Ryan Blaney's ascent opens up difficult NASCAR power dynamic debate

Ty Gibbs won the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, but the two standout drivers of the race were Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson. The former champions combined to lead 474 of 500 laps, before their teams were outsmarted on pit strategy.

Blaney, in particular, drove a masterclass of a race that involved repeatedly having to make up track position that his crew lost him on pit road. That has been the theme for the Team Penske driver for the past two seasons, and it makes his achievements all the more impressive.

It raises the question: is Blaney currently the best driver in NASCAR? Possibly, but let's not overlook what Larson is doing, either.

Ryan Blaney is at the top of his game, but has he dethroned Kyle Larson?

The topic was brought up on Denny Hamlin's Actions Detrimental podcast this week, and the 61-time Cup Series race winner responded that "it's hard to say no."

But until somebody breaks through with an absurdly dominant season, it's also hard to say the answer is anybody besides Larson, the two-time champion and the series leader in wins (by nine) ever since he joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2021.

For several years, it would have been unfathomable to even entertain the idea that Larson has lost his grip on the status. But despite winning his second Cup Series title last fall, he is currently riding a 32-race winless streak, while Blaney has found victory lane five times during that span.

There's a reason for that, though, and it's because Hendrick Motorsports have been lacking their usual speed ever since the second half of 2025. Particularly this year, with the new Chevrolet body, the entire manufacturer seems to have taken a step back.

The adjustment has especially impacted Trackhouse Racing and Richard Childress Racing, but even Chevy's flagship program has taken its lumps. Hendrick has only won once in the season's first eight races, and it was due to a pit strategy move by Chase Elliott's team at Martinsville Speedway.

That only highlights the difficulty of what Larson was able to do at Bristol last Sunday, when he led 284 laps and finished third. None of his Hendrick teammates even finished inside the top 20, with William Byron in particular having a shockingly dreadful afternoon during which he was lapped five times on pure pace.

When Larson is hooked up, the rest of the field usually doesn't even stand a chance. He hasn't just suddenly forgotten how to win races at age 33, and once Hendrick gets back on track, he'll waste no time reminding everyone who he is.

Of course, it's not like Blaney's teammates are lighting the world on fire either. Penske has particularly struggled on intermediate tracks, and with Joey Logano's recent downturn in performance, it has to be wondered just how much better the second-generation star is making the organization look than it really is.

It's a fascinating debate, and right now, there's no objectively correct answer. We'll see if one emerges.

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