NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney is one driver in the sport’s top tier who has recently redefined himself in the stock car racing world as one of the best after clinching his championship with Team Penske in 2023. Despite having attained the ultimate prize, the Ohio native seems as grounded as he has ever been. A recent example of the same came when he was asked if he expects to see himself in the NASCAR Hall of Fame in the future.
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“I don’t even think about that. I had the pleasure of sitting in on the panel at the end of ’23, start of ’24. That was a really unique experience. To sit in the room with all those great men and women and decide who is going to go into the hall was such a cool experience to me. If down the road whenever I’m done maybe it’ll happen but it’s not something I expect or it’s not something I really think about,” elaborated Blaney.
The #12 Team Penske driver also touched on the experience of NASCAR taking a Cup Series champion’s input in deciding who will be inducted into the Hall of Fame for next year. While he did seem to enjoy the process, Blaney seemingly kept thoughts of himself being inducted out of his head.
The induction ceremony for the class of 2025 takes place on February 7, 2025. Carl Edwards, Ralph Moody, and Ricky Rudd consist of the 15th Hall of Fame class with Dr. Dean Sicking receiving the Landmark Award for his efforts in the improvement of safety in the sport.
Out of the 15 nominees, a panel decides three people to be inducted into the Hall of Fame every year. The Squier-Hall Award is another aspect that honors the media’s contribution to the sport’s growth.
Longtime Associated Press (AP) reporter Mike Harris received the award this year. Harris was a motorsports reporter for AP from 1980 to 2009 and he became the 13th recipient in 2025 for his trusted coverage.
With the Induction Ceremony taking place right in the middle of the Clash at Bowman Gray (February 2nd) and the 67th Daytona 500 (February 16), fans of the sport can expect a busy start to the season. The first action-packed weekend comes in from Winston-Salem with the Clash going live on Sunday, February 2, 2025, at 8:00 pm ET.
