"He’s more boring than me" - NASCAR drivers on Kimi Raikkonen's Cup Series debut at Watkins Glen

The NASCAR Cup Series will mark a historic moment for racing enthusiasts at Watkins Glen International this weekend as they welcome racing icon Kimi Raikkonen. The retired F1 racer from Finland is regarded as a celebrity racer following his long and successful career in the F1 Series.

The racing driver, nicknamed "The Iceman," is expected to make his Cup Series debut this weekend, and his fans can’t wait to see their favorite F1 driver behind the wheels of the Next Gen car.

Being one of the best racers of his generation, Raikkonen's fan base includes not only the cheering squad but also some NASCAR drivers. Kimi is mainly described as a cool guy who doesn’t talk much, and this personality makes Ryan Blaney one of his diehard fans.

In a media interaction, Ryan Blaney addressed the arrival of his racing icon, citing that he grew up liking Kimi’s racing lifestyle. According to the NASCAR driver, he knows there will be plenty of people around the F1 star, but if he gets a chance to meet him, he’ll shake his hand and tell him, “I’m a fan.”

Ryan Blaney added:

“He’s more boring than me and doesn’t talk at all and is very rude. When I was a kid, I was like, 'I love this guy. His interviews are funny. And he’s a badass racer, too.'”

Another NASCAR driver fan who can’t wait to meet Kimi is Tyler Reddick. According to Tyler Reddick, there are popular drivers in the Cup Series, but Kimi’s popularity is on another level. Upon meeting him, Tyler thought it would be difficult since everybody wanted to meet him.

Tyler Reddick told reporters:

“He’s going to be the biggest celebrity in the garage. We have famous drivers here, but his popularity is on another level.”

While other drivers wait to shake hands, some feel that the new racer in town will have difficulty on the track. According to Aric Almirola, it doesn’t matter what type of series you’re going to be in or who you are, as he thinks it isn’t easy to compete with drivers who have been doing it "week after week."

Aric Almirola said:

“No matter who it is or what series you’re going to be in, it’s very difficult to get involved and compete with those people who are doing it week after week. They are more experienced and experienced in those cars and this style of racing and against these competitors.”

Denny Hamlin was also not left behind in his thoughts on the debut of The Iceman at The Glen. Hamlin feels it’s an excellent opportunity for the F1 star and Trackhouse as a team, but on winning the race, Hamlin feels it is going to be an impossible mission.

Hamlin said:

“It’s a great opportunity for him and Trackhouse and whatnot, but as far as being a contender to race for the win, I don’t think that’s a possibility,”

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Kimi Raikkonen will make his NASCAR Cup Series debut with Trackhouse Racing

The 42-year-old racer retired from F1 in 2019 after 19 years on the track, which saw him carry the 2007 Formula One World Championship. He also delivered 103 podiums and 21 Grand Prix wins.

After being off the track for almost three years, on May 26, 2022, one of the NASCAR teams, Trackhouse Racing, announced that Kimi Raikkonen would be the first driver of the particular project named ‘PROJECT 91.’

This project is a special program developed by Trackhouse Racing, and the team co-owner intends to fill in some of the best motorsport legends in some selected races.

However, Mark has cited that even though he is interested in other drivers also being part of this project, he’s currently holding off from any talks until everything goes well at The Glen.

The upcoming event at Watkins Glen will mark the first Cup Series race for Kimi Raikkonen, but it will not be his first time driving a NASCAR car. Kimi made his NASCAR debut in 2011 when it was announced that he’d try out the Truck Series while targeting the Sprint Cup Series.

News of his NASCAR debut broke in March 2011, and on May 20 of the same year, he made his Truck Series debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway, taking home a 15th finish. Eight days later, he appeared in the Nationwide Series, finishing 27th at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

At the moment, everyone is waiting to see how he’ll perform in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series.