This past week, a Twitter feud between racing buddies Ryan Blaney and Bubba Wallace?took the spotlight and sent the NASCAR community into a frenzy. What started as friendly banter turned into a humorous exchange of jabs that had fans talking. But as the dust settles, Ryan Blaney reveals the truth behind the fight, confirming it was all him and not his PR guy behind the messages.
The drama kicked off when the No. 12 race in Las Vegas ended with a disqualification as its left front shock did not meet the overall specified length. This decision momentarily elevated No. 23’s finishing position, creating a humorous opening for him to indulge in some friendly banter with Ryan Blaney. On Twitter, Bubba Wallace playfully trolled the Team Penske driver, as he wrote, “P Illegal Shock yesterday ??.” It was definitely a lighthearted dig at Ryan Blaney’s expense, celebrating his own on-paper improvement.
Ryan Blaney takes full credit for the trash talk between him and Bubba Wallace
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Bubba Wallace’s celebration was short-lived. In a twist of events, NASCAR admitted to making an error and reversed the No. 12’s disqualification. This move reinstated Ryan Blaney‘s finishing position and points, effectively bumping No. 23 back down in the finishing order. With Ryan Blaney still in contention for the championship heading to Homestead-Miami Speedway, the Twitter banter continued.
In response to Bubba Wallace’s?initial tweet, Ryan Blaney couldn’t resist throwing a good-natured barb back at his friend. The latter wrote, “Just remembered you were on vacation last year during Miami. Are you excited to go back?” Ryan Blaney took a jab at Bubba Wallace’s suspension from Miami last year. And the trashing went on for a while until the Team Penske driver admitted that they were indeed joking.
After qualifying on Saturday in Miami, Bob Pockrass caught up with the Team Penske driver and asked about the exchange with Bubba. “Was that Twitter exchange between you and Bubba, you two, or was it your PR people?“ asked Bob.
I didn?t doubt that the Bubba Wallace-Ryan Blaney twitter ?fight? earlier this week was all in fun. I was curious if it was PR people doing it or what. Blaney said Saturday it was him behind the tweets. pic.twitter.com/nZTkNMh6A7
? Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) October 21, 2023
Ryan Blaney confirmed that it was indeed him behind the Twitter jabs and not a PR representative. The 29-year-old explained that the exchange was all in good fun, with both he and his friend, Bubba Wallace, playfully teasing each other.
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Blaney elaborated, as he stated, “It was 100% real. It was he and I. He started it. I didn’t see his tweet on Monday. I don’t get on there very often. My PR guy does most of it. But yeah, that was me. I shot one, and he pulled out a bigger gun and shot back. Then I pulled out a rocket launcher and shot back, and it was funny. People thought that we were being serious. But we were joking around. That’s the type of friend you wanna have. One, you can punch each other up a little bit.” Beyond the Twitter banter, there’s a serious side to Ryan Blaney’s journey in the NASCAR Cup Series this year.
Did the disqualification and then the reinstatement affect Blaney’s approach in the playoffs?
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After No. 12’s disqualification following the Las Vegas race, the immediate reaction within the team was that they had to secure a victory in one of the following two races to ensure a spot in the Championship 4. NASCAR officials initially disqualified Ryan Blaney due to concerns about the #12 Ford’s left-front damper. However, on Monday evening, NASCAR reversed its decision, citing a tool measurement discrepancy.
As a result, Blaney’s points were reinstated, providing a glimmer of hope for his championship aspirations. According to NASCAR.com, speaking about the roller-coaster experience, the driver of the No. 12 explained, “We talked about it internally Monday morning as a group before we went to NASCAR and was able to talk with them. I appreciate NASCAR for being receptive to it and just talking with us Monday and kind of meeting with the parts at their R&D Center, understanding what was the disconnect between pre-race and post-race. You know, that?s a sealed part.”
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Ryan Blaney acknowledged that, initially, the team felt they were in a must-win situation. The reversed disqualification altered this perspective. But it didn’t completely alleviate the challenges of making it to the championship round.
Blaney’s reaction to the situation was pragmatic: “I was like, ‘Well, we have to win the next two weeks.’ And then, you know, when it got rescinded Monday. It was, well, all right, it?s still gonna be hard to make it. But it?s not like a must-win, right? So it gives you a little more hope. But I will say I wasn?t, like, distraught or anything. I was like, ‘All right, well, this is the spot we?re in. And we got a new job to do.’ It?s a little bit different description. But now, it?s just changed a little bit.”
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In the world of NASCAR, where every turn can change the course of a race, it’s essential for drivers like Ryan Blaney to stay focused and adaptable. Blaney’s Twitter exchange with Bubba Wallace was a lighthearted moment in the midst of a competitive season. As the championship race continues at Homestead-Miami Speedway, fans can expect exciting on-track battles and, who knows, maybe even a few more Twitter duels between these two racing buddies.