When discussing the highly-promoted “up-and-coming talents” in NASCAR, it is essential to mention Ryan Blaney. At the age of 29, Blaney has made strides in the Cup Series. As a third-generation driver, he has shown improvement across all significant aspects of his racing career. This progress began with a two-race debut 2014 alongside Roger Penske, followed by a partial season with the Wood Brothers in 2015.
Blaney’s Early Evolution
Blaney, a third-generation racer and the son of former Cup Series driver Dave Blaney and Ohio native embarked on his racing journey in quarter midget racing. He achieved his first victory at the age of 9 and also emerged victorious in Bandolero cars at a young age.
At 12, Blaney progressed to Legends cars and secured the Lowe’s Motor Speedway Young Lion’s Winter Heat Point Championship. He also triumphed in three divisions of the Carolina Fall Nationals in quarter midgets.
At 14, Blaney debuted in late model racing at Orange County Speedway. The following year, at 15, he entered the Pro All Stars Series (PASS)-sanctioned South Super Late Model Series, finishing as the runner-up in points and earning the series’ Rookie of the Year award. He also achieved third place in the PASS national points.
Additionally, he emerged victorious in the Eastern Grand Nationals quarter midget event in Huntsville, Alabama. Continuing his participation in the PASS South Super Late Model Series in 2010, Blaney clinched his first career win at Dillon Motor Speedway.
He added wins at Greenville-Pickens Speedway and Newport Speedway, resulting in a second consecutive second-place finish in the PASS South championship standings. Blaney also competed in the Champion Racing Association (CRA)-sanctioned Southern Six Pack series and secured the series championship for 2010. In 2011, he returned to the PASS South Super Late Model Series and won two races at Dillon Motor Speedway and Ace Speedway, ultimately securing the series championship. He also debuted in the ARCA Racing Series, NASCAR K&N Pro Series West, and NASCAR K&N Pro Series East.
Remarkably, in his only K&N Pro Series West start, Blaney triumphed in the season finale at Phoenix International Raceway, winning by over two seconds. In 2012, Blaney, who received praise from Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick for his driving skills, participated in six races for family-owned DB Racing in the K&N Pro Series East, driving the No. 10 car. He also competed in the PASS Super Late.
Ryan Blaney: A NASCAR journey begins
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But first, how did Blaney reach the level of recognition he owns today?
Blaney has made several significant moves in his racing career. He joined Tommy Baldwin Racing for six NASCAR Nationwide Series races, driving the No. 36 SealWrap-sponsored Chevrolet. His debut at Richmond International Raceway was impressive; he qualified in the Top 10 and finished seventh. In 2012, Blaney signed a contract with Team Penske to compete in at least three races in the Nationwide Series season. He started at Iowa Speedway in August. He also participated in selected races in the Camping World Truck Series for Brad Keselowski Racing.
He won his first career Truck Series at Iowa Speedway in September, becoming the youngest winner in Truck Series history. In 2013, Blaney returned to the Camping World Truck Series, driving for Brad Keselowski Racing and competing for the Rookie of the Year award… Blaney also had opportunities to showcase his talent in the Nationwide Series, substituting for Joey Logano at Iowa Speedway and finishing ninth. In September, he won his first career race in the series at Kentucky Speedway, leading 96 of the race’s 200 laps. Blaney’s success in the Nationwide Series is notable because he was the only race winner in the 2013 season without any Sprint Cup experience.
Blaney started his Xfinity Series campaign in 2015 at the Boyd Gaming 300 in Las Vegas. In the Cup Series, Blaney made a strong impression as a rookie driving the No. 21 car for the Wood Brothers team. He secured his first Top 10 finish at the GEICO 500 in Talladega, reaching as high as second place before ultimately crossing the finish line in fourth.
Looking ahead to 2023, Blaney took on the role of spotter for his Cup teammate, Joey Logano, at the Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt in Bristol. Logano emerged victorious in both his Heat Race and the Main Event. Blaney commenced the 2023 season by securing an impressive eighth-place position at the renowned 2023 Daytona 500 event. Subsequently, he ended his 59-race winless streak by emerging victorious at the highly anticipated 2023 Coca-Cola 600 competition.
