Sunday, June 15, 2014
Ryan Blaney continues family tradition of auto racing
By Kyle Rowland
Ryan Blaney’s childhood in North Carolina differed from his friends’ experiences. Sure, there was school and sports. But there also were countless hours spent at race tracks watching his dad, Dave, cruise along at 200 miles per hour.
Boys grow up believing their dads are superheroes. For Ryan, that turned into a reality.
“I thought it was so cool my dad drove a race car and that I was able to be around him,” Ryan said this weekend in Brooklyn, Mich. “I was at the race track every weekend with my family, and it’s the only thing I cared about growing up.”
Dave Blaney, a native of Hartford in Trumbull County, is from a three-generation racing family. His father, Lou, is a DIRT Motorsports Hall of Famer, having won more than 600 races during a 47-year career. Brother Dale was a standout basketball player at West Virginia and was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in 1986, before retiring that same year to focus on a racing career. Ryan is a rising star on the NASCAR circuit, currently challenging for a championship in the Camping World Truck Series.
Dave, 51, a former World of Outlaws champion, is driving in the Sprint Cup Series this season for team owner Randy Humphrey in the No. 77 Ford.
Ryan drives a full Truck schedule in the No. 29 Cooper Standard Ford for Brad Keselowski Racing — he’s fourth in the series standings — and the No. 22 Team Penske Ford in the Nationwide Series on a part-time basis.
At a young age, Ryan, 20, knew he wanted to get in the family business. Watching his dad cut corners at a high rate of speed and flash by other cars on the low side immediately appealed to Ryan.
“I grew up around it and really started at a young age,” he said. “It was kind of all I knew. It’s what my dad did, it was an atmosphere I grew up in and became accustomed with my everyday life.
“I just always wanted to go to the race track with my dad. I played other sports and never really fell in love with them like I did with racing.”
So Ryan stepped into a rocket on wheels at the age of 9. He started in quarter midget racing and won a race his first year.
Ryan gradually worked his way up each year, winning races, collecting rookie of the year awards, including the 2013 Truck Series, and establishing himself as one of the sport’s up-and-comers.
All the while, family played a starring role in Ryan’s life and career development. NASCAR, unlike other professional sports leagues, gives families an opportunity to stay together throughout the course of a season. Race tracks can double as a day-care, middle school or playground in the motor home area on weekends.
“Our type of racing lends itself to having your family around,” said Dave in a telephone interview. “There’s a lot of respect between the drivers themselves and between the families. It’s a cool thing to see.”
Said Ryan: “Every other sport — football, basketball, baseball — yeah, families do it, but you never see a huge family sport like NASCAR.
“It’s so unique having families together each and every weekend at the racetrack spending time with each other. The whole NASCAR family, you’re racing against the same guys every weekend as opposed to other sports where you play different teams. It forms strong bonds.”
Perhaps no bond is stronger than that of a father and son. The Blaneys are living that setting, and racing is what continues their relationship’s growth.
Dave, a 23-year veteran of the Cup Series and one of the most experienced drivers in all of NASCAR, has been a fountain of information and advice.
From Daytona to Talladega, Bristol to Martinsville, the elder Blaney is a maestro of track nuances.
“The coolest thing for me,” Dave said, “is seeing how dedicated Ryan is. He really has a hunger to learn and improve on all sides of [racing]. He’s a very smart kid and that’s going to take him a long ways.”
Race weeks include constant communication between the Blaneys. Father’s Day weekend is no different. Ryan has a crew chief and teammates to bounce ideas off, but the comfort level and ease at discussing race strategy with his dad is second to none.
“He’s there most race weekends,” Ryan said. “He’s been on these race tracks, so it really helps me. It’s awesome to get his input because he’s been through it all and done it all. He’s a great influence, and I’m fortunate to have him around.
“It’s definitely an advantage I have.”
The highlight of their intertwining careers came last July, when Dave and Ryan teamed up for Brad Keselowski Racing and ran in the Midsummer Classic, a Truck Series race at the famed Eldora Speedway dirt track in New Weston. Dave finished ninth and Ryan finished 15th.
At Kansas Speedway in May, the Blaneys attempted to become the first father-son duo to run in a Cup race since 2005. But the dream fell short when Dave failed to qualify. Ryan placed 27th in his Cup debut.
The Eldora experience ranks among Ryan’s favorite racing memories, alongside race victories and series championships. It’s not every day an opportunity to race against your Dad arises.
“That was really neat to get him in one of our team trucks,” Ryan said. “He had a really good run. It was really special to add to our list.”
A tinge of disappointment resided in Dave regarding the race because there was no side-by-side racing. He qualified sixth in the 30-driver field and Ryan started 23rd.
“I did race around him in practice a little bit. I remember laughing a few times,” Dave said, smiling. “He was getting after it really hard without having any dirt track experience. It was fun just seeing that. It was a fun race.”
Asked if there would be bumping on the final laps if the two were ever at the front of the field, Dave could only chuckle and ponder the possibilities.
“Honestly I don’t know,” he said. “It would depend on a lot of different things. But it would be fun to be in that situation.”