In-Season Challenge semifinal: Blaney expects 'heck of a battle' with Bell
Ryan Blaney previews his In-Season Challenge matchup with Christopher Bell, but says his primary focus remains winning at North Wilkesboro.
Video Transcript
I just wanna touch briefly on the in-season challenge and in addition to the excitement of being here, you have, you have the semifinal against Christopher Bell, who based on the metric will, will be starting right behind you in third.
How much attention or focus will be on the 20 as part of y'all's race plans or just kinda go for the win and the in-season challenge will take care of itself?
Yeah, I, I feel like that's gonna be a really heck of a battle between me and Christopher this weekend.
You know, they run really good on short tracks.
We have a history of running really good on short tracks.
You know, he, he won the All-Star Race here last year, so he's gonna be really tough competition.
So that's gonna be a heck of a battle, and I wouldn't say through the race, during the in-season challenge that we've been a part of, I've really focused too much on who I'm running.
I, I see who we're up against during the week, and then I just try to go focus on my job during the race and, and, you know.
But And I haven't really been in situations, it's like coming down to the end of the race and we're running, you know, eighth and that guy's running seventh and like, you know.
Then maybe I would think about it, but I look at it once and then just try to go win the race and that stuff takes care of itself.
But, it's been fun to be a part of it, that's for sure.
I got knocked out after round one last year, so it's been fun to kinda go through the bracket and, and, see who you're up against, you know, through the week and then, and then go do your deal.
But, it's, it's nice to be a part of it.
I think it's really, it's really neat.
I, I enjoyed-- I wasn't really a part of it last year, but I enjoyed watching how it played out, you know, 'cause motorsports, there's never a-- It's not a 1v1 type thing, you know, as like a March Madness or other sports.
So, it's cool.
I think they've implemented this, in our sport and, like I said, it's gonna be, gonna be a heck of a battle for sure between he and I this weekend.
