NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney has opened up about his life after retiring from the sport, revealing that he won’t be joining the broadcast booth, but prefers to do something “completely different.”
The 31-year-old driver spoke on the topic on the Team Blaney podcast, admitting that he enjoys being in the booth sometimes but stressed that he won’t be able to make it a full-time career after his NASCAR racing journey concludes.
Several drivers have chosen this route, such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kevin Harvick, as they fit perfectly in the public-facing role. However, Blaney has made it clear that he plans to follow an alternative path after his stock car racing career. He said:
“I enjoy doing them. I try to only do, kind of like max three a year, because they are fun, whether they’re Truck races, Xfinity races.
“I enjoy the people in the booth, whether it’s Michael [Waltrip] and Jamie [Little], working with Adam Alexander every now and then. He’s such a good guy. It’s a cool perspective. It’s neat that I can give my little piece of driver perspective every now and then for those races.”
He added:
“I wouldn’t see myself doing them when I’m done (racing). It’s just something that I have fun doing it, a handful of times a year at most. And when I’m done, I’m going to go find something completely different and off the reservation to do. But I have fun doing it while I can.”
Addressing the same subject in another interview from March with 102.5 The Game, the 2023 Cup Series champion confirmed he isn’t interested in pursuing a broadcasting career but acknowledged the fun he has in the booth. Blaney said:
“Yeah, I’ll do like two or three a year. Um, I definitely don’t want to make a career out of it. Like even after I’m done racing, I don’t really see myself doing that stuff. But I like doing, you know, two or three a year just to—it’s a cool vantage point.
“I think the fans enjoy it, like having a racer go up there and commentate and kind of give their perspective and view of, hey, this is what this guy’s thinking, you know, or this is how the track is right now and just the racer’s mindset. So I think it’s just a cool addition when I can go do it, and a lot of drivers do it right now. So it’s a fun time.”
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