Ryan Blaney Credits Cancer-Stricken NASCAR Legend for Opening Doors That Lead to His Championship Triumph

The story of Ryan Blaney winning the NASCAR Cup Series has been nothing short of inspirational. When not many rated him to beat the likes of William Byron and Kyle Larson, Blaney showed his true prowess. While his skills behind the wheel had a lot to do with it, the Team Penske driver recently credited a NASCAR legend for his success.

Blaney entered the 2023 Cup Series campaign with plenty to prove in his 10th full-time season. While he didn’t have the best of times in the regular season, he sure turned it around miraculously in the playoffs.

Ryan Blaney remains grateful to his roots for being the stepping stone in his Cup Series triumph

It is public knowledge how Ryan Blaney made his way up the ladder after competing in the ARCA Racing Series and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and East in 2011. After winning praise from Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick, he earned a place in the Xfinity Series with Tommy Baldwin Racing in 2012.

The team owned by Tommy Baldwin Jr gave Blaney the platform to try out his hand. In his very first race, he ended up giving Tommy Baldwin Racing its first top-ten finish after a gap of nine years. As Blaney continued to progress, he impressed many, including Team Penske. While the rest is history, the 29-year-old couldn’t be more thankful to Tommy Baldwin Jr for giving him a wonderful platform. As he has done time and again, Blaney once again expressed his gratitude for Baldwin Jr at the 2023 NASCAR Awards.

Earlier this August, Baldwin Jr confirmed that he was suffering from cancer. While it is a pity, Blaney has kept himself updated about his former boss. As he spoke to the media at the 2023 NASCAR Awards, he said, “Yeah, Tommy’s great. I talked about him tonight a little bit in my speech and it’s good to know he’s doing better.”

Blaney then highlighted how Baldwin Jr’s constant support has come to his rescue. He said, “I saw him at Richmond earlier this year and he gave me great opportunities. 2012 Dad [Dave Blaney] was running Cup Series cars for them and we had a handful of Xfinity races that year which opened up a lot of doors for me. So, I owe him a lot.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Ryan Blaney’s 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Victory: A Triumph of Skill and Strategy

As Blaney continued, he only added superlatives for the 57-year-old. He said, “I mean he’s a huge part of getting me going and giving me opportunities and so I’m excited to talk about Tommy. It was nice to talk to him after Phoenix too and he’s done so much for the sport and me and my family. So, he’s definitely worthy of a lot of praise and he deserves it.” It was not just Tommy Baldwin Jr that Blaney spoke highly of. The Team Penske driver remains completely in awe of his current boss.

Ryan Blaney thankful to Roger Penske for his constant support

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It requires an eye and plenty of experience to find a talent like Ryan Blaney. Luckily for Team Penske, Roger Penske had the skillset to scout and sign up for Blaney at a very young age. With time, not only has the #12 driver developed well but also proved to be a phenomenal investment.

At the same time, Blaney remains equally grateful for the chance he was given by Penske. He was quite vocal about it at the awards ceremony. He said, “Roger and (wife) Kathy Penske—it’s hard to believe it’s been over 10 years since we first met.”

Blaney continued, “As a kid, there’s nothing more I wanted to do than to win you a championship and just be successful, because I was such a big fan of you, not only in NASCAR but in every form of motorsport. I have such a huge respect for what you did. You stuck with me for over 10 years, and it’s been unbelievable.”

READ MORE – Ryan Blaney Unfazed By Best Friend Bubba Wallace’s Jealousy Over His Championship Win Claiming “I’m the Same Way”

It is indeed good to see how Ryan Blaney remains so strong in his roots and most importantly has that gratitude. Hopefully, this attitude will take him to a lot more success soon.