“I’ve poked round that concept with RP for a few years now, and we’ll should see the place that goes.” That was Ryan Blaney in December 2023 admitting his curiosity within the Indy 500. Over the previous few years in NASCAR, he has completed all the pieces to Crew Penske’s requirements. He received the Cup Sequence title, turned one in every of Penske’s most dependable drivers, and signed an extension with the workforce. Now, three years later, he has casually hinted at it once more. Nonetheless, there are sophisticated strings connected.
Blaney went on to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and admitted that the Indianapolis 500 had piqued his curiosity earlier than. Right here’s the clear image from his perspective:
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“Actually, it’s form of piqued my curiosity earlier than, and with Penske having the groups that they do, I wouldn’t say it might by no means occur.”
That line proper there issues loads as a result of Crew Penske is not only every other title on the grid. Roger Penske additionally occurs to have one of many strongest IndyCar applications on the earth. The issue right here is that though there’s one group concerned in each types of motorsport, it really works with completely different producers.
In NASCAR, they run with Ford, and naturally, Blaney is one in every of their largest stars. Nonetheless, in IndyCar, Penske is with Chevrolet engines via its partnership with Ilmor Engineering.
So if Ryan Blaney ever goes on to race within the Indy 500 with Penske, Ford’s high NASCAR driver would instantly be sitting inside a Chevy-powered automobile in one in every of motorsport’s largest occasions. That could be a nightmare ready to occur, even in a easy dialog.
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Once we speak about one other driver on this capability, that might be Kyle Larson. He’s by no means had this problem. When Larson tried “the double,” operating each the Indy 500 and Coca-Cola 600 on the identical day, he was inside Chevrolet’s ecosystem. Hendrick Motorsports and Arrow McLaren each have Chevy branding from begin to end. Blaney doesn’t have that luxurious. He even admitted the issue throughout the interview.
“However yeah, the Ford aspect and the Chevy aspect, that might be just a little troublesome, I really feel like,” he mentioned.
This isn’t an invalid concern, since NASCAR has a really recent instance displaying simply how critical these producer issues might be. Connor Zilisch had plans to race in Australia’s Supercars finale. That chance stalled as a result of Zilisch is in a tie-up with Chevrolet via Trackhouse Racing. Alternatively, the workforce that he wished to race with, that’s, Triple Eight Race Engineering, is shifting to Ford.
Subsequently, understandably, the producers didn’t need one in every of their younger abilities crossing over into rival territory. Nonetheless, Blaney sounds genuinely fascinated by the problem. He particularly talked about watching Larson take care of the chaos of all of it:
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“I loved watching Larson’s journey doing that. It appeared demanding, like, can I get again to Charlotte in time?”
Alongside the subject of Kyle Larson, his try was disrupted by the climate in each years. In 2024, rain delayed the Indianapolis race, so Larson needed to miss the beginning of the Coca-Cola 600 completely. So Blaney is aware of how messy all of it might be, however he’s tempted by it.
A part of it’s comprehensible because the feat itself represents one thing large. Tony Stewart is the gold commonplace in that regard. Again in 2001, Stewart accomplished all 1,100 miles between Indianapolis and Charlotte in the identical day. He completed sixth at Indy and third in Charlotte with out shedding even a lap.
No one has been in a position to try this since. So for a driver like Blaney, this accomplishment is a last boss battle. Let’s not neglect that Crew Penske is on the heart of all the pieces. With the brand new deal in place, their function is considerably larger.
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Ryan Blaney’s $100 million handcuffs
The largest complication for Blaney proper now will not be whether or not Penske may give him a quick IndyCar. It’s extra associated to the enterprise aspect of issues. Earlier this month, Crew Penske signed Blaney to an enormous long-term extension with Ford and sponsor Menards. So, on paper, he’s one in every of Ford’s cornerstone drivers proper now.
DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 12: Ryan Blaney 12 Crew Penske Menards/Peak Ford waves to the gang prior the operating of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Sequence Daytona 500 Duel 1 on February 12, 2026 at Daytona Worldwide Speedway in Daytona Seaside, FL. Picture by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 12 NASCAR Cup Sequence Daytona 500 Duels 1 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602122421
This results in two completely different realities for Blaney. On one aspect, he now has extra affect contained in the Penske workplace, since he doesn’t should be cautious of job safety. If he desires to strategy Roger Penske for Indianapolis, this may be the time to do it.
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However alternatively, this deal additionally ties him to Ford tighter than ever. Roger Penske’s IndyCar program is completely powered by Chevrolet. If Blaney races with a Chevrolet engine, after all, it might be problematic for Ford. That too, contemplating the race is among the largest occasions in motorsports. Producers wouldn’t have the tolerance for that form of crossover.
Plus, Blaney’s timing is just a little off, too. His NASCAR season has turn out to be irritating in all of the improper methods. To place it mildly, they’ve pace however are missing in execution.
Let’s take Darlington, for instance. Blaney had a top-five automobile earlier than a pit-road mistake early in Stage 2 ruined his race. A unfastened left-side lug nut compelled him to make an unscheduled cease that buried him deep inside the subject. Whereas a automobile that was able to preventing for the win finally recovered to complete a powerful third, the unforced error utterly altered its technique.
After that got here the Dover All-Star weekend. Blaney seemed like a pure risk earlier than one other pit-road catastrophe ruined his qualifying try. The jack dropped early throughout the Pit Crew Problem cease earlier than the right-rear tire was secured, turning a and forcing him to begin from the again of the pack, the place he ultimately completed thirteenth within the All-Star Race.
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Understandably, he would look to stabilize his star participant in NASCAR, fairly than having him department out. And let’s face it, an Indy 500 try will not be a aspect passion. It additionally wants simulator work, open-wheel testing, travelling, and bodily preparation.
So now Roger Penske has to resolve whether or not letting break up his focus is sensible whereas the crew is already tripping over the races it ought to be successful in NASCAR. Whereas that is nonetheless only a idea on Ryan’s finish, the one sensible path is that if Ford commercially advantages from his look in IndyCar, even with a Chevy engine.
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