“Something not in existence right now”: Ryan Blaney open to the idea of NASCAR racing in Olympics, but under special conditions

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney is not against the Olympics having motorsport on its agenda. However, he does have a few suggestions if that happens in the future. From formulating a new car to conjuring a new racetrack, the Hartford native explained exactly what he deems necessary for the crossover.

Following an action-packed weekend at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway, NASCAR went on a two-week break due to the Summer Olympics. Needless to say, the break allowed the drivers to take some time to sit back and relax.

With that said, what if the Olympics had a racing event on its roster? What kind of car would be used then? What kind of track would those cars run on? Here is what Ryan Blaney said in a recent Team Penske video (via X, formerly Twitter):

"It has to be like a special modified car... something that's not in existence right now. You have to build a certain race track course that has everything: road course to big oval to Riley car stuff, you know, dirt stuff."

"You have to have a little hodgepodge of racetracks. A brand new race car and just a crazy circuit with every single thing involved in it," Blaney added.

Interestingly, there was a time when the Olympic games had racing in its schedule. Reports say that back in the 1990 Paris Olympics, several car manufacturers, including Renault, Peugeot, Delahaye, Serpollet, and Panhard-Levassor, took part in a series of races which were meant to test mileage and reliability. These races were divided into 14 categories, some of which featured six-seater cars, electric taxis, trucks, and even delivery vans.

Most recently, an e-karting race was organized during the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. The event attracted about 500 people, 300 of which were students from local schools. The event was the brainchild of Felipe Massa, former F1 driver and the then-president of karting for the FIA (Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile), which is the licensing and sanctioning body for Formula 1.

Ryan Blaney puts up an incomplete vacation update

Ryan Blaney has announced that he was going off on a vacation like many other Cup Series regulars. However, Blaney has not revealed exactly where he is going. Needless to say, he will be traveling with his fiancee, Gianna Tulio.

Last offseason, Ryan Blaney got engaged to his longtime girlfriend, Gianna Tulio, who is also a professional model and a Hooters Hall of Fame inductee. Although there has been no official update regarding their wedding dates yet, the couple might tie the knot during the 2024 off-season.

In a recent Instagram post, Blaney wrote:

"Bags are packed and we are taking a little break before we get back to work for the Playoffs. Our friends @rangeleather are offering 10% OFF all bags using code: TAKEABREAK."

As Ryan Blaney and Gianna Tulio set off on vacation, NASCAR prepares to return to Richmond Raceway for this year's Cook Out 400 on August 11. Catch the race live on the USA Network and NBC Sports with radio coverage on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.