifying has not been my best suit. But it means a lot.”
How about his race speed? Ryan Blaney talks about the upcoming race, “I thought we were pretty good in race trim in practice. Obously we had speed in Q-trim.”
If he keeps it out of trouble anything can happen, “It’s just a matter of hopefully staying out of trouble. It’s been a rough three weeks in the finish column. Hopefully we can turn it around at a place that’s always been pretty good to us. Hopefully we stay out of trouble for 400 miles tomorrow night.”
Ryan Blaney has 3 top 10’s so far in 2017. Two of those came at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Auto Club Speedway, tracks that mirror Kansas Speedway. His best finish in 2017, came in the Daytona 500 where he finished 2nd.
The pole comes in his 61st Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start. Kansas Speedway is the track where Ryan Blaney made his first career NASCAR start. He finished 27th in his debut.
Ryan Blaney qualifies for The Clash at Daytona International Speedway in 2018.
Author: Shane Walters
2017 Kansas Speedway Starting Lineup
Go Bowling 400 (267 laps):
- Ryan Blaney
- Joey Logano
- Martin Truex Jr.
- Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
- Kyle Busch
- Kurt Busch
- Denny Hamlin
- Kevin Harvick
- Kyle Larson
- Chase Elliott
- Austin Dillon
- Jamie McMurray
- Aric Almirola
- Matt Kenseth
- Daniel Suarez
- Trevor Bayne
- Brad Keselowski
- Paul Menard
- Ryan Newman
- Chris Buescher
- AJ Allmendinger
- Ty Dillon
- Matt DiBenedetto
- Danica Patrick
- Gray Gaulding
- Cole Whitt
- Jeffrey Earnhardt
- Derrike Cope
- Jimmie Johnson
- Clint Bowyer
- Kasey Kahne
- Erik Jones
- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
- David Ragan
- Michael McDowell
- Landon Cassill
- Reed Sorenson
- Corey LaJoie
- Timmy Hill
- Carl Long
Links
Ryan Blaney
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Wood Brothers Racing
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
