LOND POND, Pa. — Ryan Blaney still feels like the “silly, quiet kid” he was at 23 when he blazed past Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch over the final 10 laps in 2017 at Pocono Raceway to win a NASCAR Cup race for the first time.

At times, not much in life has changed for Blaney.

“I still drink a lot of beer,” Blaney said, before waiting a beat, “probably more.”

Blaney chuckled at the thought, but the reality is, he’s long outgrown the mold of a rising NASCAR star. At 30, he’s a certified star as a NASCAR champion and serves as a bit of an elder statesman, promoting the sport this week coast-to-coast from the ESPYS to the “Today” show.

“I’ve just been fortunate to be on a cool journey,” Blaney said.

His celebrity profile may have mushroomed, but the only journey that really matters in NASCAR is the one to Victory Lane. Blaney led the final 44 laps and won Sunday at Pocono, the site of his first career NASCAR Cup Series win, as he earned his second victory in the last five races.

“I feel like the last two months, we’ve been spectacular,” Blaney said.

So has Team Penske. On any track. In any series.

Blaney made it a weekend sweep for Team Penske, after Scott McLaughlin and Will Power won IndyCar races at Iowa Speedway for the 87-year-old Roger Penske.

The 2023 NASCAR champion, Blaney won the inaugural Cup race last month at Iowa Speedway and added two more top-10 finishes headed into Pocono. His summer success in the No. 12 Ford has stamped him as a legitimate threat to win a second straight championship.

“I definitely I think we’re in a better spot at this time than where we were last year,” Blaney said. “I feel like our speed’s better. Our execution’s great.”

Blaney was dialed in on the 2.5-mile track and was never seriously challenged over the final 10 laps by runner-up Denny Hamlin and Alex Bowman. Hamlin holds the Pocono record with seven career wins; Bowman won last week’s Chicago Street Race.

Bowman and Hamlin were fast, but just not fast enough to catch Blaney in front of another packed house at Pocono.

Hamlin, the defending race winner, was in hot pursuit over the final six laps but could never nip at Blaney’s Ford.

“I knew our car was fast enough,” Blaney said.

Blaney now has 12 Cup wins dating back to the first one when he took the checkered flag for the Wood Brothers in 2017 at Pocono.

“It’s awesome to be back,” in Victory Lane, Blaney said. “It was super special to win here seven years ago with the Wood Brothers. It’s just as special to win here today.”

William Byron was fourth and Joey Logano fifth.

Blaney already knows the importance of getting hot late in the season. Over the final six weeks a year ago, he racked up two wins, two seconds, and didn’t finish lower than 12th. Blaney’s first career title was the fourth Cup championship for Team Penske and 44th overall for the storied organization.

“I couldn’t find myself at another place,” Blaney said. “They just work really hard and put their heads down and figure out how to be better. It’s cool to drive for a company like that.”

PACKED HOUSE

Pocono announced a sellout crowd for the second straight year.

One problem, because of heavy rain and severe weather early in the morning that forced staff to seek shelter, traffic was a nightmare. Fans complained that routine rides were stretched by several hours, with the worst standstill actually occurring on roads inside the track leading to parking lots.

“This unforeseen situation caused an unprecedented delay in our parking operations,” Pocono said in a statement. “As a company that prides itself on honesty and transparency, we will make this right for those affected.”

EARLY DAYS

Ross Chastain was knocked out of the race after just 53 laps, putting a serious dent in his playoff push. Chastain entered 53 points ahead of the 17th-place driver.

Kyle Busch was also turned, and ignited a late wreck that prevented him from gaining the points he needed to try to creep back into the playoff race and also kept him winless this season. Busch has won a Cup race every year since 2005.

Noah Gragson snagged a ride this week with Front Row Motorsports for 2025. At Pocono, Gragson was the first driver out, with issues only 13 laps into the race in the No. 10 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing.