Blaney hopes to prove his mettle at Michigan International | News & Observer

It’s been a fast, yet frustrating season for Ryan Blaney.

Blaney, the 21-year-old son of NASCAR veteran Dave Blaney, began the 2015 season with the opportunity to get his first extended experience in the Sprint Cup Series, where he hopes to make a permanent home.

Blaney, a development driver for Team Penske, joined the Wood Brothers organization in the offseason, pairing the sport’s most veteran team with one of its young rising stars.

The Wood Brothers planned to run 18 races this season, which included a new alliance with Team Penske that provides technical assistance and chassis.

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Speed has not been an issue. Results, however, have.

In five starts so far, Blaney and the Woods’ iconic No. 21 Ford have been competitive, but engine failure has brought an early end to Blaney’s day in three of them.

In the other two, he finished 19th at Las Vegas and a career-best fourth at Talladega, Ala. He’ll start fifth in Sunday’s Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

“It is frustrating in the moment when it happens, very frustrating,” Blaney said of the engine failures this season. “Sometimes it is easy to lose sight of the positives of the situation, but you always have to go back and look at it.

“We were running really well in all the races we had trouble in. That is what you have to focus on. You can’t dwell on the bad stuff too long.”

For a young driver like Blaney, who only has a limited number of opportunities in the Cup series this season, it’s likely far more easier said than done.

For Wood Brothers co-owner Eddie Wood, it’s a much more manageable issue.

“It’s OK because right now with our relationship with Team Penske and with things going so well with Ryan and (crew chief) Jeremy Bullins, you know you’re going to get another opportunity to run well,” he said.

“Drivers are different. Ryan’s young, and I’m old. I’m sure it hurts him at the time. I’ve been beat around a lot in this sport, you kind of get used it.”

Just making this weekend’s race at Michigan provided some added drama for Blaney and his team.

Rain threatened to washout qualifying on Friday and because the Wood Brothers had entered just four of the first 14 races this season, they would have missed the field if it was set by practice speeds and the rulebook.

Luckily after an early shower, the afternoon remained mostly overcast and dry, allowing Blaney to cash in on the speed he showed in practice.

“I am really excited to qualify well and really excited to get qualifying in. It wasn’t looking too good for a while,” Blaney said.

“It would have stung knowing how good of a car we had in practice if qualifying rained out. We are fortunate to get it in, and it is a bonus to have a good race car in it.”

Not only do Blaney and the Wood Brothers get a chance to race on Sunday with a fast car, but Blaney’s qualifying effort also extended an impressive streak.

The Wood Brothers have now qualified for their 86th consecutive Cup race at Michigan, which dates back more than 40 years. Michigan is an important track to the manufacturers in the sport whose headquarters are based in the nearby Detroit area.

Ford Motor Co. has been a longtime sponsor of the Wood Brothers – assistance which has helped maintain the viability of the organization.

The Wood Brothers won the very first Cup race at Michigan (with driver Cale Yarborough in 1969). They’d also like to win the next.

“I think our chances of winning Sunday are as good as any with the combination of race car and how good our pit road guys have been,” Blaney said. “All the products are there, it is just a matter of putting a whole race together.”