Do Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney share a friendship? A closer look at their NASCAR bond

Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney are two of the renowned NASCAR drivers of this generation. One drive for Hendrick Motorsports, and the other for Team Penske. On the track, they are no less than arch-rivals, but off the track, they share a friendship bond.

However, their friendship does not come in between their races, as they are fierce competitors. Elliott would want to do anything and follow every route to beat Blaney, and vice versa. They have done this for years, and this did not impact their bond that started almost a decade ago.

Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney's friendship started when they met each other on race tracks while they accompanied their respective father. Bill Elliott, the #9 driver's father, raced in NASCAR around the same time when Dave Blaney, the Team Penske driver's father, was taking part.

Both Elliott Sr. and Blaney Sr. raced together in the Cup Series for two decades from 1992 to 2012, and this laid the foundation of their sons' later friendship. From there, Elliott Jr. and Blaney Jr. began their respective racing careers almost at the same time, and their bond grew stronger.

Earlier this year, Elliot while speaking about their friendship and careers, said,

"I would say for the both of us, if our careers ended tomorrow, we’ve lived a vast majority of our dream already, which I think is really cool and that’s just not something you get to see every day with somebody that you’re close to and respect."

Away from the race track, they often spend time together. From golfing to going on vacations, the two longtime friends have found ways to be in each other's company. Interestingly, they also joke about this as Blaney once said,

"He's always invited but he never wants to come. And then he likes to go to the media and say that we didn't invite him, and didn't tell him and he always denies wanting to come for some reason I don't know why."

Chase Elliott made his Cup Series debut in 2015, and Ryan Blaney made his a year earlier. As a result, the 2024 Cup Series season marked a decade of the two drivers racing alongside each other.

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Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney competing for NASCAR glory in 2024

Ryan Blaney (12) and driver Chase Elliott (9) drive side by side during the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

Both Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney qualified for the NASCAR playoffs this season and have also made their way into the Round of 12. Blaney currently stands 11 points above the cutline, while Elliott has +6 on the cutline.

The #9 HMS driver claimed one victory this season, at Texas, and is currently aiming for his second NASCAR Cup Series title. On the other hand, the Team Penske man has taken two wins, at Iowa and Pocono, and is also in the hunt for a second Cup Series title. He is the defending Cup Series champion.

NASCAR is set to host seven more races before the 2024 season comes to its conclusion. It will be interesting to see who gets to have the last laugh between friends Chase Elliott and Ryan Blaney.