Ryan Blaney has recently joined a select group of NASCAR Cup Series drivers who balance ownership of a racetrack with their ongoing racing careers.
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Partnering with his father, Dave Blaney, already one of the track’s three co-owners, Blaney now shares ownership of Sharon Speedway, a 3/8-mile clay oval in Hartford, Ohio, alongside local businessman and racer Will Thomas III.
With such a venture inevitably demanding attention, Blaney recently shared how he plans to juggle his Cup Series commitments with his new responsibilities.
Speaking to Racing America, Blaney acknowledged the challenge of managing the track from afar. He admitted that, given that the track is located just inside the Ohio-Pennsylvania border and he is based in North Carolina, it is tough to dedicate the level of energy he would like behind the same.
However, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Champion emphasized that he already has a solid team on the ground in Ohio to handle the day-to-day operations.
Blaney described his role as more of a strategic partner, offering ideas and planning the track’s next steps. The No.12 Ford Mustang driver explained that he is just brainstorming ideas and figuring out where the next steps are going, communicating with folks like Will Thomas, who’s hands-on every single day, stating,
“Just being in the loop there and trying to come up with that stuff [new ideas] is the best I can do for now.”
He clarified that when he’s able to physically be at the track, he hopes to bring more hands-on involvement and said, “What can we do for the fans? What can we do for the local racers that come there every week, and then the big shows, you know, when the outlaws come there and the all-stars come, it’s kind of all the brainstorming stuff right now, and hopefully that role grows even more.”
For now, Blaney is content to contribute remotely, developing ideas and plans. However, he’s hopeful his role will grow as he gains experience in track management and deepens his involvement.
In the meantime, the Team Penske driver will also be gearing up to challenge in NASCAR’s top tier this weekend at Nashville Superspeedway as the sport gets ready to kick off one of the most highly anticipated races of the year this Sunday.
