As many talk about the potential drivers who could be hitting the free agent market in the next couple of seasons, one of the names you won’t hear attached to any of the chatter is Ryan Blaney, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion.
On Wednesday, Blaney and Team Penske announced that they had agreed on a long-term contract extension. While specific terms of the contract were not revealed, the deal will keep Blaney behind the wheel of the team’s No. 12 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR Cup Series for the foreseeable future.
Additionally, Team Penske has confirmed a multi-year renewal with Menards, one of the biggest sponsorship backers for Blaney’s Cup Series program.
Roger Penske, who feels Blaney has become one of the top-tier talents in the NASCAR Cup Series, will only get better along with his No. 12 team for years to come.
“Ryan Blaney has developed into one of the elite drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series, and the success he’s achieved speaks for itself,” said Roger Penske. “I’m confident Ryan and the No. 12 team will continue to build momentum into the future, especially positioned alongside a committed partner like Menards who’s been instrumental to our team for more than a decade.”
Blaney calls the chance to continue competing for Penske, and with Menards branding on his race cars an honor.
“Roger’s commitment to me and my career has been something a race car driver could only dream of – not only getting the opportunity in the first place, but sticking with me through the highs and lows for more than a decade,” said Blaney. “To still be a part of Team Penske – the wins, the championships, the people – and continuing to grow my career with the unwavering support of Roger and the entire organization has been the opportunity of a lifetime. We’re going to keep pushing to deliver more wins and championships, and to do that with the support of John Menard and the Menard family is truly an honor.”
Menards loves what it has been able to achieve with Team Penske during its longstanding partnership, which has placed the company’s branding on Blaney’s No. 12 machine and Austin Cindric’s No. 2 car.
“We’ve enjoyed a tremendous relationship with Team Penske, and we’re excited to continue that partnership for the future,” said John Menard, President and CEO of Menards. “Ryan and Austin Cindric have both done a tremendous amount for our brand, vendors, and our customers, and they represent us with professionalism and passion. Team Penske shares our dedication to excellence, and we look forward to achieving more success together on and off the track.”
This is a huge deal, as Blaney has truly become one of the best drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series over the last few seasons.
Heading into this year, Blaney has amassed at least three victories in each of the last three seasons, and the driver finished runner-up in the championship standings in 2024, a year after he took home his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.
Blaney is a constant force at the front of the field, evidenced by his 18 career wins, 99 top-five finishes, and 175 top-10s through his first 389 starts of his career.
The 32-year-old driver has finished inside the top-10 of the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings for the first time in 2017, his sophomore season. Since then, Blaney has never finished outside the top-10 in the championship battle.
