Ryan Blaney faces off against F1's Max Verstappen for 2024 ESPY best driver award

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney has been nominated for the 2024 Best Driver ESPY Award. The Team Penske driver will go head-to-head with reigning Formula 1 World Champion Max Verstappen.

After years of coming close but never actually putting his hands on gold, Team Penske ace Ryan Blaney clinched the NASCAR Cup Series championship in 2023. The 30-year-old driver won crucial races in Charlotte, Talladega, and the penultimate race in Martinsville as he headed into the season finale in Phoenix.

Competing in the championship race, Blaney finished second, behind Ross Chastain but ahead of his Championship 4 rivals Kyle Larson, William Byron, and Christopher Bell. Blaney helped Team Penske retain the Cup title after teammate Joey Logano clinched his second championship in 2022.

Courtesy of his impressive performances last season, Ryan Blaney has now been nominated for the ESPN 2024 Best Driver ESPY Award.

Blaney faces formidable competition from the likes of NHRA's Matt Hagan and IndyCar's Alex Palou. However, his fiercest nemesis for the award will unquestionably be the reigning three-time F1 champion, Max Verstappen.

Verstappen delivered a standout campaign last season, winning all but three races and showcasing dominance like never before. The Red Bull driver claimed 19 victories, 12 pole positions, and a staggering 21 podium finishes in 22 races in 2023.

While the likes of Ryan Blaney, Matt Hagan, and Alex Palou remain in contention for the ESPN award, Verstappen would be the clear favorite. The award ceremony is set to take place on July 11th.

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What were Ryan Blaney's statements after New Hampshire collision?

Entering the weekend on the heels of his first win of the 2024 season in Iowa, Blaney's outing at New Hampshire Motor Speedway turned sour following a late-race mishap.

Front Row Motorsports’ Michael McDowell made an aggressive move into Turn 1 on a restart with nine laps remaining, leading to a collision with Blaney’s No. 12 Team Penske Ford.

Both drivers slid through the corner, resulting in smoky slides and ultimately falling out of the top 10. Blaney finished the race in 25th place. Reflecting on the incident, Blaney expressed his frustration, stating (via NASCAR.com):

"An apology’s nice, but it’s not going to bring back what he did. I mean, I knew what he was trying to do. It was like a low-percentage move. I mean, it’s wet down there, and you’re just going to shove it off in there and what do you think’s going to happen? You’re going to take both of us out."

Blaney criticized McDowell's move, emphasizing the need for more calculated decisions, especially in challenging conditions. He said:

"I know he’s got to win and all that, and that’s his excuse, but you’ve got to be a little bit more calculated than that, and it just stinks that we’re at the expense of it. Man, I really thought we had a decent shot to contend."

Ryan Blaney is ranked eighth in the NASCAR Cup Series standings. He has 526 points to his name after 18 races.