As the old saying goes, “Good things come to those who wait” and Ryan Blaney’s patient waiting finally paid off. Instead of jumping on the impulse button, the Team Penske driver held on to his tightly, which eventually led him to win his maiden Cup Series championship. However, the road to the championship was anything but a cakewalk for the Team Penske driver, especially given the reputation of his championship-winning teammate Joey Logano. 

It was a nail-biting fight among the four Championship 4 drivers, on the track of Phoenix. While the Hendrick Motorsports drivers had emerged as the championship favorites, the Team Penske driver hardly had any intention of proving the NASCAR audience unerring. Nevertheless, with Ryan Blaney winning his maiden Cup Series championship, can it be asserted that the driver has overcome his underdog reputation and has been able a snatch his position in NASCAR’s limelight?

Ryan Blaney catapulted from his Kasey Kahne reputation after the Phoenix outing

The surname Blaney is assuredly not unheard of in the world of stock car racing, until and unless one is living under the stone. While the older generations of the Blaney had proved their racing finesse, Ryan Blaney had to wait until the 2023 Cup Series season to be able to lift the ultimate achievement in the world of NASCAR. Although the Ford driver had flirted greatness, on the racing track, Blaney more often than not failed to hit the bull’s eye. 

Moreover, the presence of his aggressive teammate and 2x Cup Series champion Joey Logano, had more often than not overshadowed Blaney’s racing prowess. The hope of earning has always been a failed quest for the Team Penske driver, even in the 2021 Cup Series championship, where he earned two victories. However, he seemed to miss the coveted Bill Francis Cup by a whisker. 

Owing to his series of mishaps, Blaney was even tagged as Kasey Kahne, who had failed to gauge his potential, even after harboring the much-needed talent. Even after his emphatic win at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, winning the Crown Jewel Coca-Cola 600, Blaney’s regular season was filled with struggles. However, hoping to pull off the same strategy as, his teammate Logano, it was not until the playoffs that Blaney unleashed his aggressiveness. This eventually paid off, as he clinched the second consecutive title for the sports mogul Roger Penske.

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Speaking on his driver’s achievement, who has been part of the organization since 2012, the Captain asserted, “I was just trying to stay cool — I said you’re doing fine. He is so motivated, and this was such a big deal for him. “I said, ‘Look, you’re doing great. Let’s just stay cool here. Race the racetrack, don’t worry about the guy behind you.’ And I think he took that message a couple of times right to the bank.”

Is the Hall of Fame the ultimate achievement for Ryan Blaney?

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Now, with a championship to his name, Ryan Blaney has been able to pull out from his underdog reputation, and it seems that a door of opportunities has opened up for the young driver. This also includes non-traditional media appearances. Moreover, the popularity of the driver has sky-rocketed among the fans, as he was considered the potential candidate to win the Most Popular Driver Award in the 2023 Cup Series season, usurping his best friend Chase Elliott. 

Moreover, it seems that the discussion around the driver being inducted into NASCAR’s Hall of Fame is gaining momentum. In an episode of his podcast, Glass Case of Emotion the driver teased about the hope of achieving the golden ticket of being inducted into the Hall of Fame.

He asserted, “There’s gonna be so many fans that are like you don’t deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, just because you won the championship. I can just see it now, which is fine with me. I wouldn’t personally mind either way if I was in or not. I really wouldn’t care. I mean it would be nice to be in but like it’s not gonna ruin my life.”

Nevertheless, after earning a championship to his name, it is apparent that Blaney is ready to carve his own name, without being bogged down by the reputation of his team or his championship-winning friends, and perhaps his only goal that is left for the driver to achieve, is a place in the Hall of Fame.

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