NASCAR insiders react to resurgent Ryan Blaney win, impact of new package at Phoenix

Ryan Blaney’s dramatic victory at Phoenix Raceway is being viewed by insiders as more than just a comeback win. It may also serve as evidence that recent changes to the NASCAR Cup Series rules package are beginning to produce better racing.

Speaking on the latest episode of The Teardown, insider Jeff Gluck pointed to Blaney’s ability to recover from multiple setbacks as proof that passing has become more possible at Phoenix: “I just kept going back to how this race was won,” Gluck said. 

“Ryan Blaney gets one loose wheel, is able to come back from two loose wheels. Before, with the old Phoenix and the old package that really sucked and tires that were hard and all that stuff. … Wherever he would have come out after that first loose wheel is probably where he would have stayed for most of that race.”

For several seasons, Phoenix had developed a reputation among fans and drivers as a difficult track for passing with the Next Gen car. That lack of action even led some in the sport to question whether the championship race should continue to be held at the track.

However, Gluck said gradual improvements, particularly from tire supplier Goodyear, have helped create a more competitive racing environment: “Slowly, they’ve taken steps where Goodyear has gotten the tire much, much better,” Gluck added.

In addition to tire development, the recent addition of more horsepower appears to have changed how cars behave over a long run. According to Gluck, drivers throughout the weekend commented on how much more the cars were sliding around compared to previous races.

“I think now you add in more horsepower as well,” Gluck explained. “Drivers all weekend talked about how surprised they were that it was this much sliding around and this much of a difference.”

The increased difficulty in handling the cars opened the door for faster competitors to move forward through the field. Something that had become rare at Phoenix in recent years.

“We were able to see a good show,” Gluck explained. “You’re able to see a circumstance where the faster car can make passes on a slower car.”

Alas, Blaney’s race served as the clearest example. Despite losing track position due to loose wheel issues during pit stops, he was able to work his way back toward the front and remain in contention alongside another top contender, Christopher Bell.

“Arguably, I don’t know if Ryan Blaney or Christopher Bell were the fastest car,” Gluck said. “They were clearly the two fastest cars, and you’re able to see somebody move up the field when they lose their track position.”

The stats told the same story. The event featured 12 cautions, tying a track record, along with 23 lead changes, the most at Phoenix since 2013. Those numbers helped produce a race that appealed both to hardcore racing fans and casual viewers: “It all added up to a racing purist type of race,” Gluck delineated. “Plus the casuals got plenty of wrecks.”

For Gluck, the combination of improved tires, increased horsepower and more dynamic racing conditions may signal that NASCAR is finally moving closer to the type of competition fans have long wanted to see at Phoenix: “And I think it delivered,” he concluded.