Around 40 decades of hard-nosed racing and still going strong. Ryan Blaney may be a NASCAR Cup Series champion, but his father is defying age-related constraints. Sexagenarian Dave Blaney still has the racing spirit glowing brightly inside him. He delivered a dazzling victory at a family-owned track and proved he can still live up to his National Sprint Car Hall of Fame title.

This marked his final racetrack stint, as his son Ryan cheered for him. As Dave fought off hard-charging sprint car racers like Ryan Smith, Danny Dietrich, and even his own brother Dale Blaney, Ryan stood in the grandstands and later hailed his dad’s last victory on social media.

Ryan Blaney goes gaga over the family milestone

The Blaney family is a golden fixture in motorsports. Lou Blaney started this heritage over fifty years ago, gathering more than 200 Super Sprint races in a span of 19 years. Even after he passed away in 2009 due to Alzheimer’s, his sons and grandson continued this legacy. What is more, Lou’s son Dave is still collecting trophies at 61 years of age. The 1995 World of Outlaws champion entered the 16th Lou Blaney Memorial race at Sharon Speedway with a purpose—to uphold his family name.

And Blaney delivered—he became the only sprint car driver to win the race more than once. Not only did Dave commemorate his late father’s legacy, but he also marked a fitting end to his own 95-time World of Outlaws race-winning career. Upon watching his dad win the 30-lap race for the third time, Ryan Blaney was ecstatic. He posted on X: “Congratulations to Pops in his final go around. I wish I could’ve been there to see The Bullet park it for the last time.. Cheers dad! @BuckeyeBullet10.” Dave exuded joy after winning at his family track for the last time. “I’m officially done right now…There’s no better way to retire than to win this one.”

The road to Victory Lane was not easy, though, as Dave Blaney regained the lead from Ryan Smith on lap 8. Following that, he had to hold off a last-lap charge by Danny Dietrich. Ryan Blaney’s dad humbly tipped his hat to his rivals post-race. “I don’t think I was the fastest car by any means. The 6 (Smith) had trouble and the 48 (Dietrich) was all over me, but we hung on. I tried to protect and saw where Danny was getting his runs from…I can’t believe we did it. This is awesome. Thank you to everyone for coming out.”

Dave Blaney’s late-career resurgence began in 2021 when he stunned the audience with another age-defying victory.

The flame was still burning

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When we look at NASCAR, we see Martin Truex Jr. hanging up his firesuit at 44. However, Ryan Blaney’s dad is setting an example in terms of durability. Turning out at a race at 61 is a big thing in itself, and winning it is extraordinary. Although Dave Blaney officially retired, his age-defying glory has some precedent in amazing people. In 2021, he set the record for the longest gap between World of Outlaws wins—7 months. After his October 1997 win at Southern New Mexico Speedway, Blaney struck gold again at Sharon Speedway in 2021.

When Blaney emerged from his car, thunderous roars of “BLANEY! BLANEY! BLANEY!” erupted. Ryan Blaney’s dad fell in love with this response, saying that he did not expect such a victory. “I feel like I had a Sprint Car career in the 90’s, but I don’t anymore. I just come out and play, nowadays. It’s not lost on me that winning a World of Outlaws race in this day and age is giant; especially at a track I’m part-owner at. The response was just overwhelming.” He added, “This is a car we built ourselves and we just beat the Outlaws. Holy crap. It’s a dream come true, and it happened at my home track.”

Thus Ryan Blaney’s dad is a true inspiration for all motorsports athletes. He proves that where there is a will, there is a way, as he delivered the perfect ending to a glorious sprint racing career.