Ryan Blaney fits the Team Penske #12 Ford Mustang Dark Horse like a glove, and fans have enjoyed every bit of their eight-year-long partnership. And it's only going to get longer. 

Blaney, who is currently fourth in the Cup Series standings after 11 races, announced a multi-year extension with Team Penske on Wednesday. The 32-year-old from Ohio is committed to more success with the Roger Penske-owned team over the next few years. 

Conveying his thoughts about the same, Blaney said in a statement, "Roger’s commitment to me and my career had been something a race car driver could only dream of, not only getting the opportunity in the first place but sticking with me through highs and lows for more than a decade."

"To still be a part of Team Penske – the wins, the championships, the people, and continuing to grow my career with the unwavering support of Rogers and the entire organization had been the opportunity of a lifetime," Blaney added.

The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion also confirmed that Menards, his long-term partner, would continue with Team Penske.

“We’re going to keep pushing to deliver more wins and championships and to do that with the support of Joh Menard and the Menard family is truly an honor," he concluded.

Ryan Blaney, who debuted with Team Penske back in 2014 as a part-time driver, moved to Wood Brothers, where he got his first Cup win in 2017 before coming on board with Team Penske full-time in 2018. 

Roger Penske sees Ryan Blaney as an "elite" talent at Team Penske

Way before he drove the No. 12 Cup car for Team Penske, Ryan Blaney had driven for the team in the 2012 Truck Series. He was 18 then, and today, at 32, he is a cornerstone in the Team Penske lineup.

He has secured 17 Cup victories for the team and is among three drivers to win the NASCAR Cup Series Championship for Roger Penske. The other two are Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano.

Roger Penske spoke highly of Blaney after the contract renewal, saying, "Ryan Blaney has developed into one of the elite drivers in the NASCAR Cup Series, and the success he’s achieved speaks for itself. I’m confident Ryan and the No. 12 team will continue to build momentum into the future."

The 2023 Cup Series champion will be hoping that his future at the wheel of the #12 Ford is a bright one. His most recent win came in Phoenix in March, which is still Ford's only victory so far this season.

Ryan Blaney was second in the standings a few races ago, but recent progress from Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott has seen him drop to fourth. Despite several issues in the pits throughout the season, Blaney has still been the team’s highest-ranked driver.

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Written by

Debrup Chaudhuri

Edited by

Yask Kotak