Ryan Blaney looks back on awkward proposal to fiancée Gianna D’Tulio, presses on importance of “girl code” 

NASCAR driver Ryan Blaney recently looked back at an awkward moment when he proposed to his fiancée Gianna D'Tulio last year. The couple is planning on getting married in December this year.

The reigning Cup Series champion is in his seventh full-time season with Team Penske and pilots the #12 Ford. Blaney has notched 12 wins in the Cup Series, seven victories in the Xfinity Series, and four in the Truck Series. The Ohio native also captured the 2022 NASCAR All-Star race, narrowly beating JGR’s Denny Hamlin in a tense showdown.

In a recent episode of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s "Dirty Mo Media" podcast, Blaney reminisced a ticklish moment from when he proposed to his girlfriend (now fiancée), while in conversation with The Athletic's Jordan Bianchi (via "DirtyMoMedia" on X):

"You're 99.9% sure they're gonna say yes, no way they're going to say no. My brother-in-law told me this perfectly, he's like 'You're gonna have your whole thing in your head, you're going to have your whole speech, how you're going to say it, where you want to do it. And you'll get on one knee and she's going to turn around and you're going to turn into a bumbling idiot," Blaney said.

"I didn't ask her dad until we were about to get on the plane. So I called him up, I'm like 'Hey, you know I was gonna ask Gianna to marry me, wanted to make sure it was okay with you?' He's like 'Well, you know Ryan, let me think about it for a couple of days.' I was like uh okay and he's like I'm messing with you[...] You have to ask their parents and ask the best friend as well. Gotta make sure the best friend knows everything," Blaney said [0:36] .

Bianchi then asked Blaney why, to which the #12 driver responded:

"Girl code, I don't know," he said.

Ryan Blaney and Tulio began dating in 2020. After three years together, the Team Penske driver proposed to Tulio shortly after clinching his first NASCAR Cup Series championship. Tulio shared the moment on social media, posting a photo of Blaney down on one knee against the snowy backdrop of Leavenworth, Washington.

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Ryan Blaney reflects on season progress entering the 2024 Cup Series playoffs

Ryan Blaney has secured two race victories in the regular season this year, clinching his spot in the playoffs. Blaney has had a promising campaign this year and looks in good form to defend his championship title.

In a recent post by SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Instagram, the Ohio native shed light on his feelings entering the 2024 playoffs. He said:

“I definitely feel better about kind of where we’re at at this point this year than where we were last year. Last year this time, we were kind of scrounging to try to figure out how are we [going to] find speed in our cars to compete efficiently enough to make it through these rounds, whereas this year, I feel like we have way better speed than what we did last year at this time,” he said.