NASCAR: 5 championship contenders who could miss the playoffs entirely
By Asher Fair
3. Ryan Blaney
Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney has not had the start to his title defense he would have wanted, having recorded only five top 10 finishes so far in 2024.
A DNF in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the first race he won last year en route to his maiden championship, puts him in an undeniably tough spot for the remainder of the regular season.
While he is the reigning champion, Blaney is far from a playoff lock, even as he currently finds himself riding a series-high streak of seven consecutive seasons with a top 10 finish in the point standings.
Let's not forget that in 2022, Blaney would not have gotten into the playoffs had Kurt Busch not gotten injured. The 2022 regular season produced 16 different winners, Busch being one of them. Blaney was the highest non-winner in the standings and only advanced to the postseason after Busch withdrew when it was clear he would not be able to return.
The 2024 season has felt a lot more like 2022 than 2023 for the driver of the No. 12 Ford so far, perhaps even a bit worse. Until Ford -- and really Team Penske, specifically -- can figure things out, it's hard to ignore the possibility of the reigning champion being eliminated when the regular season ends.