NASCAR star Ryan Blaney opens up on relationship with legendary Roger Penske

NASCAR star Ryan Blaney has opened up on his relationship with Team Penske founder Roger Penske ahead of a major milestone.

Blaney is set to make his 400th Cup Series start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, with all of them having come in either the No. 12 for Team Penske, or the No. 21 for Wood Brothers Racing, which has been a Penske development car since 2014.

With that said, Roger Penske has had a deep hand in Blaney's career so far, and he has paid him back in abundance, winning 18 races for Team Penske and a Cup Series championship in 2023.

Still, Blaney is the one who feels in debt to his team owner, opening up on their relationship when speaking to the media ahead of Indianapolis this week.

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Ryan Blaney on Roger Penske relationship

“I owe Roger everything," Blaney explained on a media call this week. "I was super lucky to be able to walk in the doors over there in the summer of 2012 and here we are 14 years later.

"I couldn’t ask for a better place to be at and couldn’t ask to work with better people, the people that Roger incorporates not only in his race teams, but in his business side as well. They’re incredible people and I’ve been really lucky to be able to learn from those folks and just get to know them on a personal level and a professional level.

"Roger is a rare breed. I don’t think they make many people like Roger Penske anymore, just the drive that he has for as long as he’s been doing it is unmatched. What he’s done for motorsports, whether it’s NASCAR, Indy Car, Sports Car, it’s been amazing how many things he’s been into and just been incredibly successful.

"He’s been an incredible figure for me, not only to learn on the professional side, but personal life too. I try to take things that Roger does that I think would kind of make you grow as a human being as well of just his demeanor about everything and just somebody that is so easy to talk to for me. I can pick up the phone and call him whenever I need to and he answers, and I could talk to him about anything and he always gives me advice or things like that. So, I’ve been really, really lucky. I’ve been super fortunate to be able to work for him for a long time and call him a friend."

Blaney: I owe Penske a lot

"Like I said, I owe him a lot," Blaney continued. "I owe him my whole career to be honest with you. He took a chance on an 18-year-old kid and here we are now.

"I’m just trying to be successful for him. That’s really my main goal is winning for Roger, winning championships for Roger. That’s the only thing that you can get him.

"He has everything else in life, but he just wants to be successful on the track, so we strive tirelessly to give that to him because he’s given us so much.”