Ryan Blaney makes feelings clear on NASCAR – Sports News
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske driver and one of NASCAR’s most outspoken personalities, didn’t mince phrases when responding to current criticism of the game’s TV scores. Following Saturday’s Quaker State 400 at Atlanta — the primary NASCAR race broadcast on TNT since 2014 — viewership averaged round 1.6 million, a drop from earlier benchmarks. The race noticed a 23-car wreck involving Denny Hamlin, as Chase Elliott handed Brad Keselowski on the ultimate lap to victory.
Instead of expressing concern, Blaney, who just lately introduced enormous personal information along with his spouse, took to X with a bullish reminder: “So, we got 500 k more folks tuned in. Why do people make it out to be a bad thing? We crush the parade every week, so why do we get down in the dumps by this? NASCAR is currently crushing it.”
Blaney’s level is supported by context. While 1.6 million could seem modest in comparison with marquee playoff occasions — equivalent to final September’s Atlanta playoff race, which pulled in 2.02 million viewers in opposition to NFL competitors, or the Nashville Sunday evening race’s 3.24 million — these have been atypical scheduling situations.
By distinction, this was a common Saturday evening broadcast, and beneath that lens, growth of half a million viewers is a constructive signal.
The comparability to Formula 1 has additionally fueled dialogue. F1’s Austria Grand Prix that weekend drew roughly 1.1 million viewers within the U.S., marking a file for that exact race — however nonetheless trailing NASCAR’s determine.
This season, F1 averages about 1.3 million throughout ESPN and ABC, whereas NASCAR stands at roughly 2.88 million average viewers by 18 races. That places the highlight on Blaney’s declare: NASCAR isn’t merely aggressive — it’s main domestically.
Blaney brings a skilled’s perspective, one attuned to the ebb and movement of scores. NASCAR’s shift to TNT for the primary time in over a decade introduced an unknown. Yet as a substitute of overreacting to a perceived score hunch, Blaney urged perspective.
His feedback, uncooked and direct, cut to the guts of the narrative: why is slight variance framed as failure? In his thoughts, the game is undeniably thriving.
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Indeed, Blaney is no stranger to positioning NASCAR as underappreciated in broader sports activities conversations. Over time, he’s pushed for drivers to undertake more persona, leverage streamer/digital engagement, and leverage sequence storytelling — believing that a more genuine driver voice will deepen viewers connection.
His advocacy for driver relatability and visibility — on and off‑observe — is per right this moment’s response. He sees NASCAR’s model as worthy of celebration, not scolding.
Ultimately, Blaney’s message is clear: NASCAR isn’t floundering — it’s growing. A Saturday evening race that draws 1.6 million viewers, including half a million from earlier occasions, beats F1’s head‑to‑head figures and lands solidly within sequence averages. Is that a “bad thing”? For Blaney, completely not — it’s a signal of momentum. And from his seat, “NASCAR is currently crushing it.”
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