A renowned fast-casual restaurant chain has joined hands with Ryan Blaney for a collaboration ahead of the second race of the Cup Series season. The 2023 champion is a longtime fan of the restaurant chain, and his love for Mexican food is well-known in the motorsports community. Fans are already excited about the activation idea and many of them will be flocking towards Atlanta Motor Speedway to not just catch up on the racing action, but to participate in the giveaways as well.

The multi-billion dollar restaurant chain has recently ended its partnership with a prominent Formula 1 team after signing a one-year contract in 2023. After its NASCAR debut, will it look to have a permanent presence in NASCAR after its stint in F1?

Chipotle partners with Ryan Blaney for first-ever NASCAR collaboration

Chipotle and Ryan Blaney are entering into an exciting new collaboration ahead of the 2025 AmBetter Health 400. As part of the partnership, the Team Penske driver’s go-to meal, ‘The Ryan Blaney Bowl’ will be available as a digital entree on the Chipotle app and the restaurant chain’s website. Comprising brown rice, black beans, chicken, steak, tomatillo red-chili salsa, guacamole, and cheese, the meal will be available for a limited period.

But that’s not all! The fast-casual chain will also feature a pop-up restaurant in the fan zone of Atlanta Motor Speedway from February 21st to February 23rd. Motorsports enthusiasts will have the chance to enjoy $8 bowls, burritos, and tacos as well as the opportunity to win ticket upgrades and participate in giveaways. The first 500 guests will also receive a free entree from the mobile kitchen. The sponsorship collaboration is a part of Chipotle’s Real Food for Real Athletes platform, which aims to support athletes at all levels and across sports disciplines by providing proper nutrition through real food using fresh ingredients.

Worth an estimated $70 billion, the restaurant chain had signed a sponsorship agreement with the Haas Formula 1 team for three U.S. races in 2023. However, the team struggled in the open-wheel racing competition last year, finishing seventh in the Constructors Championship with 58 points. With their on-track results failing to impress the fast-casual restaurant chain, it’s not surprising that Chipotle opted to not renew its agreement with the team.

As for Ryan Blaney, the Team Penske racer took part in a ‘Speed Round with Chipotle’ as part of the collaboration, where fans had the opportunity to ask the Ohio native questions about his pre-race rituals and favorite drivers. The No. 12 Ford racer finished runner-up at Atlanta Motor Speedway in last year’s iteration of the AmBetter Health 400, finishing 0.003 seconds behind eventual winner Daniel Suarez. Will Lady Luck be on his side in the second race of the season this time around? Time will tell.

Blaney is a favorite going into Atlanta Motor Speedway

It’s been a positive start to Ryan Blaney’s 2025 Cup Series campaign. The Team Penske driver finished seventh at ‘The Great American Race’, and will head to the 1.5-mile oval with plenty of confidence. Driving the No. 12 Ford Mustang, the racer appears to have picked up where he left off in 2024, where he didn’t finish lower than 2nd in his last three races. Atlanta Motor Speedway has been a happy hunting ground for the driver in the past, as he won the 2021 spring race at the ‘Real Racing, Real Fast’, finishing ahead of Kyle Larson at the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.

The odds will be in Blaney’s favor going into the second race of the season. Despite finishing seventh at Daytona International Speedway, the racer was the best-performing Ford driver on the grid, as he went on to score points in the Duel Qualifying race as well as earning 18 points stage points in the race itself. In last year’s iteration of the Ambetter Health 400, the Ohio native qualified in sixth place and climbed up the grid to finish second in Stage 1 and third in Stage 2. However, he finished three-wide at the track when the checkered flag was waved, narrowly behind his Trackhouse Racing rival.

However, a new year marks the start of a new beginning. Ryan Blaney will be hungrier than ever to prove a point after missing out on the Cup Series championship in 2024 to his teammate Joey Logano. Will the racer secure a playoff spot in the second race of the season? It will all depend on how his weekend plays out, right from the qualifying to stage wins leading up to the checkered flag. The driver will be praying to the rain gods to stay away, to ensure that the weather doesn’t play a part in the outcome of his race.