At age nine, Ryan began his motorsports career with a win in a Quarter Midget at the dirt track on the grounds of Pocono (PA) Raceway on a weekend when his father, NASCAR driver Dave Blaney was also competing. What started out as just a fun way to pass the time turned into much more than just a hobby as Ryan’s passion and talent for racing were soon evident. Father and son went back to home to North Carolina and stared putting together a race team as a third generation of the Blaney Family was preparing to hit the racing circuit and follow in the footsteps of his Grandfather, Father and Uncle.
Ryan started out racing Bandolero cars, a stepping stone to the more popular Legend Cars and immediately started winning races. Dad added Quarter Midgets to Ryan’s racing when a new track was built close to home by NASCAR star Bobby Labonte. Being able to drive two
different types of cars in the same year was an excellent way to showcase Ryan’s versatility.
When Ryan turned 12, he traded his Bandolero car in for a Legend Car. Learning to shift and come up through the gears proved to be a skill that Ryan adapted to quickly. He was now competing full time in three divisions of Quarter Midgets as well as Legend cars and winning at
every track he went to. Ryan’s travels took him to states such as New York, Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, Georgia and Ohio. Ryan’s driving prowess enabled him to win the Young Lion’s Winter Heat Point Championship at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, which entailed winning all four races on the oval track along with consistent finishes on the road courses. He also won the Carolina Fall Nationals in all three classes Quarter Midgets in which he competed.
Getting To Know Ryan Blaney
All About Driver #10
In 2008 at age 14, Ryan made his debut in a full-size Late Model at Orange County (NC) Speedway. The High Point, NC youngster started 17th and had moved into the third spot in the early stages of the Pro All Star Series national event until a battery problemended his night. Blaney ran a half-dozen Late Model races that year with four top ten finishes.He combined that with part time Legend and full time Quarter Midget schedules gaining valuable experience and showing unusual versatility for such a young driver.
The 2009 racing season saw Ryan competing with the PASS South Late Model Series full
time. The 15 year old driver definitely made his mark in the series as he accumulated four top
five finishes, 13 top ten finishes and two fast time awards. Ryan finished in the second spot of
the championship points and also earned the Rookie-of-the-Year honors. In addition he came
away with a third place finish in the PASS National Points.
Still considered to be one of the best Quarter Midget drivers in the country, Blaney
wasn’t ready to give up his passion for those cars quite yet as he traveled to Huntsville, AL for
the Eastern Grand Nationals, the most prestigious race of the year. Ryan qualified for the
A-Main in all three classes that were in competition and won the Heavy AA championship to full
fill a lifelong dream of his. Keeping true to his passion to learn to driver all different types of
cars, he also tried his hand at sprint car racing on dirt when he competed in a Limited Sprint car
at Sharon Speedway where a mechanical problem sidelines him while running second.
2010 was a pivotal year in Ryan Blaney's racing career. It is the season when he became a consistent winner and a champion in some of the toughest forms of asphalt short track racing. In the PASS South Super Late Model season opener at Dillon Motor Speedway (SC), Blaney set fast time and won the race. He backed that up with additional victories at Greenville-Pickens Speedway (SC) and Newport Speedway (TN). All season long, Blaney fought hard for the PASS South championship and was in contention right up until the end race of the Mason-Dixon Meltdown at Newport, where a broken wheel left him to a 16th finish in the race and a runner-up result in the standings.
Blaney also ran the full slate of CRA Southern Six-Pack races in 2010 and his championship outcome was even rosier in that series. Blaney won the May race at Hickory Motor Speedway (NC) and scored enough markers throughout the season to become the 2010 CRA Southern Six-Pack champion.
2011 found Blaney winning the PASS South title and two events along the way. He scored wins at Dillon Motor Speedway (SC) and Ace Speedway (NC). Overall he took him six top five's and nine top 10's on his way to the championship. Outside of PASS he was fourth at the Rattler 250 at South Alabama Speedway (AL) and was second at the North South Shootout (NC) in November. In all Blaney had three wins during the year with his final one being the biggest as he won the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West finale at Pheonix International Raceway (AZ).
CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
K&N Pro Series: NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Winner at Pheonix Int'l Raceway. Score two top 10's in two East Series starts at Iowa Speedway (IA) and Richmond Int'l Raceway (VA).
ARCA Racing Series: Pole winner at Winchester, led 154 laps and finished 6th. Second at Lucas Oil Raceway after leading 67 laps. Two starts, two top 10's.
Late Models: 2011 PASS South Super Late Model Champion, Two Wins, six top five, nine top 10's/ 2010 CRA Southern Six-Pack Champion with one victory; 2010 PASS South Championship Points Runner Up with Three Victories; 2009 PASS South Rookie of the Year; 2009 PASS South Championship Points Runner-Up; 2009 PASS National Points third Place; Two Fast Time Awards; Four top five finishesand 13 top ten finishes. 2008 Four Top Ten Finishes out of six races.
Legend Cars: Winner of over 25 races; 2007 Young Lions Winter Heat Point Champion; Lowe’s
Motor Speedway Summer Shootout Winner in Young Lions; Lowe’s Motor Speedway Summer
Shootout Winner in Semi-Pro.
Bandolero Cars: Multiple winner at Concord Motor Sports Park; Young Gun’s Winter Heat
Point Champion.
Quarter Midgets: Has won over 100 races in three classes; 2009 Eastern Grand National
Champion in Heavy AA; 2009 Eastern Grand A-Main Qualifier in World Formula and Jr. Half;
2009 Columbus Indoor Champion in World Formula; 2008 Eastern Grand A-Main Qualifier in
Light AA; 2008 Carolina Fall Nationals Champion in World Formula; 2007 World Formula
Gasoline Alley National Champion; 2007 Carolina Fall Nationals Champion in Light 160, Light AA
and World Formula at the same event; 2007 Little New Smyrna 500 Champion in Light 160;
2007 Eastern Grand A-Mail Qualifier in Light AA and Light 160; 2006 Carolina Fall Nationals
Champion in Light 160 and World Formula.
Personal: Birthdate: December 31, 1993; Hometown: High Point, NC; Dad Dave, Mom Lisa,
Sisters Emma & Erin; Grandson of Legendary Northeast Sprint and Modified Driver Lou Blaney
