Ryan Blaney Breaks Down Mental Grind Ahead of NASCAR’s Grueling Coca-Cola 600

As we approach the Coca-Cola 600 this weekend, the drivers are set for one of the most intense races the sport has to offer. It is a test of endurance, skill, and mental toughness. Even a minor slip in concentration could lead to the end of a driver’s race. It proves to be a mental marathon as much as it’s a physical one, where heat fatigue and split-second decisions are their worst enemy.

Ryan Blaney, fresh off an impressive 2024 season where he notched three wins and finished second in the Cup Series standings, knows better than most what it takes to stay sharp when the pressure and the miles pile up. For the 2023 Coca-Cola 600 champion, the goal is simple: staying locked in mentally is as critical as speeding on the track. Razor-sharp focus. Calm under pressure. Endurance when every second counts. As NASCAR’s longest race approaches, the Team Penske Driver offers a glimpse into the mindset it takes to conquer this race.

Ryan Blaney is locked in

The Coca-Cola 600 is more than another Sunday in NASCAR. It is surrounded by racing royalty, as the Indianapolis 500 as well as Formula One’s Monaco Grand Prix take place on the same day, adding prestige to the weekend. In conversation with journalist Claire B Lang, Blaney opened up on his routine on Memorial Day weekend. “I get up Sunday morning, I watch Monaco, and then I get ready for Indy. I usually watch Monaco from my house, then at least the first part, and then I catch the end of it on the bus, and then I watch Indy at the racetrack, and then I get ready to go.”

Once he gets to Charlotte, the focus shifts to the task at hand, and with the Coca-Cola 600 paying more points than any other NASCAR race with the added stage, concentration is pivotal. “If you break concentration once, your race is over, right? You’re wrecking or things like that, so it’s just how do you operate with 100 percent of focus for four-plus hours for 600 miles!.. We work really hard at that,” exclaimed the Team Penske #12 driver.

I thought @Blaney did a great job of explaining to sports fans (not just NASCAR fans) when I asked why a race like this weekend’s long Coca Cola 600 @CLTMotorSpdwy is so hard mentally. If you walk past TV and see them racing for hours keep this in mind — pic.twitter.com/WzZvpd5Mnb

— Claire B Lang (@ClaireBLang) May 21, 2025

Claire B Lang asked how drivers manage the intense mental pressure during such a grueling race. Blaney explained that while many people casually watch the race and might get distracted, drivers like him must remain completely locked in. “I can’t do that. I’m locked in for – I can’t get out of this thing,” he said. The ability to maintain that level of focus amid heat fatigue and non-stop competition is what separates the contenders from the rest of the grid.

Ryan Blaney also reflected on the challenges of staying locked in, saying, “It’s a tense sport of what we’re doing – how do you stay calm in those situations for that long as well?” While he admits that his attention span may not be that great in other areas of life, racing is different for him: “I can kind of stay locked in because I care about it a lot and it’s my job.” 

While this routine shows his passion for racing beyond NASCAR, when the flag drops, his mind shifts to one thing, and that is getting in Victory Lane. With the longest race on NASCAR’s calendar looming, will his focus and endurance be enough to bring home another victory at the track and possibly his first victory this season? Well, the Team Penske driver certainly hopes so, as he has childhood connections with the storied track.

Chasing another crown

At 600 miles and over four hours long, this race pushes drivers to their physical and mental limits. This weekend is pretty big for the motorsport world as they witness the Triple Crown (the Monaco F1 Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the Coca-Cola 600). For fans who might enjoy the binge-watch this weekend, the drivers are the ones who need to prove their mettle. All these races demand an unrelenting amount of focus behind the wheel.

Having won the Coca-Cola 600 in 2023, finally breaking his 59-race drought by winning, Ryan Blaney knows this all too well. With several strong finishes under his belt, he’s hungry to add another win to his record at this track. But with his razor-sharp focus hold steady when the pressure hits its peak? What makes the Coca-Cola 600 so uniquely challenging is the track itself—a 1.5-mile quad oval that changes character as the day goes by.

The drivers must adapt constantly from the blistering heat of the afternoon to a much cooler, faster night condition. But Blaney’s secret weapon would probably be his experience and calm mindset that he has honed throughout the years of racing at this very venue. Ryan Blaney also knows how much the Coca-Cola 600 means – especially to him, having gone to the event as a kid while his father, Dave Blaney, raced at the course.

The No. 12 driver revealed his love for this historic track, saying, “It’s a cool race to win, man. It’s kind of one of our crown jewel events, kind of one of the big three for us. I grew up going to that race a lot as a kid, watching my dad run, and it was always special, Memorial Day weekend, being able to just be around the racetrack and things like that, and what the weekend means. For that race, it’s super rewarding to win it because it’s the longest race we have.”

Blaney currently ranks fifth in the drivers’ standings following the Kansas race, where he notched up his fourth top-5 finish in 5 races. Despite showing incredible speed, the driver has not made it to victory lane because of engine failures or poor pit stops, but he sees the Coca-Cola 600 as an exciting opportunity to break this mini-winless streak. In a recent interview with Forbes, the 2023 Cup Series Champion expressed his desire to win at this track again. “If you can do it, if you can outlast everybody and just outperform everybody over a long stretch that night,” Blaney said. “It’s a fun weekend. I’m entering for another win; hopefully we can do it.” 

Can Ryan Blaney’s mental toughness and strategic moves this weekend power him through these grueling laps? Let us know in the comments!

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