It seems like yesterday that a young 18-year-old Ryan Blaney was quietly turning heads in the lower NASCAR ranks, winning Truck races before most drivers could legally rent a car. Long before he became one of the most respected voices in the Cup garage, Blaney was just trying to survive Sundays. Over the years, his raw talent turned into race craft, and patience turned into perspective. Now, as Blaney enters the veteran phase of his career, he’s choosing his words carefully and only speaking up when it truly matters.

Why Ryan Blaney picks his moments carefully

“I don’t wanna say anything, give my opinion on something unless I truly believe in it or like it’s gonna matter,” Ryan Blaney recently shared his thoughts on why he’s never been the loudest voice in the NASCAR room. For Blaney, speaking up has always needed a purpose. He isn’t interested in pointing out problems just to be heard. If there’s an issue, he wants a solution attached to it. That mindset, he admits, didn’t fully click early in his career.

But time, mistakes, and seasons piling up have a way of sharpening perspective. As Blaney put it, “As you become more of a veteran guy, then your opinion carries a little bit more weight just because you have the experience and things to see how things change and stuff like that.”

That philosophy recently showed up clearly when Blaney weighed in on NASCAR’s long-debated playoff format. While he understands why fans and drivers still feel emotionally tied to the old Chase system, he’s careful not to dismiss what exists today.

“We all grew up on this,” Ryan Blaney said of himself and the Chases when it comes to the Chase. “It just feels right.”

At the same time, Blaney has consistently defended the legitimacy of the current playoff system, pointing out that every driver competes under the same rules. In his view, championships earned in any era still count because the playing field is equal for everyone involved.

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That balance has become a Blaney trademark. And as 2026 marks his 10th consecutive full-time season in the Cup Series, that measured voice carries more weight than ever. He’s no longer a young guy testing his luck at the ovals or a champion behind the wheel. He’s becoming one of the garage’s most trusted thinkers, choosing substance over empty talk.

While Ryan Blaney’s offseason has already been packed with life-changing moments, adding a llama to the household might be the most unexpected twist yet.

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Why a llama now lives with the Blaneys

Fresh off welcoming his first child with wife Gianna on November 17, the 2023 Cup Series champion has been settling into fatherhood while also embracing a much quieter, slower rhythm away from the racetrack.

Just weeks after that milestone, Blaney introduced fans to Kuzco, a llama that quickly became a talking point across social media.

“Welcome Kuzco to the Blaney family,” Blaney wrote as he shared a photo posted by Gianna, showing the llama calmly standing in a field. Naturally, fans were curious. Why a llama? What does one even do with a llama? Blaney didn’t dodge the question, instead hopping on video to explain the very practical reason behind the unusual addition.

“We’ve been getting a lot of questions about why we got a llama ever since we brought him home,” Blaney said. “His name is Kuzco, after the Emperor’s New Groove, obviously. And he protects our three little Nigerian dwarf goats, which is what these little babies are.”

As it turns out, llamas are known for being natural livestock guardians, using their size and alertness to scare off predators. For Blaney, the choice wasn’t about novelty, but responsibility. Much like his approach to speaking out in the garage, there’s a purpose behind the move. Protect what matters, stay calm, and handle things the right way.

Between a newborn son, a growing farm, and a looming milestone season in 2026, Blaney’s life is evolving fast. But whether it’s NASCAR politics or farm animals, the theme stays the same: fewer words, thoughtful decisions, and a quiet confidence that comes with experience.