The NASCAR paddock is currently at the Daytona International Speedway for a pre-season test. However, there was something a bit different about one of the drivers. As it turned out, Ryan Blaney looked almost unrecognizable when he arrived at the track clean-shaven.

When he spoke to Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, Blaney said, “It was just that time. I’m unrecognizable, which is great. Truck Series rookie that year!”. Meanwhile, Corey LaJoie joked that it was like looking at Blaney from 10 years ago.

Of course, many fans commented on how youthful it made him look. Going by LaJoie’s quip, the 28-year-old looked like he was 18.

One thing was for sure, the change was met with a lot of positive reception. Some felt that he still looked ‘hot’, while others compared him to a character from the Disney Channel. A few also commented on how LaJoie looked like an older version of Ryan Blaney.

What to expect from Ryan Blaney in 2022?

On a more serious note, the Team Penske driver will be hard at work testing the Next Gen cars. He knows that this season is an important one because these cars are a massive unknown. Last year, he enjoyed a great campaign, with a few wins under his belt. Unfortunately, it did not result in a Championship 4 finish, but he will be determined to make it this time around.

On the bright side, he has been steadily improving and has notched up seven career wins. Additionally, he has a best finish of 7th, which he achieved in the 2021 NASCAR Cup season. In the same year, he also picked up three wins, which is a career best for the #12 driver. Those triumphs came at Atlanta, Michigan and Daytona. Now, Ryan Blaney will be looking ahead to the 2022 season and a brand new campaign.

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