Blaney brothers carry on the family tradition

NASCAR at Sharon Speedway

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NASCAR drivers Tony Stewart, Dave Blaney and Kasey Kahne were at Sharon Speedway Tuesday, July 7, 2009 as part of the first Lou Blaney Memorial Classic.

Blaney brothers carry on the family tradition

By JOHN BASSETTI

Vindicator SPORTS staff

HARTFORD — NASCAR driver Dave Blaney returned to Sharon Speedway on Tuesday to participate in the inaugural Lou Blaney Memorial Classic.

Brother Dale Blaney was fifth in the 30-lap feature, which was won by Tony Stewart, while Dave Blaney was sixth.

Lou Blaney, who was one of the area’s finest drivers of Sprint cars and Big Block Modifieds, died in January after battling Alzheimer’s disease.

There’s no doubt Dale and Dave Blaney have their father’s blood and love of racing.

“I just grew up around it like he did, and I had fun with it,” Dave Blaney said before Tuesday’s Classic race, named for a good family man and a good dad, who passed on his passion to his sons.

“Yeah, that’s what we thought,” Dave said of himself and Dale. “He [Lou] was a guy who worked really hard and kind of led by example in the way he worked, in the way he raced and in the way he lived.”

Lou Blaney won Sprint car titles at Lernerville Speedway in 1972-75 and in 1977-78. After leaving the sprint car, Lou went on to steer a Big Block Modified to Lernerville track titles in 1980, ’91 and ’95. The elder Blaney is second in Lernerville feature career wins with 118.

Dave and Dale continue that tradition.

“He loved racing,” Dave said, “and he liked that we were part of it and had fun with it and were being somewhat successful in it, so I think he was satisfied with all that.”

Has Dave Blaney exposed his teenaged son, Ryan, similarly?

“Yeah, it’s the same thing,” Dave said. “In Ryan’s case, he’s got to have the drive and desire to put in all the time and effort it takes and to improve and get really good at it. If he does have that, then it’s easy to make the decision to help him, but he’s got to have that desire first.”

Dave’s Sprint Cup season in the No. 66 Prism Motorsports Toyota for owner Phil Parsons continues to be a start-and-park endeavor.

“We’re making the majority of races, so that’s really our only objective — to make the races and try to put some sponsorship together so we can race,” Dave Blaney said.

“It’s a hard thing to do, but that’s the position we’re in at the moment.”

Blaney said that Prism currently has no sponsored races scheduled. The only sponsored race of 2009 so far was at the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte on May 24 with Aaron’s on the car.

“The rest have been all been start-and-park,” said Blaney.

So it’s more of the same?

“Yeah, that’s the only option right now. I’m there if an opportunity comes up with another team, but, if we can get some sponsorship for the team, great. We need one of those things to happen to race more.”

Should fans expect to see Dave Blaney around next year?

“I hope so. In one form or fashion, I hope to be, but you never know.”

bassetti@vindy.com