November 5th, 2023. Cheers echoed in the grandstands when the checkered flag was waved at Phoenix Raceway in the final race of the Cup Series season. Even though Ross Chastain had secured the triumph, it was the runner-up who celebrated wildly with the No. 12 crew.

Ryan Blaney had won the championship for the first time in his career, extending Team Penske’s dominance in the Next-Gen era after Joey Logano won the previous year.

While Blaney’s triumph was a statement, it didn’t create a seismic shift in the NASCAR garage. The same can’t be said for Kyle Larson, who won a staggering 10 races in 2021 to lift the trophy after missing 34 races the previous year because of a racism scandal.

Even Chase Elliott’s win in 2020 was a landmark win, simply because of his status as the most popular driver on the grid. But somehow, Blaney’s achievement fell under the radar for mysterious reasons.

What’s the post-title pattern in NASCAR?

For most drivers, winning the Cup Series title is a ticket into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, changing the public perception, leading to bigger sponsorship opportunities, and giving more prominent media roles. However, for many past winners, lifting the Bill France Cup helped in their careers off the track. And, for the reigning champ, Joey Logano, he earned a $1 million bonus this year thanks to NASCAR’s new Driver Ambassador Program.

Let’s take Chase Elliott as an example.

The Hendrick Motorsports driver has always been a popular figure on the grid, but his 2020 championship win took him to a whole different level. Going from being Bill Elliott’s son to a driver with his own identity, someone who was recognized for his road course prowess, Elliott’s fanbase expanded further. With this, the media narrative shifted to the Georgia-native being a ‘gifted’ driver rather than just another figure with a famous surname.

Kyle Larson’s championship win was also a game-changer.

‘Yung Money’ was in the headlines for all the wrong reasons the previous year, after being banned by Chip Ganassi Racing for using a racial slur during a virtual race. While he admitted to making a mistake, saying, “There is no excuse for that. I wasn’t raised that way. It’s just an awful thing to say,” the damage was already done.

However, it was Rick Hendrick’s gamble on the California-native that paid off when he joined the No. 5 team, as the racer utterly dominated the Cup Series in 2021 to lift the Bill France Cup, changing his public perception forever. That is how the championship has shaped some of the former drivers.

Blaney’s brand is steady, low-key, and unchanging

Somehow, Ryan Blaney has been an anomaly when it comes to his post-championship win persona. Before 2023, the Ohio-native had built a reputation as a consistent team player, one who stays away from controversy or negative headlines. Surprisingly, that narrative didn’t shift after he lifted the Bill France Cup, as he remained away from the spotlight just like before and preferred to let his performances do the talking.

It did help his confidence, though. As a reigning champ, Ryan Blaney had more pressure going into the 2024 season, but he didn’t let the media scrutiny get in the way of his on-track results. He secured three top-five results in the opening four races and went on to win three races, including the penultimate race of the season at Martinsville Speedway. He even held his nerve at Phoenix to finish runner-up, only to be outperformed by teammate Joey Logano.

That’s what a champion does.

Let’s his performances speak for themselves, and Blaney came agonizingly close to retaining his title once again. Meanwhile, his demeanour off the track was familiar as well, as he didn’t use the spotlight to improve his ‘branding’ or release his own podcast to share his thoughts. He stayed true to himself, focused on racing, and worked towards building Team Penske’s dominance in the Cup Series.

Was it a missed opportunity or an intentional path?

Sponsorships play a huge role. They fund cars, and impact so much so that even a two-time Cup Series winner like Kyle Busch was forced to leave Joe Gibbs Racing after M&M withdrew its support of the No. 18 team. So, after Ryan Blaney won the title in 2023, he could have made use of the increased spotlight to build his brand, perhaps as Ford’s frontman, and get better sponsors.

But Blaney chose his own path, choosing to remain outside the spotlight rather than become the face of Team Penske. Perhaps it was an intentional choice, as the Ohio-native might not have wanted to steer away from the stable, consistent, and performance-oriented image he already has.

Or maybe he didn’t want to step outside the comfort zone, embrace a more edgy and controversial personality. Sure, it would gain more eyeballs, but maybe staying grounded makes him a more trustworthy bet and will help him prolong his NASCAR career in the long run.

Is that a personality gap in NASCAR’s NextGen?

We have seen many of the ‘younger’ drivers on the grid aren’t afraid to be polarizing, outspoken, and media-savvy.

1. Just take Carson ‘Hurricane’ Hocevar as an example.

At just 22, the sophomore has made headlines for plenty of wrong reasons already, and rubbed veteran drivers like Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Ross Chastain, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. the wrong way. While some of the controversies come down to immaturity, it also creates a buzz in the stock car racing community, helps the media build storylines, and builds a fanbase.

2. Bubba Wallace has been outspoken as well. Be it about his mental health, a subject that was long considered taboo in the media landscape, or even about being a black driver.

3. Ross Chastain also has embraced his ‘bad boy’ era a few years ago and even had a longstanding feud with Hamlin and the Hendrick Motorsports drivers.

4. Ty Gibbs, for that matter, didn’t hesitate in competing against his teammates at New Hampshire Motor Speedway recently, and even issued a subtle warning by saying, “Yeah, it’s unfortunate, but I’m excited to go racing next week and I’m looking forward to it.”

But in comparison, Ryan Blaney has consistently chosen to stay away from controversies or provocative statements. While some may consider his performance-oriented personality ‘boring’, many appreciate the fact that Ryan Blaney hasn’t let success get to his head and remains an approachable figure off the track despite being one of the top drivers on the grid.

Then who is Ford’s next face?

With Stewart-Haas Racing out of the picture, Ford’s roster is changing, with many ‘stars’ shifting allegiances or struggling to perform. Even reigning champ Joey Logano has struggled with inconsistency in 2025, and while nobody will rule out the No. 22 driver just yet, just one win in 30 races doesn’t paint a pretty picture.

In comparison, Ryan Blaney seems to be the most stable asset Ford has at the moment. But his quiet personality might be a cause for concern. He isn’t the most obvious leader for Team Penske or a loud spokesperson for Ford.

In fact, he isn’t even used as the manufacturer’s ‘face’ on promotional material often, especially in comparison to other high-profile racers on the grid.

Maybe Ford could benefit from using Ryan Blaney’s image of a ‘strong and stable champion.’ Someone who can deliver results, without the drama to go with it. We think he’s a safe bet, but it’s time for the manufacturer to strike when the iron is hot, particularly when Team Penske is dominating in the Next-Gen era.

Conclusion – What Makes a Champion Matter?

Nobody can question Ryan Blaney’s championship title. And, with NASCAR expanding and evolving, the sport is quickly moving in the direction where maybe the young fans want to see controversial and polarizing figures on the grid.

Sure, the core old school fans want to see more racing and less ‘personality’ off the track, the media want to cover interesting storylines from drivers who aren’t afraid of opening up, even if it disrupts the status quo. And, surely, Blaney doesn’t fit into that mould, as of now, despite him doing social work and being active on that front. And while he’ll remain one of the top drivers on the grid, leaving behind a legacy like Tony Stewart or Kyle Busch might be out of reach.

So, we think, Blaney, might need to adapt and lean into the spotlight a bit more.