The NASCAR community welcomed Ryan Blaney as the new Cup Series champion. After three years of agonizing failures in the Round of 8, the Team Penske superstar made the best of his debut appearance in the championship 4 race. Among the aspirants for the championship was Hendrick Motorsports‘ prodigy and the winningest driver of 2023, William Byron. The presence of both had been a big dilemma for Blaney’s sister, Erin Blaney.

The dynamics between William Byron and Ryan Blaney extend to the outside of the track as well. William Byron has been dating Erin for four years and could soon be Blaney’s brother-in-law. With both of them showing their prowess in their respective cars this season, the championship race was a confusing affair for Erin Blaney.

A conflict of interest for Erin Blaney

Before the race, Erin Blaney was asked if she would prefer to show support for William Byron or Ryan Blaney through supportive attire. While Blaney denied involvement in such plans, that may be rooted in the confusion of whom to support. Her partner Byron also brushed aside such possibilities, saying, “I’m sure she’ll stay out of the mix. She doesn’t want to be in the spotlight. She’ll be cheering us on.”

However, that doesn’t mean Erin didn’t show support for the two important men in her life! Following her brother’s win at Phoenix, she took to social media to congratulate both of them for the incredible seasons they had. She posted two images to congratulate the pair. The first image showed Ryan Blaney’s #12 Mustang covered with celebration confetti as she wrote, “I am so proud of my big brother.” 

In the next story, she expressed happiness over Byron’s efforts, saying, “I am so proud of William.” From the looks of it, Erin has chosen the best possible solution and did not let the championship rivalry divide her support. William Byron will surely be a part of the Blaney family celebrations today and will put aside the on-track rivalry.

Read More: Ryan Blaney Wins 2023 Cup Series Championship Crown, Continuing Roger Penske’s Dominance

William Byron had the chance to get one on Ryan Blaney after starting on pole

Byron looked to be the best-prepared driver for the Championship 4 race on Saturday. The qualifying race was pivotal for the championship contenders, as it could have provided a possible headstart. Byron certainly got the advantage after a pole-winning performance on the day before. That propelled him to a Stage 1 win at Phoenix, making things uncertain for Blaney and co.

Christopher Bell, on the other hand, turned out to be the unluckiest driver on the day. As the ghosts of the 2022 championship race came back to haunt him on Sunday, he faced a mechanical failure in the initial stages of the race itself. He couldn’t recover from the poor start as a strong impact with the wall forced him to sit out. The #20 Camry’s left front tire needed an immediate replacement, and even putting that aside, the car had already taken a lot of damage.

Compared to Byron, Ryan Blaney had a daunting task ahead of him. Starting at P15, there was a sea of cars for him to cross before seeing the front row. Nevertheless, the #12 steadily climbed up the ranks. A Kyle Busch spin in the 276th lap triggered the final restart of the race. This put Kyle Larson in an advantageous position and behind Ross Chastain, who took over the lead.

However, Blaney didn’t hold back his horses as he pushed for a pass on Larson. With 19 laps to go, he finally accomplished his goal with only Chastain ahead. The pass on Larson proved to be instrumental and translated into a maiden championship for the 29-year-old.

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