It took Ryan Blaney eight full-time seasons to clinch a NASCAR Cup Series title. For Justin Allgaier, the climb was even steeper — 471 races and 14 full-time seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series before he could finally wear the champion’s crown. The euphoria of a championship win may linger through post-race interviews and culminate at the NASCAR Awards banquet, but the weight of that title never leaves the shoulders of its bearer.
Advertisement
Blaney and Allgaier both reflected on this reality during a recent episode of Stacking Pennies. As Allgaier detailed how life has shifted since capturing the Xfinity title, he remarked, “I would say one of the things that’s changed for me is like I just approach the races different.” More tellingly, he noted how public perception shifts once a driver ascends to champion status.
He cited a moment earlier this year at Martinsville when someone from NASCAR reached out and asked, “How do we fix it?” Allgaier recalled staring at his phone, thinking, “Like I don’t know how to fix it.”
Expanding on that moment, Allgaier explained, “I don’t have that kind of power, right? But then you start talking to people and they’re like, “Oh man, like now that you’re the champion, people expect you to have these things and that’s a hard spot to be in.”
He added that while he genuinely wants to support his fellow drivers, their expectations don’t always align with how he can offer help.
Yet, even after breaking through and winning the championship, Allgaier admitted that his hunger remains undiminished — he approaches each race with the same fire as Blaney or any other contender on the grid.
The driver of the #12 Team Penske Ford echoed that sentiment. Blaney, who has also been sought out for advice since winning the Cup title, remarked, “I’m still the same guy. Like I still have the same opinions.”
But he offered a candid takeaway: “Honestly, I feel like I’m like it makes you hungrier for a second one… Because you want to go through that whole experience again.”
Blaney also touched on a deeper responsibility he now feels — the impact of his actions on younger fans. Aware that his championship status places him in the spotlight, he aspires to carry himself in the mold of champions who came before him — Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson.
As someone who once idolized those names as a kid watching them on TV, Blaney now hopes to set the same kind of example for the next generation.
