"That was my goal when I started": When Ryan Blaney made his 'bittersweet' feelings known after achieving his desired NASCAR future

2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney fields the #12 Ford Mustang for Team Penske. In 2017, after the announcement of his move to Team Penske, he reflected on his 'bittersweet' feelings during his time at Woods Brothers Racing.

Inking a deal with NASCAR's top brass speaks volumes about a driver's prowess to contend for the championship. And Team Penske saw that in Blaney as they have been heavily supporting the Ohio native since his stock car racing entry in 2012.

Even though Blaney secured a deal with Wood Brothers Racing in 2015, he was linked to Roger Penske through Ford, the common manufacturer for both teams. During his final year at WBR and a month after Blaney claimed his first Cup win at the Pocono Raceway, it was announced that he would move to Team Penske beginning the 2018 season.

The driver was running his third year at WBR and after several decades of downfall, the team was once again poised to win a title. Though that didn't happen, Blaney's time with the team, where he contributed to the 99th win, birthed some "bittersweet" moments he remembered when his move got confirmed.

"I would say it's been a little bittersweet. It's been great to drive for the Wood Brothers for 2 1/2, going on three years now. It's been a lot of fun to get to know them and everything that they've done in sport, just to hear the history of it," Ryan Blaney said (via Flo Racing).

The 13-time Cup Series race winner said that since he entered NASCAR in 2012, his goal was to run for Team Penske.

"Obviously the main goal when I started was I wanted to drive in the Cup Series for Penske. That was my goal when I started in 2012 when I was just driving Brad's truck. Obviously, that's the main goal ever since you're a kid."

The Mooresville, North Carolina-based outfit, owned by Roger Penske, has been in the high-octane motorsport since 1992 and has collected several accolades thus far, including five Cup Series titles and 149 race wins in the same category.

Before Blaney joined Penske for a full-time Cup Series campaign, he had already collected seven Xfinity Series wins for Mr. Roger.

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Ryan Blaney's exponential performance surge after joining Team Penske

During his rookie Cup Series season, in 2016, Ryan Blaney claimed three top-5s and nine top-10s and secured one win, four top-5s, and 14 top-10s in his sophomore campaign. However, after he joined Penske, his performance surged.

In his first year with Team Penske, Blaney clinched a victory, eight top-5s, and 16 top-10s and wrapped the season in 10th place. In 2019, the #12 Ford driver stood seventh in the standings, courtesy of his Talladega Superspeedway win, 11 top-5s, and 18 top-10s.

As the seasons progressed, so did Blaney's race prowess, and in 2023, he clinched his maiden Cup Series title and second consecutive for Team Penske. Joey Logano won the 2022 title.

Moreover, Ryan Blaney was inches away from defending his title but fell shy by 0.330 seconds over his teammate Logano, who became the 2024 Cup Series champion.