Ryan Blaney readies for title defense, added responsibilities of being a champion

With a podium finish already under his belt after the Busch Light Clash, Ryan Blaney is set to begin the defense of his 2023 NASCAR Cup Series championship. The No. 12 Team Penske Ford hasn’t finished worse than third in the past four Cup events, and while the on-track success is what carried Blaney to title glory, it’s off the track where the meaning of being a NASCAR champion is hitting home. After the dust settled in November at Phoenix Raceway -- and after the banquet in December in Nashville -- the thrills and frills largely quieted around the Blaney household. But January followed in a hustle, and with it arrived Blaney’s new fire suits for the 2024 season. On the new fire suit is fashioned one notable difference: an embroidered badge that reads “CHAMPION” beneath the NASCAR Cup Series logo. “It meant a lot,” Blaney said of seeing that label for the first time. “... It's a nice little refresher for the new year when you pull out the fire suit from the bag and you see the champion logo beneath the NASCAR logo.” RELATED: Blaney to have new spotter in title defense It’s already been three months since Blaney took home the Bill France Cup, with the 30-year-old now on the precipice of chasing a Daytona 500 victory that will signal the true start of his title defense. This year will mark his seventh as a full-time racer for Team Penske, though he’s essentially been in the pipeline since 2012 when Brad Keselowski hired the then-18-year-old to race part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Blaney witnessed Keselowski bring team owner Roger Penske his first NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2012. Then, it was Joey Logano’s turn in 2018 and 2022. Now, it’s Blaney’s turn to enjoy the glory and carry the responsibilities for those who are fortunate enough to taste victory at the top of the sport’s mountain. But he’s not only soaking it in for himself, it’s for the team, too. “It's nice to walk around and you're like, ‘Man, I feel like I've done something really nice for the whole company and organization, right, for RP and everyone working there,” Blaney said. “And, I don't want to say you feel validated in being there because everyone always believes in you, but (it’s) just like a personal confidence booster.” [caption id="attachment_420060" align="aligncenter" width="1300"] Meg Oliphant | Getty Images[/caption] A staple at Team Penske since 2013, Logano is one of just two full-time multi-time champions racing today. He has seen Blaney’s ascension firsthand. There is a bitter sting the driver of the No. 22 Ford still feels after an early elimination from the playoffs in 2023. But watching Blaney -- and the team around him -- celebrate in Phoenix eased some of that nagging pain. “It's been cool to see it,” Logano said. “Obviously, you want to win the championship, right? Don't get me wrong. But if we can't win, you want to see one of your teammates win, and to see that team win again -- that's the team that I won with in 2018. Right? I mean, the crew chief's different, but like a lot of those guys are the same guys from 2018.” A third-generation racer behind his grandfather Lou, uncle Dale and father Dave, Ryan charged up the racing ladders with success but with the right mindset, too. Keselowski saw it early and quickly realized Blaney was capable of success. As Blaney rocketed to the Cup Series, he became teammates with Logano and Keselowski, sharing the stable for four seasons before Keselowski departed to become a co-owner/driver at RFK Racing. RELATED: Ryan Blaney through the years Though Keselowski has moved on to guide RFK to newfound success of its own, he still appreciates Blaney’s accomplishments. “I mean, he was made for this moment in so many different ways from his upbringing to the people he surrounded himself with,” Keselowski said. “You know, if I'm NASCAR, it's a dream for Ryan Blaney to win the championship because he's willing to put in the work and effort and is just a good person.” [caption id="attachment_420047" align="aligncenter" width="1300"] Streeter Lecka | Getty Images[/caption] Winning the title in 2022, Logano knows better than anyone recently what Blaney can expect as a champion, with added media asks and potential to shine under brighter spotlights around every corner. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Blaney is already taking those opportunities with open arms, heading to New York City ahead of The Clash with an appearance on “The Today Show,” a recording of “The Kelly Clarkson Show” and a sideline seat at a New York Knicks game at Madison Square Garden ... even if he was cropped out of the picture with friend and competitor Bubba Wallace. “He seems like he's getting after it from what I see,” Logano said. “... You win the championship, then you're that guy for a year, so make the most of it. You don't know when it's going to happen again.” Penske was victorious with Blaney in last May’s Coca-Cola 600 and with Josef Newgarden in the Indianapolis 500, followed by the Cup title from Blaney in November. In January, Penske’s team claimed overall victory in the IMSA Rolex 24 at Daytona. While Blaney embraces the glory that comes with winning a championship, his mind is already focused on the next big goal -- winning Monday's Daytona 500 (4 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, MRN Radio, SiriusXM Radio). “Gotta win the 500. Gonna go try to win the 500,” Blaney said. “That's what's next, try to just keep getting milestones for RP and try to win historic races and bring more championships. That's just the main goal. So yeah, them winning the 24 was great. And now it's like, alright, well, we have to do it again in Daytona here in a couple of weeks.” SHOP: Gear up for the Daytona 500