Ryan Blaney’s Iowa Ties Run Deeper Than Just NASCAR Success

Ryan Blaney made history at the Iowa Speedway on Sunday after winning the Cup Series race. He became the only driver in the sport’s history to have won a race at the track in the Cup, Xfinity, and Truck Series. Considering his triumphant stride at the track, Blaney holds the place close to his heart. But there are much deeper ties between Blaney and Iowa than what meets the eye.

The Team Penske star spent a big part of childhood in this part of the country, especially during the holiday season. Despite the cold, Blaney said that he enjoyed the long drive from North Carolina and then spent time with his cousins and grandparents. More than 80 members of his family were at the Iowa Speedway cheering him to the checkered flag on Sunday.

“It’s grandma’s house. Get to see your cousins. My mom has a big family. As you get older, kind of grow apart a little bit as far as cousins go. Move to different states, you don’t go to family events like you did as a kid every year. Nice to see them come together and we could celebrate something,” he said.

Following his race victory, the reigning Cup Series champion dedicated the win to her and thanked everyone out there who supported him.

Ryan Blaney dedicates Iowa’s success to his mother

It was a frustrating season for the Team Penske star until Sunday. At the WWT Speedway, he looked all set for the win but ran out of fuel on the final lap. At Atlanta early in the season, he was beaten to the line by mere milliseconds in what was a three-wide battle to the finishing line. All those heartbreaks have finally been avenged in front of thousands of adoring race fans.

“What a cool way to win here. This place means a lot to me and means a lot to my mom. We had a lot of people here tonight cheering us on, so they willed us to that one,” he said as per Motorsport.

Following his trip to the victory lane, Blaney successfully booked his slot for the postseason. It will be intriguing to see if he will be able to defend his Cup Series title later this year.