Ryan Blaney makes feelings clear after reading NASCAR Champion’s journal, says he hasn’t yet written a message for Joey Logano yet

With Ryan Blaney losing the championship title to Joey Logano, the driver has to write a message to his teammate in the NASCAR Champion’s journal. Blaney admitted he hasn’t started writing on it yet but would finish it before the NASCAR Awards Banquet in Charlotte.

For the uninitiated, the NASCAR champion’s journal is a tradition in which the outgoing champion leaves a message for the newest title holder. Introduced in 2011 by Jimmie Johnson, no one knows about the content of the book except the champs themselves.

In an interview posted on X (formerly Twitter) via NASCAR insider Peter Stratta, Ryan Blaney was asked whether he had written for 2024 NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano in the secretive book yet.

“I haven’t written in it yet, no. When I get home today, I’m going to write one and bring it tonight,” Blaney replied. [1:08]

Blaney was then asked whether he was thinking about it. He said:

“Yeah, little bit. I’ve been thinking about it through the year a little bit but so it would be unfortunate to let that thing go but I hopefully I would be able get it back. It was a pleasure to read all through it and read the words of some guys wrote down that I really admired growing up and it’s pretty neat. So hopefully, I would be able to see it again sometime.”

The No. 12 Ford Mustang driver responded to a question asking whether there was a message from another driver in the journal that surprised him by saying:

“Everyone has their own little message in there and it’s neat to seeing names in there and see how guys write differently their stuff but not one in particular. They’re all pretty neat for me to read through.”

Joey Logano won his third championship at Phoenix Raceway by crossing the checkered flag first ahead of Ryan Blaney. The triumph rewarded Team Penske a three-peat with Logano winning in 2022, Blaney in 2023, and Logano again this year.

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Ryan Blaney responded to Team Penske critics

Team Penske has faced criticism for Joey Logano's championship win this year, despite not leading the statistical charts. However, Ryan Blaney defended his team, highlighting their consistent on-track performance, as evidenced by their three consecutive championships.

In a post-race interview at Phoenix Raceway, the 30-year-old driver said:

"We go through it every year… ’22, ’23, and this year we sit around and, beginning of the year and in the summer a little bit and come into playoff time, all of our employees have to sit around and listen to people saying that we suck and we don’t deserve to be here and why are they in the playoffs and all that ****… and we’ve won the last three championships.”

He added:

“So this team does a great job of rising to doubters.”

All three Team Penske drivers made it to the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs this year. Austin Cindric drove the No. 2 Ford to the Round of 12, while Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney battled for the championship at Phoenix Raceway. Logano had the most race wins in the postseason at three.