Plenty of drivers grow up around engines and still walk another road, even as siblings carry the flag. However, Ryan Blaney never hesitated. From day one, he wanted to chase the same road his father traveled.
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Racing runs in Blaney blood, with roots that trace back through generations. Ryan’s great-grandfather, George Blaney, laid the groundwork in Ohio, building a team alongside his lumber business before handing the reins to Lou Blaney, who carved out a path in modifieds and sprint cars.
The torch then passed to Dave Blaney, who grabbed the 1984 USAC Silver Crown championship and later carved out a run in the World of Outlaws and the NASCAR Cup Series.
“Yeah, I mean growing up around it, my dad was a dirt racer from the 80s, 90s, moved to NASCAR in the late 90s,” Blaney said on First Things First. “I was born in ’93. So I was born into this racing world.
“And I was just in awe of not only my dad, but all the guys that are out there competing. And it’s all I ever wanted to do. I don’t think there was ever a point, as long as I was allowed to do it, that I wanted to do anything else. I wanted to do what my dad did.”
The 2023 Cup Series champion has often said his father never twisted his arm, only asked if he was ready before each step forward, and the answer never changed. Racing can feel like a closed circle, but once Blaney stepped in, he was hooked for good.
“I was fortunate to grow up around it and see it firsthand,” he said. The only paycheck he recalls outside the cockpit came from pushing a broom in his father’s shop. He even laughed that he earned pocket money scrubbing floors and toilets, proving he learned the ropes before he ever held the wheel.
“I was born into this racing world and I was just in awe of, not only my dad, but all the guys that are out there competing. And it’s all I ever wanted to do.” @Blaney explains what it was like for him to grow up in racing:@getnickwright | @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/ixbh3kGKnp
— First Things First (@FTFonFS1) February 13, 2026
For all the history behind him, not every corner of the sport sits well at home. Blaney has admitted his father does not like superspeedways and cannot stomach pack racing. When asked why his parents tense up on those weekends, Blaney narrated that the pileups that happen in the blink of an eye, causing severe accidents at times, are the reason why both his parents despise superspeedway races.
For now, Blaney is keeping his eyes on the prize. With one Cup already in the bag from 2023, he now aims to circle back and grab another as the chase format starts from this Sunday onwards.
