Ryan Blaney Breaks Into Tears as He Reveals His Biggest Championship Regret

Team Penske superstar Ryan Blaney has been at the top of the game since 2015, making it full-time in the Cup Series. But it wasn’t until this year that the driver managed to rack up his first-ever Cup Series title. While he took home the championship, edging out his rivals in the final fray, Ryan Blaney got pretty emotional when he started talking about his father, who got him hooked on life in the fast lane.

However, Dave Blaney’s father Lou Blaney was the man who initially fueled the aspiration, ticking off the family tradition of churning out elite racers. The late driver was a prominent World of Outlaws champion and a NASCAR driver who got all three of his sons and his grandson into racing. Mentioning the void his grandfather left in his life, the family’s only Cup Series champion was holding back his tears, reflecting on the absence of his inspiration.

The champion’s speech: Ryan Blaney and his biggest regret

Becoming a race car driver is itself a tough nut to crack for many, and becoming one in one of the most competitive series is a different ballgame altogether. But when you have a strong support system that knows the ins and outs of the industry, nothing can stop you. This is pretty much Ryan Blaney’s background.

While the driver weighted expectations bearing down on him, he proved his worth and etched down the Blaney family name in NASCAR history books when he won his and his family’s first-ever Cup Series title last month. Even though the Team Penske driver achieved what he sought, owing to the pent-up emotion, he shed a tear when he mentioned his grandfather not being able to watch his grandson lift the trophy.

Speaking at the NASCAR ceremony, Blaney gave credit where it was due, sharing how each of his family members played a crucial role in his racing career. He said that his mother was the true “MVP” and his sisters were his biggest fans before the pain of regret crept in. For a brief moment, the driver must’ve thought that his late grandfather could’ve lived the moment when his grandson won the title if Blaney hadn’t taken this long to win it.

WATCH THIS STORY: The unseen force behind Ryan Blaney’s triumph 

Overflown with pent-up emotions, Blaney said, “I really wish my grandpa could be here to see this and share it with my dad so thank you.” Even though his grandpa was not able to see his grandson win it, his vision certainly became true as the family’s third-generation racer made him proud. 

“He was the one who started…” – Blaney details his grandfather’s significance

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Now, when a promotion names its race based on a driver, you know that man’s significance in the craft he pursued. That is Lou Blaney, in a nutshell. The late EMPA Hall of Famer was honored when the Tezos All-Star Circuit of Champions named its qualifying events based on the old-timer. It was the late driver who instilled the racing spirit in his sons, who were all racers, with his father Dave Blaney becoming the only NASCAR driver before he rose the ranks and shot into fame.

With the Team Penske driver shedding a tear, let us take a look at the time when Blaney elaborated on his grandfather’s ignominious role in shaping him and his father. In an exclusive interview with NBC back in 2018, he said, “He is the one who started the Blaney racing family.” 

READ MORE: Ryan Blaney Doesn’t Feel the Need to Change His Personality Despite Understanding His Role As NASCAR Champ