pandr
07-18-2012, 04:34 PM
Penske Racing signs Dave Blaney’s son, Ryan
By Jim Utter The Charlotte Observer
Tuesday, Jul. 17, 2012
It was one race but it might have launched a career.
Ryan Blaney’s seventh-place finish in his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut this season at Richmond, Va., turned a lot heads.
Penske Racing announced Tuesday it had signed the driver and will run him in at least three Nationwide races in the No. 22 Dodge this season, beginning with the Aug. 4 race at Iowa Speedway.
Blaney, the 18-year-old son of NASCAR veteran Dave Blaney, also will run the three Nationwide races he had scheduled with Tommy Baldwin Racing, including the series’ debut next weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“Penske Racing is one of the top teams you would want to be at and hopefully, if we do well, I can find a permanent home at Penske,” Ryan Blaney said.
“We talked to all the teams we could and tried to get the best idea what to do. I definitely think we made the right choice with Penske – they are a great organization and have an amazing facility.”
While Ryan Blaney has been successful in Super Late Models, the Automobile Racing Club of America and in NASCAR’s K&N series, it was his performance at Richmond that got NASCAR owners’ attention.
“That race played a really big role. Right out of the gate it showed what I could do in that car,” he said of driving the Tommy Baldwin entry. “We had a great run at Richmond, I made a mistake and wrecked at Darlington (S.C.) and had a pretty strong run at Kentucky.
“Our opener at Richmond played a really big role in opening some eyes.”
Sprint Cup Series stars like Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart lauded Blaney’s ability even before he made the move to the Nationwide series.
“I told him from Day 1 that a lot of guys can drive race cars fast, that’s not the biggest part of it,” Dave Blaney said. “He’s very smart, very smart in the race car, very calm and very composed.
“There’s 15 different things you add up that make the total package and I think he’s in good shape in all of them.”
In addition to Iowa, Blaney will run the No. 22 Dodge this year at Richmond and Kentucky.
“Ryan is a driver with a great racing pedigree and we believe he has a very bright future in NASCAR,” said Tim Cindric, president of Penske Racing.
“We’ve been keeping an eye on Ryan’s development and we feel he’ll be a great addition to the No. 22 Nationwide Series team.”
While he mulled several offers, Ryan said there wasn’t much convincing needed to join Penske.
“They always have really strong cars and they take care of their drivers,” he said. “Those are what matter to me. They really thought highly of me, so I think it’s going to be a great combination.”
‘B’ sample test scheduled
The testing of driver A.J. Allmendinger’s “B” sample has been scheduled for Tuesday at Aegis Analytical Laboratories in Nashville, Tenn.
Allmendinger has been temporarily suspended by NASCAR since July 7 for failing a random drug test. Should the “B” sample test confirm the original results, Allmendinger will be indefinitely suspended and will have to complete a recovery program to return to competition.
As is permitted in the NASCAR rulebook, Allmendinger plans to have a designated independent toxicologist present at the test on his behalf.
C/P Thats Racin
By Jim Utter The Charlotte Observer
Tuesday, Jul. 17, 2012
It was one race but it might have launched a career.
Ryan Blaney’s seventh-place finish in his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut this season at Richmond, Va., turned a lot heads.
Penske Racing announced Tuesday it had signed the driver and will run him in at least three Nationwide races in the No. 22 Dodge this season, beginning with the Aug. 4 race at Iowa Speedway.
Blaney, the 18-year-old son of NASCAR veteran Dave Blaney, also will run the three Nationwide races he had scheduled with Tommy Baldwin Racing, including the series’ debut next weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
“Penske Racing is one of the top teams you would want to be at and hopefully, if we do well, I can find a permanent home at Penske,” Ryan Blaney said.
“We talked to all the teams we could and tried to get the best idea what to do. I definitely think we made the right choice with Penske – they are a great organization and have an amazing facility.”
While Ryan Blaney has been successful in Super Late Models, the Automobile Racing Club of America and in NASCAR’s K&N series, it was his performance at Richmond that got NASCAR owners’ attention.
“That race played a really big role. Right out of the gate it showed what I could do in that car,” he said of driving the Tommy Baldwin entry. “We had a great run at Richmond, I made a mistake and wrecked at Darlington (S.C.) and had a pretty strong run at Kentucky.
“Our opener at Richmond played a really big role in opening some eyes.”
Sprint Cup Series stars like Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart lauded Blaney’s ability even before he made the move to the Nationwide series.
“I told him from Day 1 that a lot of guys can drive race cars fast, that’s not the biggest part of it,” Dave Blaney said. “He’s very smart, very smart in the race car, very calm and very composed.
“There’s 15 different things you add up that make the total package and I think he’s in good shape in all of them.”
In addition to Iowa, Blaney will run the No. 22 Dodge this year at Richmond and Kentucky.
“Ryan is a driver with a great racing pedigree and we believe he has a very bright future in NASCAR,” said Tim Cindric, president of Penske Racing.
“We’ve been keeping an eye on Ryan’s development and we feel he’ll be a great addition to the No. 22 Nationwide Series team.”
While he mulled several offers, Ryan said there wasn’t much convincing needed to join Penske.
“They always have really strong cars and they take care of their drivers,” he said. “Those are what matter to me. They really thought highly of me, so I think it’s going to be a great combination.”
‘B’ sample test scheduled
The testing of driver A.J. Allmendinger’s “B” sample has been scheduled for Tuesday at Aegis Analytical Laboratories in Nashville, Tenn.
Allmendinger has been temporarily suspended by NASCAR since July 7 for failing a random drug test. Should the “B” sample test confirm the original results, Allmendinger will be indefinitely suspended and will have to complete a recovery program to return to competition.
As is permitted in the NASCAR rulebook, Allmendinger plans to have a designated independent toxicologist present at the test on his behalf.
C/P Thats Racin