Ryan Blaney's Success and Achievements in Timeline

A closer look at the biggest achievements of Ryan Blaney. Awards, milestones, and records that define success.

Ryan Blaney is a prominent American professional stock car racing driver. He currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, showcasing his talent behind the wheel of the No. 12 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske. Blaney is known for his skill and competitive drive within the sport.

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Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

2009: Competed in Pro All Stars Series

In 2009, at the age of fifteen, Ryan Blaney began competing in the Pro All Stars Series (PASS)-sanctioned South Super Late Model Series, finishing second in points and winning the series' Rookie of the Year award. He also finished third in the PASS national points.

2009: Competed in Pro All Star Series Late Model Division

In 2009, at the age of fifteen, Ryan Blaney competed in the Pro All Star Series late model division, finishing second in the final points standings and winning the series' Rookie of the Year award.

2010: First Career Win in PASS South Super Late Model Series

In 2010, Ryan Blaney scored his first career win in the PASS South Super Late Model Series at Dillon Motor Speedway, adding wins at Greenville-Pickens Speedway and Newport Speedway. He also won the Champion Racing Association (CRA)-sanctioned Southern Six Pack series championship for 2010.

2011: Debut in ARCA, K&N Pro Series, and First NASCAR Win

In 2011, Ryan Blaney debuted in the ARCA Racing Series and the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West and East, scoring top ten finishes in every start. He won his first career NASCAR race in the K&N Pro Series West season finale at Phoenix International Raceway.

2011: PASS South Super Late Model Series Champion

In 2011, Ryan Blaney won two races in the PASS South Super Late Model Series, at Dillon Motor Speedway and Ace Speedway, winning the series championship.

September 15, 2012: First Truck Series Win and Youngest Winner

On September 15, 2012, Ryan Blaney won his first career Truck Series race at Iowa Speedway, becoming the youngest winner in Truck Series history at the time.

2013: Full Truck Series Schedule and First Nationwide Series Win

In 2013, Ryan Blaney competed in a full Camping World Truck Series schedule and also won his first career Nationwide Series race at Kentucky Speedway on September 21, leading 96 laps.

2013: First Full-Time NASCAR Season

In 2013, Ryan Blaney had his first full-time NASCAR season in the Truck Series, driving for Brad Keselowski Racing. He finished 6th in points and won the Rookie of the Year Award.

August 2014: Nationwide Win at Bristol and Truck Win at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park

In August 2014, Ryan Blaney won his second career Nationwide race at Bristol Motor Speedway and also won a Truck race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, edging German Quiroga in a photo-finish.

2017: First Cup Series Win and Playoff Berth

In 2017, Ryan Blaney captured his first career Cup Series win at Pocono Raceway and finished ninth in the final point standings, qualifying for the playoffs.

2018: First Cup Race Win

In June 2018, Ryan Blaney won his first career Cup race at the Axalta presents the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway. He then announced he would move to Team Penske's No. 12 car for the 2018 season.

2019: Talladega Fall Race Win

In 2019, Ryan Blaney had a consistent performance within the top ten in points. During the fall race at Talladega in 2019, Blaney secured a win in a photo finish, beating Ryan Newman by 0.007 seconds. This victory allowed him to advance into the Round of 8, despite an earlier spin. He was later eliminated in the Round of 8 after finishing third at Phoenix.

2020: Daytona 500 Incident and GEICO 500 Win

In 2020, during the final lap of the Daytona 500, Ryan Blaney's push on Ryan Newman resulted in a severe crash for Newman. Blaney finished second to Denny Hamlin in what was the second-closest finish in Daytona 500 history. This incident took a mental toll on him. Later in 2020, Blaney won the GEICO 500, defeating Ricky Stenhouse Jr. by 0.007 seconds, marking his second photo-finish win at Talladega.

2021: Wins at Atlanta, Michigan, and Daytona

In 2021, Ryan Blaney achieved wins at Atlanta and Michigan, marking his fifth and sixth career wins in the series, respectively. The Atlanta win was especially emotional for Blaney, as it echoed his father's near-win at the same race twenty years prior. He continued his success with a win at Daytona International Speedway. Entering the 2021 Cup playoffs as the second-seeded driver, Blaney made it to the Round of 8 before being eliminated after Martinsville, ultimately finishing the season seventh in points.

2022: NASCAR All-Star Race Win and Playoff Berth

In 2022, Ryan Blaney started the season with a fourth-place finish at the Daytona 500. Despite not securing any regular season wins, he achieved consistent results, including four top-five and six top-ten finishes. He won the 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race. Blaney clinched the final playoff spot, beating Martin Truex Jr. by three points. He was eliminated after the Round of 8 following a third-place finish at Martinsville, and ultimately finished the season eighth in the points standings.

2022: 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race Winner

In 2022, Ryan Blaney won the NASCAR All-Star Race.

2023: Coca-Cola 600 Win and Points Lead

In 2023, Ryan Blaney began the season with an eighth-place finish at the Daytona 500. He achieved a second-place finish at Phoenix. Later, he served as Joey Logano's spotter for the Weather Guard Truck Race on Dirt at Bristol. Ryan Blaney broke his 59-race winless streak by winning the 2023 Coca-Cola 600, leading the most laps and winning a stage. A sixth-place finish at Gateway put Blaney on top of the points standings in 2023.

2023: 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Championship

In 2023, Ryan Blaney won the NASCAR Cup Series championship and also secured a crown jewel victory in the Coca-Cola 600.

2024: Inaugural Iowa Race Win and Championship 4 Appearance

In 2024, Ryan Blaney started the season with a 30th-place finish at the Daytona 500. He came close to victory at Atlanta, finishing second by 0.003 seconds. He experienced disappointment at Gateway after running out of fuel on the last lap. He achieved his first win of the season at the inaugural Iowa race on June 16, 2024, and followed it up with a win at Pocono. In the playoffs, he secured a spot in the Championship 4 for the second consecutive year. Blaney ultimately finished the season as runner-up for the Championship.

2025: Wins at Nashville, Daytona, and New Hampshire

In 2025, Ryan Blaney started the season with a seventh-place finish at the Daytona 500. He secured his first win of the season at Nashville, and ended the regular season with a win at the Daytona summer race. During the playoffs, he won at New Hampshire. Although he was eliminated at the conclusion of the Round of 8, Ryan Blaney ended the season with a victory at Phoenix and finished sixth in the points standings in 2025.

2026: Win at Phoenix

In 2026, Ryan Blaney started the season with a 27th-place DNF at Daytona. He scored his first win of the season three weeks later at Phoenix. Blaney would later win the pole at Bristol in 2026.