“Get Off His Horse and Start Beating the S**t Out of It” – Ryan Blaney Refuses to Do Burnouts

Traditional victory celebrations in NASCAR often feature tire-shredding burnouts, except for that of Ryan Blaney. However, after his dramatic win in Talladega, where he edged out Kevin Harvick by a mere twelve-thousandths of a second, Blaney chose to not celebrate in the conventional way. Post-race, a media reporter didn’t let this slide, and Blaney’s response was as unconventional as his decision.

Ryan Blaney’s refusal to engage in post-victory burnouts is not a spur-of-the-moment choice. In fact, he’s upheld this old-school tradition throughout his career. Even as far back as 2017, when he was an Xfinity Series driver, Blaney abstained from the tire-smoking spectacle after winning the Xfinity race in Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Ryan Blaney tells the story behind his reason for avoiding burnouts

Modern drivers often favor flashy burnouts, which may include tire blowouts and potential engine strain. In contrast, drivers from the past adopted a more reserved approach. Rolling down the front stretch, turning around, and waving to the fans. Sometimes even picking up crew members on the way to Victory Lane.

In essence, Blaney cherishes the nostalgia and simplicity of NASCAR’s past, where the focus was on the victory itself and the connection with the fans. And if you’re wondering who inspired this old-school approach, it was none other than legendary NASCAR crew chief Dale Inman.

When he was asked about it again in the post-race conference in Talladega, Blaney recalled, “Dale Inman pulled me aside one day, and he said, ‘Hey, you don’t see the winner of the Kentucky Derby get off his horse and start beating the s**t out of it.'”

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As the room erupted in laughter, Blaney concluded with a grin, “So, that’s why I don’t do burnouts. I didn’t do a burnout after one race, and he was like, ‘I like how you don’t do burnouts.’ And then he told me that story. And I was like, I am definitely not gonna do [it]. He might be mad at me for doing one and breaking our rule, but yeah, ‘Inman quote,’ yeah.”

Ryan Blaney’s unique stance on victory celebrations harks back to NASCAR’s roots, honoring the past while leaving his own mark on the sport. While a win helped him get into the next round of elimination, Ryan Blaney also opened up about the internal struggles of his team.

Blaney explains why Team Penske cars have been struggling this season

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While Blaney’s triumph at Talladega provided a glimmer of hope for Team Penske. The season has been a rollercoaster ride for the organization. His win came at a crucial juncture, securing his place in the round of eight. But it’s been far from business as usual for Team Penske.

During the winner’s press conference at Talladega, Blaney was asked about his teammate Joey Logano‘s recent frustrations, as revealed in a Sirius XM NASCAR interview. Logano had openly shared his thoughts about the team’s performance throughout the year. Blaney acknowledged, “I definitely think it’s probably not been the year we wanted at our group, right? You go from winning the championship with the #22 guys, and then we’ve struggled a little bit this year overall for speed and finishes and stuff like that. Joey getting knocked out in the first round was definitely a gut punch.”

However, Blaney remains optimistic and believes that adversity can be a catalyst for change. “Yeah, it’s easy to get down on that stuff, but it’s easy to get fired up about things too,” he stated. Blaney emphasized that his team is constantly striving for improvement and doesn’t dwell on setbacks.

He sees his recent victory as a shot in the arm for the team. “I think a shot in the arm like this, it’s like, let’s go. We’re in the Round of 8. We’re still in this thing. We have one in it. Let’s keep working.” Ups and downs are part of the journey in NASCAR. And Team Penske is determined to navigate the challenges and emerge stronger for the battles ahead.

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