Team Penske locks up Ryan Blaney with new extension

Ryan Blaney isn’t going anywhere. According to a press release from Team Penske, the former Cup Series champion has agreed on a multi-year contract extension that’ll keep him with the team for the foreseeable future.

“This is a place where I just love being,” Blaney said, regarding Team Penske via Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic. “Roger has done a lot for my career, and to have the success that we’ve had, I’m over the moon that they have wanted to keep me around because I’ve wanted to stay there.

“I just want to be successful for Roger and the person who gave me these big opportunities. I’m lucky that he’s allowed me to continue to do that.”

If Blaney hit the open market, he would’ve had his choice of teams beckoning for his services. Instead, he chose to remain loyal to Team Penske, believing the team is where he’s meant to be and continue his NASCAR Cup journey. 

“Being loyal to the people who’ve given you opportunities in your life and your career is super important to me, and Roger is that guy, so I really couldn’t see myself anywhere else,” Blaney added, via Bianchi. “I love the people that I get to work with every single day, and working for Roger is just an absolute dream.”

As you can tell, Blaney’s love for Team Penske is deep-seeded, and he’s hoping to continue to help build the organization into a pillar in the sport: “The culture around there is something I just really love,” Blaney said. “I was pretty much a kid when I walked in the doors there, and Roger kind of raised me, and that group raised me. And being a dad now, like, that’s what I wanted my kid to grow up like.”

It goes both ways. Roger Penske wasn’t going to witness Blaney drive for any other team: “Ryan Blaney has developed into one of the elite drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series, and the success he’s achieved speaks for itself,” said Roger Penske, via press release.

“I’m confident Ryan and the No. 12 team will continue to build momentum into the future, especially positioned alongside a committed partner like Menards who’s been instrumental to our team for more than a decade.”

Another championship and continued success could be on the horizon for Blaney and Team Penske as a whole, if the past is an indicator. It’s a great day for the NASCAR team, and the future is bright for both sides moving forward.