Latest news with #Blaney
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Wood Brothers Wednesdays: Highlighting Pocono prowess
To celebrate 75 years worth of memories, the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team will be celebrated throughout the summer with 'Wood Brothers Wednesdays' on The NASCAR Channel. Wood Brothers Racing has been around since 1950, when Glen and Leonard Wood teamed up to pioneer a legacy that has transcended time. Advertisement Glen was behind the wheel of their car at Bowman Gray Stadium in 1960 and took the Wood Brothers Racing team to Victory Lane for the first time. The team scored its 101st NASCAR Cup Series victory in 2025, when Josh Berry took the checkered flag at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Bookending those victories were triumphs everywhere from Daytona to Darlington to Rockingham and everywhere in between. Twenty of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers have piloted a car for the team throughout their storied history, one that is well worth celebrating. RELATED: How to watch The NASCAR Channel This weekend will celebrate memorable Wood Brothers moments throughout the 1980s. It also highlights some of their success at Pocono Raceway, the site of this weekend's Cup Series race (Sun., 2 p.m. ET, Prime Video, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Advertisement The thrilling 1986 Miller High Life 400 at Richmond Raceway will be the first full race on tap Wednesday. The race was won by Kyle Petty, marking his first victory in the Cup Series. Ryan Blaney's victory at Pocono in the 2017 Axalta Presents the Pocono 400 will be on the schedule. It was the first victory of Blaney's Cup Series career, as well as the team's first victory at the track since Neil Bonnett was victorious at the 'Tricky Triangle' in 1980. Bonnett's victory in July 1980, as well as the 1983 Firecracker 400 from Daytona International Speedway, finish out the day's races. That Daytona contest was won by Buddy Baker. It was the 19th and final victory of his Hall of Fame career. The 'Memory Lane' original content series will relive both the race from Richmond in 1986, as well as Blaney's 2017 Pocono victory. Advertisement The NASCAR Channel delivers 24/7, always-on content, featuring the latest news and information from around the sport, original programming and race replays. It is a FAST channel (Free-Ad Supported Television) and can be watched on your TV or mobile device via one of the streaming partners, such as Tubi or Xumo Play.
Hypebeast
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Hypebeast
Beyond the Track with Professional NASCAR Driver Ryan Blaney
As aNASCARdriver, life is high-speed whether you're behind the wheel or not. It's a career that comes along with a consistently fast-paced lifestyle, whether on the track or traveling for the next race. But 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Champion and professional driverRyan Blaneytakes it all in stride. Not only has he been racing since he was a kid, but the sport runs in his family, following in both his father's and grandfather's footsteps. 'I really just grew up with it. It was something that did sort of come second nature, but I was really comfortable being there with my dad before I even started racing. I started when I was 9, and they never pushed me to do it; they always made sure it was something I wanted to be involved in. It was a family thing; it was what I knew most. And now I've made a career out of it,' Blaney reflected. He continued, sharing some valuable lessons about the sport that his family instilled in him, 'My dad is still one of the first guys I call. Traits I got from him — I think some of the racing or driving is passed down genetically, like any sport. Some traits I wish I didn't have that I get from my dad [laughs]. But I took his advice every step that we took, and with every step, he would also check in and ask, 'Are you sure you still want to do this?' The answer was always, 'Yes.'' Throughout his 11-year career, Blaney has made his mark as a driver to watch, and his passion and determination have set the standard for the next NASCAR generation. He puts his all into every race and has generated a loyal fan base due to his tenacity. But fans aren't just interested in Blaney the driver, they also support Blaney when he isn't behind the wheel. 'The sport does a good job of giving fans access in the way that other sports don't. NASCAR wants people to meet drivers face to face and walk on the track before a race. Can you imagine getting to walk on an NFL field before the game? That never happens. It lets you see a more human side of athletes. Our sport gives you a bit more of that perspective, both between competitors and for the fans,' the athlete expressed. He's known for his distinct racing style, but when it comes to fashion and style, he keeps it simple. He maintained that his personal aesthetic off of the track is 'super laidback,' though he's been known to sport some custom sponsorship looks. Blaney experimented with some new looks for this shoot, sharing, 'I usually don't wear anything too out there or wild — I'm usually in jeans, a t-shirt and boots. But today was really fun. I got to wear some things I wouldn't normally wear, for sure.' Along with a standard, comfortable look, Blaney also leans on routine when he is racing. 'I think the only pre-race ritual I follow is routine. I get in the car the same way every time. Getting all of the belts on in the same way every race. It feels weird if I do it in a different way, so that's a ritual that I maintain,' he said. He tries to establish some structure outside of the sport as well, sharing that he prioritizes balance. When he isn't gearing up for a race, he's usually spending time with his wife, their many animals — dogs, cats, goats, a horse and more — or golfing. This balance was learned over time, as Blaney matured in his profession. To others looking to pursue a professional sport or any career path that may take an untraditional route, he shared, 'The first bit of advice I'd give is something my dad taught me, which is that you have to be 100 percent committed to that thing. If you're 90 percent involved, you never know if it's going to work out.' The driver continued, 'The other side of it is you have to be flexible. There will be things you have to take in stride, things you won't understand, or curveballs you'll have to adapt to. You have to be open-minded, and I think that goes for anyone who wants to do something like racing, but really that applies to anything else in life.' As for what's next, Blaney is about to hit the road for more upcoming races as the season continues. 'I'm very excited for the next race. For us, these next weeks, we keep having to go somewhere different and new. And no matter how good or bad the previous week goes, there's always the next one. We're on the move for about 30 weeks out of the year, so I'm always just looking forward to how I can improve in the next one,' he concluded. You can tune in and watch Blaney competeat the upcoming Chicago Street Race, which transforms downtown Chicago into a complex street course through the heart of Grant Park. The action kicks off on Sunday, July 6th at 2pm EST on TNT with streaming on MAX.
Newsweek
14-06-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Ryan Blaney Breaks Down Real Reason For NASCAR's Disconnect With the Masses
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Ryan Blaney didn't hold himself back from admitting the disconnect between NASCAR and the masses, revealing that it lags behind sports such as football, basketball, and baseball, which fans are able to play and enjoy themselves. Blaney also pointed out that the lives of the drivers and who they are as people need to be showcased more often so people can connect with them at a personal level, rather than the drivers being featured for the sole purpose of promotion and advertising. NASCAR is reportedly struggling to connect with a younger audience, but Blaney believes the sport needs to be showcased more with a human element that fans can relate to. Speaking in an interview with RG, he said: William Byron, driver of the #24 Raptor Chevrolet, and Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet, lead the field during the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on... William Byron, driver of the #24 Raptor Chevrolet, and Carson Hocevar, driver of the #77 Zeigler Auto Group Chevrolet, lead the field during the NASCAR Cup Series FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 08, 2025 in Brooklyn, Michigan. More"How can you make the drivers more personable? How do you increase their stardom, and it starts with not only showing the product on the track, it's also showing these people and these athletes and things like that. "I've always said NASCAR is hard to relate to people, to the mass population, because unfortunately unlike football, basketball [or] baseball, you can't go to a park and play it [race] like everybody can do. "You can't just go have a car and go to the racetrack. It's different, it takes a lot of time and money to do it, so people don't have that connection of, 'Oh yeah, I played that sport as a kid, so I really enjoy it now as an adult.' "Watching racing is hard to do, so how do you do it in a certain way to where you just get people interested if maybe they haven't driven before, and how do you describe it in a way that they can relate to it?" The 31-year-old driver believes shows like Netflix's docuseries, 'NASCAR: Full Speed,' could open up the sport to the younger audience. He said: "I think that's neat for people to see, kind of that aspect of it. It's really important to do those things, to showcase more info about your sport. No matter what sport it is, how do you draw people that maybe don't watch your sport? How do you draw them in? "I've had a lot of people since that first season say, 'Hey you know we watched the Netflix show and we didn't really know much about racing, but we really enjoyed the people in it and this is our first race.'" The 2023 NASCAR champion often comes across as a relaxed personality. However, he admitted that he is the opposite when he puts on his crash helmet, a contrast well captured by the Netflix docuseries. Blaney said: "You're going to be fiery, you're going to be passionate about what you do. But then you take off the helmet, you're just kind of a normal person. You can have a completely different attitude or mentality. I'm that way. I'm a freaking tyrant when I put the helmet on, but that's just how I am, and I'm a competitive person."
Fox Sports
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Carson Hocevar living the dream back home in Michigan as aggressive, headline-grabbing NASCAR driver
Associated Press BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) — Carson Hocevar grew up 80 miles west of Michigan International Speedway, where he attended his first race at the age of 5. As a kid in Portage, he dreamed of becoming a NASCAR driver that people talked about. The 22-year-old Hocevar got his wish. He knocked Ricky Stenhouse Jr. out of last week's race at Nashville and his aggressive style has created a buzz in a sport that traditionally has young drivers trying to find the line between aggressive and reckless driving. 'It's cool to be talked about,' Hocevar said Saturday, a day ahead of the FireKeepers Casino 400. 'Obviously, you want to be talked about maybe in a different light. "But I mean, at least they're talking, right? And, I think that's big for me.' Hocevar called Stenhouse earlier in the week to discuss their contact on Lap 106 of 300 at Nashville, where Stenhouse was bumped from behind and sent into a wall. Both said the conversation was productive. 'I don't think he crashed me on purpose,' Stenhouse said. "But I think he was super impatient. 'We've never had any issues. He's had plenty of issues with other people.' Hocevar, in his second full Cup season, was behind only winner Ryan Blaney at Nashville to match the career-best, second-place finish he had earlier this year. At the race in Atlanta, several drivers complained about Hocevar over the radio or some addressed their concerns face to face in pit lane. Blaney, who got turned by Hocevar in the final stage of the race, and Ross Chastain confronted him in February. Chastain sounded frustrated that Hocevar, who drives the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, has not appeared to learn from his mistakes. His latest move was reckless, Chastain said. 'Yeah, 47 spun off his front bumper,' he said. 'Been there, done that.' Blaney has, too. 'You can say you're sorry all you want, but if you don't learn from them and make a change, then everyone thinks you're lying,' Blaney said. A new wrinkle NASCAR's 'In-season Challenge' will begin seeding drivers Sunday and at the following two races in Mexico City and at Pocono. The results will create a field of 32 drivers, who will race for a $1 million prize over a five-race competition starts June 28 at Atlanta. Single elimination will reduce the field to 16 in Chicago, eight at Sonoma, four in Dover and the final two on July 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The NBA has had success with a similar format. 'It's like the March Madness bracket,' said Blaney, whose No. 12 Ford finished first last week at Nashville. "You want to do well to seed yourself against an easier opponent. "It could be big. It could grow. I think it's a great idea. Why not try it? You're still going to have racing. It's just going to be a race within the race between all the guys.' Pressing priorities Denny Hamiln is prepared to leave his No. 11 Toyota behind this weekend to join his fiancé, Jordan, who is due to give birth to a baby boy — their third child — at any time. Hamlin, who is also juggling his role as the co-owner of a team suing NASCAR, said he would skip next week's race in Mexico City if necessary to witness the birth of his boy. Hendrick's drought Hendrick Motorsports has won a record 316 Cup races, but hasn't finished first at Michigan in more than a decade. Jeff Gordon's third win on the track was the team's ninth and that was way back on Aug. 17, 2014. 'It's just kind of surprising because I don't feel like it's a track that we struggle at by any means,' said Kyle Larson, who drives the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick. "Every time we've been here, we've been one of the fastest and up front. 'It's not a track like Nashville, where where we struggle.' Odds and Ends Larson at +300 is the betting favorite to win Sunday, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed by points leader William Byron (+375), defending race champion Tyler Reddick (+500) and Christopher Bell (+550). ___ AP auto racing: recommended
Winnipeg Free Press
07-06-2025
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Carson Hocevar living the dream back home in Michigan as aggressive, headline-grabbing NASCAR driver
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) — Carson Hocevar grew up 80 miles west of Michigan International Speedway, where he attended his first race at the age of 5. As a kid in Portage, he dreamed of becoming a NASCAR driver that people talked about. The 22-year-old Hocevar got his wish. He knocked Ricky Stenhouse Jr. out of last week's race at Nashville and his aggressive style has created a buzz in a sport that traditionally has young drivers trying to find the line between aggressive and reckless driving. 'It's cool to be talked about,' Hocevar said Saturday, a day ahead of the FireKeepers Casino 400. 'Obviously, you want to be talked about maybe in a different light. 'But I mean, at least they're talking, right? And, I think that's big for me.' Hocevar called Stenhouse earlier in the week to discuss their contact on Lap 106 of 300 at Nashville, where Stenhouse was bumped from behind and sent into a wall. Both said the conversation was productive. 'I don't think he crashed me on purpose,' Stenhouse said. 'But I think he was super impatient. 'We've never had any issues. He's had plenty of issues with other people.' Hocevar, in his second full Cup season, was behind only winner Ryan Blaney at Nashville to match the career-best, second-place finish he had earlier this year. At the race in Atlanta, several drivers complained about Hocevar over the radio or some addressed their concerns face to face in pit lane. Blaney, who got turned by Hocevar in the final stage of the race, and Ross Chastain confronted him in February. Chastain sounded frustrated that Hocevar, who drives the No. 77 Chevrolet for Spire Motorsports, has not appeared to learn from his mistakes. His latest move was reckless, Chastain said. 'Yeah, 47 spun off his front bumper,' he said. 'Been there, done that.' Blaney has, too. 'You can say you're sorry all you want, but if you don't learn from them and make a change, then everyone thinks you're lying,' Blaney said. A new wrinkle NASCAR's 'In-season Challenge' will begin seeding drivers Sunday and at the following two races in Mexico City and at Pocono. The results will create a field of 32 drivers, who will race for a $1 million prize over a five-race competition starts June 28 at Atlanta. Single elimination will reduce the field to 16 in Chicago, eight at Sonoma, four in Dover and the final two on July 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The NBA has had success with a similar format. 'It's like the March Madness bracket,' said Blaney, whose No. 12 Ford finished first last week at Nashville. 'You want to do well to seed yourself against an easier opponent. 'It could be big. It could grow. I think it's a great idea. Why not try it? You're still going to have racing. It's just going to be a race within the race between all the guys.' Pressing priorities Denny Hamiln is prepared to leave his No. 11 Toyota behind this weekend to join his fiancé, Jordan, who is due to give birth to a baby boy — their third child — at any time. Hamlin, who is also juggling his role as the co-owner of a team suing NASCAR, said he would skip next week's race in Mexico City if necessary to witness the birth of his boy. Hendrick's drought Hendrick Motorsports has won a record 316 Cup races, but hasn't finished first at Michigan in more than a decade. Jeff Gordon's third win on the track was the team's ninth and that was way back on Aug. 17, 2014. 'It's just kind of surprising because I don't feel like it's a track that we struggle at by any means,' said Kyle Larson, who drives the No. 5 Chevrolet for Hendrick. 'Every time we've been here, we've been one of the fastest and up front. Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. 'It's not a track like Nashville, where where we struggle.' Odds and Ends Larson at +300 is the betting favorite to win Sunday, according to BetMGM Sportsbook, followed by points leader William Byron (+375), defending race champion Tyler Reddick (+500) and Christopher Bell (+550). ___ AP auto racing:
