Dale Earnhardt Jr stood by Ryan Blaney like a rock, even when the latter hadn’t tasted victory in 2023. He was labeled the dark horse, an underdog in a field of thoroughbreds. Dale Junior, defying expectations and weathering the storm of criticism from the NASCAR community, boldly left Kyle Larson off his top-4 list, placing his bets on Blaney instead. And boy, did it pay off! When Blaney clinched the title, it was a resounding affirmation of Dale Jr’s unwavering belief in his abilities. And Dale Jr has now further sung Blaney’s praises.

On the eve of the banquet ceremony, when quizzed about Blaney’s ups and downs in the racing realm, Dale Earnhardt Jr couldn’t hide his pride. Far from attributing Blaney’s success to mere luck, he proudly proclaimed that NASCAR was the real winner for having Blaney in its ranks.

Dale Earnhardt Jr admires Ryan Blaney’s unyielding commitment to work

In a heart-to-heart about Blaney’s early promise, Dale Jr highlighted that Blaney never balked at rolling up his sleeves. NASCAR drivers rarely enjoy a day off, and most would guard that time if asked to do anything for the sponsors, go to an event, and so on. But Blaney? He is different. As Dale Jr put it, “He was always willing to do it. He always said yes.”

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Dale Earnhardt Jr couldn’t help but express his admiration for Blaney’s dedication.  “That’s unique and I can appreciate that. I think that was what had me most excited about him winning this championship was how well he would promote the sport doing it as he is taken around in New York and all these other places and tonight and all the media that he’s done this week, he’ll do it eagerly,” he said with evident pride.

Dale’s faith in Blaney has always been solid. “And with some energy and excitement which will be great for us. We are in a really good place as a sport, coming off to the momentum of announcing our TV partners for our future and all of the great momentum that the sport has. He would be a very good champion for us. I feel like that’s a good fortune for NASCAR that he did win this year.”

Earlier on the Kenny Wallace show, Dale Earnhardt Jr had confessed that Blaney’s victory was a boon for NASCAR. But true to form, he also didn’t shy away from addressing Blaney’s visible frustration on the track in those nail-biting final laps.

Dale Earnhardt Jr talks about the temperament issues of Ryan Blaney

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Dale Earnhardt Jr, while a staunch advocate for Ryan Blaney, has never pulled punches when discussing Blaney’s struggles with keeping his cool behind the wheel. He has candidly pointed out Blaney’s tendency to wear his emotions on his sleeve while racing. Despite this, Junior’s joy was palpable when he saw Blaney making strides in overcoming these challenges.

Junior remarked on Kenny Wallace’s show, “It’s just so funny if you just kind of ignore that little part and watch Blaney ride around the track. He has his hands up in the air and he’s flipping the bird. He’s like having this sort of conversation with himself and with [Ross] Chastain.”

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Here’s hoping Blaney maintains his current form in the upcoming season. That being the case, his blend of remarkable talent behind the wheel and his fiery temperament promises to be an unmissable spectacle.