“Heck yeah”;”LET’S GOOO”: Fans react as Ryan Blaney books playoff ticket with win at historic Iowa race

Reigning Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney started second but finished first in Sunday's race at Iowa Speedway. Fans lauded his triumph in the inaugural Cup Series race at the short-track oval in Newton. Iowa Speedway was reportedly the 176th different venue for NASCAR to host a point-paying event. With that said, Blaney clinched a spot in the 2024 playoffs.

The 30-year-old athlete led a race-high 201 laps, including the final 88 laps of the race, recorded the 11th win of his Cup career, and thus ended a 17-race winless drought.

Congratulating Ryan Blaney for becoming the first Cup winner at Iowa, NASCAR posted,

"You can celebrate all week long, No. 12 fans! @Blaney takes the top prize in Iowa!"

Several fans reacted to Blaney's victory with one saying,

"LET’S GOOOOO YRB!!! 🏁"

Another fan chimed in, saying,

"Heck Yeah!!!!!"

Here are a few other comments applauding Ryan Blaney on his dominant performance:

"Way to go Blaney!," a fan said.

"Yeah buddy. Good job blaney. Now give me that diecast of that beautiful car, " added another bedazzled at Blaney's Advance Auto Parts Ford Mustang.

"he did it amazing today 🥹," said a fan.

Surprisingly, Blaney's machine ran on two fresh tires and two older ones while almost everyone else, including runner-up William Byron, ran on four fresh tires. Blaney held off the Hendrick Motorsports icon by 0.716 seconds.

So far in the season, Ryan Blaney has led a combined 345 laps and recorded four top 5s and six top 10s. His latest feat made him the second Team Penske driver to make it to this year's playoff rumble. Moreover, the win at Iowa was special for Blaney, as it came in front of his friends and family, including his mother, Lisa.

Ryan Blaney adds to Team Penske's history at Iowa Speedway

Ryan Blaney etched his name as the first Penske speedster to record a Cup Series victory at Iowa Speedway. However, the Ford team flaunts seven victories in the NTT INDYCAR Series and three NASCAR Xfinity Series wins at the 0.875-mile racetrack.

Although it was the first time for Penske at the Cup level at Iowa, two of the three current Penske drivers have emerged victorious at the venue in the past.

Blaney himself won a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race back in 2012 and also aced an Xfinity race in 2015. Former Penske driver Brad Keselowski recorded the other two Xfinity victories in 2013 and 2014.

Joey Logano, driver of the number 22 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Penske, won an ARCA Menards Series race during the initial years of his racing career (2007).

Action will resume at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in the USA TODAY 301. The 301-lap race will start at 2:30 p.m. ET on June 23. Fans can watch the event live on the USA Network and Peacock. Radio updates can be heard exclusively on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR radio.