"We want to be successful for Roger Penske" - Ryan Blaney makes feelings known about growing bond with Joey Logano
Reigning NASCAR champion Ryan Blaney opened up about his relationship with teammate Joey Logano, having helped the latter win in Las Vegas. Blaney said that their bond has strengthened over the years as they embrace their roles as veteran drivers at Team Penske.
The teamwork between the Penske drivers is often evident with their cooperation at Superspeedways. It was even more evident at Las Vegas, when Blaney pushed Logano to the finish, despite knowing his teammate's victory would affect his own chances of advancing to the season finale.
Speaking to the media at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Blaney elaborated on his relationship with teammate Logano. With veteran driver Brad Keselowski having left the team a couple of years ago, Logano and Blaney have stepped into veteran driver roles within the organization. They strive to collaborate for the overall success of Team Penske.
"Joey and I, we work really well together. We always have and that's just gotten better, year after year. As you get older, he and I became the two veteran guys on the Penske side over there. We have to really rely on each other. How do we take the reigns and try to understand and bounce off each other," Ryan Blaney told Frontstretch.com [from 5:36].
The reigning NASCAR champion emphasized they want to be successful for team owner Roger Penske and there’s no advantage in each driver working independently.
"You can't just be three separate entities doing your own thing. What's the point of having a three-four car team if you're doing that? That's just kind of been the Penske way here. It's just [we] all try to rely on each other and use each other's skills to build your own and help grow the whole thing healthy. Its something where we understand the deal and we understand that we want to be successful for Roger [Penske] and to do that you have to work together," Ryan Blaney added.
Logano has clinched his spot in the championship four, while Blaney sits 47 points below the cut-line and is in must-win territory. This season, Team Penske is looking for a third consecutive championship victory in the next-gen era.
Ryan Blaney on working with future "Hall of Famer" teammate Joey Logano
Ryan Blaney further delved into the dynamics of working with Joey Logano, whom he considers a future Hall of Famer and one of the greats of the sport. Blaney mentioned that he has learned a great deal from the #22 Penske driver and enjoys picking the brain of the two-time champion.
"It's been fun to work with Joey. Learned from him, vice versa. Obviously one of the greats, Hall of Famer. So it's been fun to pick his brain and even him take some stuff from me too. That's always nice, it is a good little co-op deal that we've got," Ryan Blaney added about their relationship [from 6:46].
Blaney mentioned that Austin Cindric and Penske affiliate Wood Brothers Racing driver Harrison Burton have also contributed to the team's overall success.
The outlook for the Penske drivers at Homestead-Miami Speedway doesn't look promising, with Blaney starting 20th on the grid, Logano 26th, Cindric 36th, and Burton in 34th.