Blaney signs contract extension with Penske

Team Penske has locked up Ryan Blaney for the “distant future” with a long-term contract extension.

The exact length of the extension for Blaney, 28, was not announced. Blaney entered the NASCAR Cup Series in 2016, driving the No. 21 Ford for the Wood Brothers, winning with the team in 2017. He has since driven the No. 12 Ford Mustang for NASCAR Hall of Fame team owner Roger Penske. 2018, picking up six additional wins, as well as this season’s All-Star race triumph without scoring.

“Ryan has become one of the premier competitors in the NASCAR Cup Series, and we are excited for him to continue his career and build on his success with Team Penske,” said Penske. “He’s been a key part of our team for over a decade and we’ve seen him grow and develop, both on and off the track. He has been a consistent winner behind the wheel of the #12 Ford and does a great job representing our team partners. We look forward to seeing what the future holds for Ryan and Team Penske.”

Blaney joined Team Penske in 2012 with a limited Xfinity Series schedule. In both the Xfinity Series and the Cup Series, he had 14 wins and 10 poles while driving for Penske.

“Team Penske has been family to me for 10 years, so I’m incredibly excited to continue with that family in the future,” Blaney said. “Roger Penske is a legend in our sport and I’ve always said that driving for him is a dream come true. To top it all off, we have a great group of partners from Menards, Advance Auto Parts, BODYARMOR, Wurth, Discount Tire, Dent Wizard, Wabash and Ford who have shown great faith in me. I look forward to continued wins for Team Penske, Roger and all of our partners as we work toward our goal of winning the Cup Series Championship.”

Blaney, without a win two races into the regular season, is second in the championship standings with three poles and eight top-10 finishes, but he is in contention for a playoff spot at Watkins Glen. Blaney, who has made the playoffs the previous five years, has a 26-point lead over Martin Truex Jr., the first driver down the line.