Everything Has Changed //Ryan Blaney//

0.4 - Winner

Ryan

With each lap that passed I felt the defeat set in more and more. The whole day was a complete shit show; as I figured it would be. The way testing and practice had gone, it wasn't that hard to see that we were way out of our element today.

There were nine laps left in the race and I was running twenty-first. To me, it could have been way worse than that. My day had been rocky, but I managed to win the second stage and earn a few points. The way we were sitting at the moment I was into the next round of playoffs by four points but I knew that the way this whole day was going that wasn't a spot that was going to be safe. I just needed something to get the energy back on the good side. Just a simple caution or my car to work with me and lord knows that the latter hadn't happened all day.

I had just started battling with Alex Bowman for a position when my spotter came over the radio saying there was a caution. Thank you, Lord. I breathed a sigh of relief and prayed that this was what I needed to help me. Being as it was my first time running the Roval, I wanted to make the most of it as I could.

I wanted to be in the history books.

"Stay out." My crew chief, Jeremy said over the radio. I didn't question it because, with seven to go, this is what we needed.  With all the cars in front of us that pitted, we were bound to have a good spot on the next restart.

When we got back in order and were just back to green I noticed the wreck happening before me. Turn one, heartburn turn as it was called had been a bitch to navigate sometimes. It looked like someone went in too fast and caused everyone to go off the cliff. I tried to avoid it as best as I could but I knew I scraped against a couple of cars as I went by. Fucking perfect. 

"Fuck." I said, hoping that this didn't screw our chances of advancing. 

"Minimal damage, Ryan. We should be okay." Jeremy said, sending a hopeful message my way. I vowed to trust my crew chief and put my elbows up to make this race finish a good one.

With a good pit stop behind us after they lifted the red flag we rolled out with three laps to go in sixth place. I knew it was going to take a miracle to win this but that's exactly what I wanted. Exactly what I needed.

Somehow, in the course of just a few turns, I had managed to get into the third spot with two laps left but my car wasn't getting close enough to the front to make a run for first. Everything was stalling out and just staying the same. I knew that Jeremy was telling me third was great and that we would advance but my team deserved more. I wanted to put a trophy with my name on it in the case at Penske.

My thoughts went back to the history books. That's what I wanted, but it was fleeting, quickly.

"Last lap, give them Hell, and make this count." Jeremy's voice said over the radio. A little jolt of determination ran through my body.

With his advice, I took the turns as fast and carefully as I could, hearing from Jeremy that the battle for first between Jimmie and Martin was heating up. Something was going to happen between these two, I could feel it. It wasn't until we got to the very last chicane that I saw the battle come to a head in front of me. Jimmie locked up his brakes, causing him to slide up the track. From my sight, I watched as Jimmie came back down the track onto the seventy-eight, causing Martin to go turning as well.

Excitement bubbled inside me, almost causing me to lose control of the wheel. It was a clear turn to the finish line with no one beside me and before I could even get the scream out of my lips, I was crossing over the finish line.

Remind me to send Jimmie Johnson a Christmas card.

Sienna

Watching the finish of the race was filled with pure adrenaline and excitement. Eleanor was in my arms as our seats were right by the checkered line. Mason insisted when they bought the tickets that it would be the best place to sit and he didn't disappoint. We had a great view of the front stretch and the big screen in the infield helped show the battles going on all around the track.

"Blaney's gonna win," Mason yelled, watching as the two leading cars crashed right down from us. That yellow car that I had become accustomed to during the race had done it. He won the race.

"El, look Ryan won." I pointed at the car knowing that she couldn't hear me very well. She bounced up and down, and instantly a smile lit up on her face like a Christmas tree. 

"Yay!" She cheered. Seeing her this way made me know why this was so important. I was so happy that El and I decided to go with Mason and Sophia. This is why I wanted her to experience this. Ashton would have been so happy to see this moment with her. 

"I think Ryan wants to give Eleanor the checkered flag," Mason spoke, knocking me out of my thoughts. I looked down to where Ryan was standing noticing that he was pointing at El and me. My legs carried us down to the NASCAR Official before I placed Eleanor down so she could grab the flag from him. He smiled at us before giving her a fist bump and waving at the crowd. I picked my daughter up again and only just turned when we were asked if the photographers could have our photos and names. The flashes were blinding and the buzz was crazy. 

When I turned back to look at Ryan, he was climbing back into his car and I could see the video on the big screen behind the pit boxes showing the replay of Eleanor being handed the flag.

This whole weekend was crazy. Things like this don't happen to me.

And this wasn't even the last of the craziness.

Word Count - 1134

A little shorter than others but I'm already working on the next chapter. I'm really happy to see the amount of feedback or just reads. That means a whole lot to me because I wasn't sure if I wanted to do a Blaney story or not but you all seem to like it so thank you for that.

-Stay Beautiful

Courtney S 🧡