Inside the car, Ryan Blaney is an outspoken driver who often lets his rivals know when they’ve annoyed him. And as a veteran of over 350 Cup races with 14 wins (including last weekend at Nashville), he has plenty of thoughts regarding how he wants to be raced and how he chooses to race others.

While this unwritten driver code of conduct varies throughout the field, Blaney helped create his with guidance from his father Dave, who started 473 Cup races in his own career.

The dos and the don’ts of racing in NASCAR

Three-wide battle for the race lead with William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford, and Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing Toyota

Photo by: Michael Bush – Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

“Everyone’s line is different,” said Blaney is a Saturday press conference. “I can’t really speak for anybody else. My father [Dave] raised me. He raced for a long time, so I had that going for me that he was able to teach me the do’s and don’ts. I’ve been chewed out a lot when I was younger for doing the wrong thing – at being overly aggressive and costing somebody else. My dad chewed my ass out when I did that. 

“I did it a few times in late models when I was like 13 and he said it right. He set the line. He said, ‘This is wrong. You do not race this way. This is just how it is.’  It was one of those situations where I’m racing someone hard and I made a mistake. I slipped up and I spun him out. It wasn’t intentional, but even those mistakes dad would really make me clean up right away. That’s just how his dad raised him.”

Blaney is also a driver who welcomes “hard racing” on the track, accepting that contact is a byproduct of that. Especially in modern NASCAR, where passing is extremely difficult and the field is so close together.

Learning from your mistakes

Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet, Ryan Blaney, Team Penske Ford

Photo by: David Jensen / Getty Images

“Everyone races hard (and) contact is going to happen,” said Blaney. “I think it’s an issue if it happens repetitively, like a lot. I think that’s when it starts becoming an issue. It’s like, ‘Do you learn from your mistakes?’ You can say you’re sorry all you want, but if you don’t learn from them and make a change, then everyone thinks you’re lying and you don’t feel sorry about that.”

As for where the line is, Blaney drew it right about where Carson Hocevar hit Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Nashville. Blaney himself had an issue with Hocevar at Atlanta after getting run into from behind while entering Turn 1.

“To me, over the line is if you get run over in the rear bumper and you get spun out and wrecked, then you have a brake pedal. You ran into that guy. I’ve read some stuff this week and people are like, ‘Well, Stenhouse could have cut him a break.’ I’m like, ‘How can Stenhouse cut him a break?’ I don’t understand. I think the #77 [Hocevar] could have cut him a break if you’re gonna talk about breaks. I don’t even think that situation was cutting somebody a break. That was just getting run over.”

Blaney did praise Hocevar as a natural talent who knows how to go fast, but he wants to see him learn and grow from these recent moments.

“All of us have been young,” continued Blaney. “We’ve all been aggressive. Everyone has a heavy right foot when they get going and that’s good. I think he’s a very, very talented race car driver. He’s one of the best guys out there. It’s hard to teach speed. I think he just has to refine a little bit of what he does. I don’t think he has to change who he is because this is what got him here, but I think he’s got to possibly think of some situations that he’s been in and just try to learn from them. That’s really all you can do, so I don’t really critique anybody. I’m not critiquing him at all. That’s just my stance on it is when guys keep spinning off the front of your bumper that becomes an issue. I’m not a huge fan of that. I’ve been a part of it. I got turned at Atlanta getting run into from behind. It’s like, ‘How many times are you gonna keep doing this until you learn?’ So, we’ll see.”

Hocevar and Stenhouse did talk this week, and according to the driver of the No. 77, they may have buried the hatchet in their short-lived feud.

Photos from Michigan – Practice & Qualifying

The Ram 1500’s entrance into the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is part of a drive for Ram that includes 25 product announcements over 18 months.

“Ram returning to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series is a major moment for the sport, and a sign that NASCAR remains a strong platform for blue chip brand partners,” said John Probst, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “We are excited to welcome Ram back to the sport. Its identity includes high performance, durability and innovation – characteristics that embody NASCAR and, specifically, the Craftsman Truck Series.”

Ram will join the field for the 2026 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, ending a 13-year break, and today unveiled a new Ram 1500 concept race truck that previews the design for next year. Returning to the racetrack marks a major milestone, part of a pedal-to-the-metal drive for Ram that covers 25 product announcements over 18 months.

The news of Ram’s return to NASCAR was officially announced by Tim Kuniskis, CEO of Ram brand during a live NASCAR event at the Michigan International Speedway this weekend. Jaw-dropping moments included a Ram 5500 hauling a custom trailer built specifically for smoky donuts, courtesy of Ram’s NASCAR concept truck. Anderson Silva, Hall of Fame MMA Icon took to the track to shoot HEMI-branded T-shirts into the crowd.

“For more than a decade, customers and our dealer network asked about getting back into NASCAR. The desire was always there, but we didn’t have a plan that delivered the last tenth and following just didn’t fit our DNA,” said Kuniskis. “Now we have a solid plan that will set us apart from the field and will bring fresh new interest and engagement to America’s Motorsport.”

Joining the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, in a way that only Ram can, is a natural, strategic move for the brand, as more than 40 percent of NASCAR fans are truck owners. The popular and competitive race series gives Ram a high-performance showcase as it launches a series of exciting and capable new trucks.

“Ram returning to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is a major moment for the sport, and a sign that NASCAR remains a strong platform for blue chip brand partners,” said John Probst, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “We are excited to welcome Ram back to the sport. Its identity includes high performance, durability and innovation – characteristics that embody NASCAR and, specifically, the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.”

Ram 1500 NASCAR Concept

The Ram 1500 concept race truck unveiled today was molded by the Ram design team. The concept resembles a production truck, adopting elements from the Ram Sport Truck lineup (Warlock, Rebel and RHO), but honed with an aerodynamic signature to slip through the air efficiently, yet with enough airflow to cool a race engine that revs over 9,000 rpm. Body lines around the fenders and grille carry a familiar appearance, framing a large Ram logo that separates this truck from the pack.

The one-off body design is covered by a two-tone Gloss Black canvas with Molten Red lower. The Ram design team created an impactful and exciting livery that complements the visual emotion of Ram’s design DNA and highlights Direct Connection and “Symbol of Protest” logos. Mopar’s Direct Connection aftermarket unit is adding performance options for Ram trucks and earns prominent signage on the concept race truck.

“There will be more details on our NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program later this year,” added Kuniskis. “We are undoubtedly having fun with this project, and I truly look forward to sharing information on our team and how getting back on track relates to the future of Ram performance.”

In conjunction with the news, the brand showed off its “Ram-Demption” campaign, featuring Kuniskis behind the wheel of Ram’s NASCAR concept truck at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, with the iconic Goodyear Blimp and jets flying overhead. Different versions of the “Ram-Demption” video include 60-second, 30-second and 15-second spots that will run across NASCAR media and the Ram brand’s social channels, and a long-form video running on www.ram.com or on Youtube. “Ram-Demption” was created in partnership with Argonaut agency.

Ram’s racing news is part of a power celebration that includes a popular demand return of the 5.7-liter HEMI^® V-8, as orders open for the engine’s availability in the 2026 Ram 1500.

Ram exited factory support of NASCAR’s CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2012 after a 17-year run and focused on launching the new 2013 Ram 1500. Ram’s return is one part of a strategy to build on the greatest variety of sport trucks and off-road enthusiast trucks the brand has ever offered.

Ram boasts a rich history of performance trucks, including the Power Wagon, SRT10 Viper Truck, TRX, RHO, Rumble Bee, Little Red Express and Warlock.

In 2004, a Ram SRT-10, piloted by NASCAR driver Brendan Gaughan, set a Guinness World Record for the world’s fastest production truck with an average speed of 154.587 mph (248.784 km/h) at the Stellantis Proving Grounds in Chelsea, Mich.

Ram Brand

Ram offers a full lineup of pickups and commercial vehicles: the Ram 1500, 2500/3500 Heavy Duty, 3500/4500/5500 Chassis Cab and ProMaster vans.

The Ram Light-Duty and Heavy Duty pickups are considerably improved for 2025 and offer new products in the fastest growing segment within the pickup space — sport trucks. Ram introduced the largest variety of off-road performance trucks the brand has ever offered, including the new Ram 1500 RHO with more horsepower per dollar than any other performance off-road pickup.

In the commercial business, Ram is launching the new 2025 Chassis Cab line with improvements to help customers and upfitters. Ram Professional is making considerable changes in process, execution and resources with a focus on commercial offerings, dedicated B2B-focused expertise, and sales and service support, which are critical to growing in this segment.

Ram continues to outperform the competition, setting the benchmark in the most important areas for truck buyers:

• Segment-first: 1,000 lb.-ft of torque with Cummins Turbo Diesel
• Most luxurious: Ram 1500 Tungsten with air suspension, 24-way massage seats and 540 horsepower
• Ram 1500 and Heavy Duty: Best ride and handling with five-link solid rear axle with available, segment-exclusive, active-level four-corner air suspension
• Ram 1500 RHO: Best off-road performance per dollar
• Ram ProMaster: The most cargo space available in any traditional full size cargo van
• Ram Power Wagon: Most off-road capable full-size pickup

Ram is improving market competitiveness and growth while maintaining pricing power through products, services and electrified offerings. Aligned under the global presence of the Stellantis Pro One commercial vehicle organization, Ram currently offers a wide range of products globally, from the Ram 700 compact pickup to the Ram 5500 Chassis Cab and a range of ProMaster vans.

Ram is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.

Stellantis PR

NASCAR is one of the few forms of motorsport that do not celebrate the podium finishers after each race. In fact, it has never really happened in a points-paying event. NASCAR did utilize a small podium for the exhibition race held at the L.A. Memorial Coliseum for three years, but that’s about it.

But when the sport takes its top division to Mexico for the first time, they plan to utilize the podium at Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez to celebrate the top three finishers. The NASCAR Xfinity Series, which did race here between 2005 and 2008, will also hold podium celebrations. It’s something NASCAR-only fans will find strange, but it’s completely normal for most of the racing world. 

“We are going to feel a little bit different”

Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, and Kyle Busch

Photo by: Meg Oliphant / Getty Images

Daniel Suarez, who was raised in Monterrey, Mexico, and is the only foreign-born driver to win a NASCAR title in one of the three national divisions, is in favor of the decision. 

“Honestly, when they told me about it a while back, like six months ago at the time they were already considering it, they were not doing it,” said Suarez. “I thought — man, it could be a good idea. If you think about it, we are pretty much the only sport that does it like this. The Olympics — everything has a podium. Sometimes the culture can be extremely different and I don’t hate it. I just don’t hate it because people are used to doing things a certain way. The promoters, they know what they’re doing. They know what their audience likes. So I don’t hate it, especially because the way that it’s going to be in the middle of the stadium.

“I think that area is super beautiful. There’s going to be 30,000 people watching the podium — 15,000 on each side. I think that’s going to be huge. Definitely something different for us. We are going to feel a little bit different. But at the same time, it’s not the first time we’ve done it. Actually, we did it in L.A., at the Coliseum. Just something different. I don’t see it as a negative. I see it as something that we have to adapt to a culture that is different to ours.”

Just enjoying the experience

Daniel Suarez, Trackhouse Chevrolet

Photo by: David Jensen / Getty Images

Suarez will be the home hero when NASCAR travels to Mexico, and so, it should be no surprise that he is “super excited” for the event. It’s also a potential opportunity for him to win his way into the NASCAR Cup playoffs as he remains winless through the first 14 rounds of the 2025 season, but no matter what, it will be a special weekend for him.

“Regardless of what happens on Sunday, I’m super excited for the event,” said Suarez. “I’m super excited to live the moment because the first time is going to only happen once. I’m really trying to be as present as possible; enjoy the moment and try to execute the best possible weekend that we can. We know that we are capable of winning the race, but that’s not the goal. The goal is the execution of the entire weekend, and hopefully the win is the result of the execution part.”

Suarez will be running double duty in Mexico City, driving the No. 99 Trackhouse Racing Team Chevrolet in Sunday’s Cup race, but also the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race.

If this week’s news of the Hemi’s return to the Ram lineup was someone plugging the speakers back in at the party, consider this the moment that the host cues up the solo to Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Free Bird: Ram’s going racing again in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

The return marks the end of a 13-year hiatus for the brand from America’s beloved racing discipline and a 17-year absence from a full, factory-supported effort. “For more than a decade, customers and our dealer network asked about getting back into NASCAR,” said Tim Kuniskis, Ram brand CEO. “The desire was always there, but we didn’t have a plan that delivered the last tenth, and following just didn’t fit our DNA.”

Perhaps most impressively, Kuniskis told members of the media at a launch event earlier this week that the Ram race truck will make its NASCAR racing debut next season on Friday, February 13, as part of the Daytona 500 weekend. Translation: the whole program needs to go from “idea and teaser truck,” to “Green, Green, Green!” in a little more than six months. Kuniskis also mentioned at the briefing that the brand wants to have four trucks on the grid for that opening race, but the particulars of who will be running them—teams, drivers, and pretty much everything else necessary to make that happen—are still in flux. “I’ve got a truck, I have the intention; we’re going to Daytona,” said Kuniskis. “We’re looking for a date to the prom right now.”

For this weekend’s Craftsman Truck race at Michigan International Speedway, there were 32 trucks on the entry list: Six Toyotas, 16 Chevrolets and 10 Fords. The Dodge Ram debuted in the brand-new NASCAR truck series in 1995, with three Dodges in the 33-truck lineup for the kickoff Skoal Bandit Copper World Classic at Phoenix International Raceway on February 5. One of the Dodge drivers was Bob Keselowski, father of NASCAR Cup racer Brad Keselowski. Mike Skinner, in a Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Silverado, won the race, with Dodge’s Joe Bessey driving the brand’s best-finishing truck to fourth. Other notables in the first truck race: Terry Labonte, Geoff Bodine, Ken Schrader, P.J. Jones, Sammy Swindell, Walker Evans, and former Houston Oilers and Atlanta Falcons head coach Jerry Glanville. It was Dodge’s first time back in NASCAR for a decade, and as Toyota did years later, Dodge used the truck series as a springboard back to Cup.

For Ram, like the other manufacturers involved in the series, the endeavor is a natural fit for marketing, specifically around the brand’s sportier truck offerings such as the Rebel, the RHO, and the Warlock. The Ram design team drew up the truck seen here: It’s worth mentioning, however, that the Craftsman Truck Series uses a common chassis, so the work went into the body covering that chassis. A few callouts: that large Direct Connection decal is a nod to the performance parts catalog that Mopar owners can sift through to juice their road-going machines to all manner of crazy. Also, peep that “Symbol of Protest” logo, clearly a nod to the Hemi V-8 that’s now back in the light-duty pickup.

That Hemi, however, will not be in the race truck. The series also runs spec engines—specifically the Ilmor NT1 V-8, a version of the 396-cubic-inch V-8 that has been the standard in the ARCA race series for a decade now. Still, with a V-8 back underhood at Ram, we’re hard-pressed to think of a better way to celebrate than going racing.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., June 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ —

• Ram returns to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2026, after a 13-year break, as part of a powerful product launch cadence — 25 announcements in 18 months
• Drive to NASCAR begins with a high-octane reveal of a new Ram 1500 concept race truck at Michigan International Speedway that includes a wild donut trailer
• Ram brand celebrates the HEMI® V-8’s historic comeback and return to NASCAR in “Ram-Demption” marketing campaign
• Performance pickups are embedded in Ram’s DNA: Ram 1500 RHO and TRX, Power Wagon and SRT10 Viper Truck

Ram will join the field for the 2026 NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, ending a 13-year break. Today, the brand unveiled a new Ram 1500 concept race truck that previews the design for next year. Returning to the racetrack marks a major milestone, part of a pedal-to-the-metal drive for Ram that covers 25 product announcements over 18 months.

The news of Ram’s return to NASCAR was officially announced by Tim Kuniskis, CEO of Ram brand, during a live NASCAR event at the Michigan International Speedway this weekend. Jaw-dropping moments included a Ram 5500 hauling a custom trailer built specifically for smoky donuts, courtesy of Ram’s NASCAR concept truck. Anderson Silva, Hall of Fame MMA icon, took to the track to shoot HEMI®-branded T-shirts into the crowd.

“For more than a decade, customers and our dealer network asked about getting back into NASCAR. The desire was always there, but we didn’t have a plan that delivered the last tenth and following just didn’t fit our DNA,” said Kuniskis. “Now we have a solid plan that will set us apart from the field and will bring fresh new interest and engagement to America’s motorsport.”

Joining the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series, in a way that only Ram can, is a natural, strategic move for the brand, as more than 40% of NASCAR fans are truck owners. The popular and competitive race series gives Ram a high-performance showcase as it launches a series of exciting and capable new trucks.

“Ram returning to the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series is a major moment for the sport, and a sign that NASCAR remains a strong platform for blue chip brand partners,” said John Probst, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “We are excited to welcome Ram back to the sport. Its identity includes high performance, durability and innovation – characteristics that embody NASCAR and, specifically, the CRAFTSMAN Truck Series.”

Ram 1500 NASCAR Concept
The Ram 1500 concept race truck unveiled today was molded by the Ram design team. The concept resembles a production truck, adopting elements from the Ram Truck Sport lineup (Warlock, Rebel and RHO), but honed with an aerodynamic signature to slip through the air efficiently, yet with enough airflow to cool a race engine that revs over 9,000 rpm. Body lines around the fenders and grille carry a familiar appearance, framing a large Ram logo that separates this truck from the pack.

The one-off body design is covered by a two-tone Gloss Black canvas with Molten Red lower. The Ram design team created an impactful and exciting livery that complements the visual emotion of Ram’s design DNA and highlights Direct Connection and Symbol of Protest logos. Mopar’s Direct Connection aftermarket unit is adding performance options for Ram trucks and earns prominent signage on the concept race truck.

“There will be more details on our NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series program later this year,” added Kuniskis. “We are undoubtedly having fun with this project, and I truly look forward to sharing information on our team and how getting back on track relates to the future of Ram performance.”

In conjunction with the news, the brand showed off its “Ram-Demption” campaign, featuring Kuniskis behind the wheel of Ram’s NASCAR concept truck at Darlington Raceway in South Carolina, with the iconic Goodyear Blimp and jets flying overhead. Different versions of the “Ram-Demption” video include 60-second, 30-second and 15-second spots that will run across NASCAR media and the Ram brand’s social media channels, plus a long-form video running on www.ram.com and on YouTube. “Ram-Demption” was created in partnership with Argonaut agency.

Ram’s racing news is part of a power celebration that includes a popular demand return of the 5.7-liter HEMI V-8, as orders open for the engine’s availability in the 2026 Ram 1500.

Ram exited factory support of NASCAR’s CRAFTSMAN Truck Series in 2012 after a 17-year run and focused on launching the new 2013 Ram 1500. Ram’s return is one part of a strategy to build on the greatest variety of sport trucks and off-road enthusiast trucks the brand has ever offered.

Ram boasts a rich history of performance trucks, including the Power Wagon, SRT10 Viper Truck, TRX, RHO, Rumble Bee, Little Red Express and Warlock.

In 2004, a Ram SRT-10, piloted by NASCAR driver Brendan Gaughan, set a Guinness World Record for the world’s fastest production truck with an average speed of 154.587 mph (248.784 km/h) at the Stellantis Proving Grounds in Chelsea, Mich.
 
Ram Brand
Ram offers a full lineup of pickups and commercial vehicles; the Ram 1500, 2500/3500 Heavy Duty, 3500/4500/5500 Chassis Cab and ProMaster vans.

The Ram Light-Duty and Heavy Duty pickups are considerably improved for 2025 and offer new products in the fastest growing segment within the pickup space—Sport Trucks. Ram introduced the largest variety of off-road performance trucks the brand has ever offered, including the new Ram 1500 RHO with more horsepower per dollar than any other performance off-road pickup.

In the commercial business, Ram is launching the new 2025 Chassis Cab line with improvements to help customers and upfitters. Ram Professional is making considerable changes in process, execution and resources with a focus on commercial offerings, dedicated B2B-focused expertise, and sales and service support, which are critical to growing in this segment.

Ram continues to outperform the competition, setting the benchmark in the most important areas for truck buyers:

• Segment-first: 1,000 lb.-ft of torque with Cummins Turbo Diesel
• Most luxurious: Ram 1500 Tungsten with air suspension, 24-way massage seats and 540 horsepower
• Ram 1500 and Heavy Duty: Best ride and handling with five-link solid rear axle with available, segment-exclusive, active-level air suspension
• Ram 1500 RHO: Best off-road performance per dollar
• Ram ProMaster: The most cargo space available in any traditional full size cargo van
• Ram Power Wagon: Most off-road capable full-size pickup

Ram is improving market competitiveness and growth while maintaining pricing power through products, services and electrified offerings. Aligned under the global presence of the Stellantis Pro One commercial vehicle organization, Ram currently offers a wide range of products globally, from the Ram 700 compact pickup to the Ram 5500 Chassis Cab and a range of ProMaster vans.

Ram is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis. For more information regarding Stellantis (NYSE: STLA), please visit www.stellantis.com.
 
Follow Ram and company news and video on:
Company blog: http://blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Media website: http://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Ram Truck brand: www.ramtrucks.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/RamTrucks
Instagram: www.instagram.com/ramtrucks
Twitter: @RamTrucks, @StellantisNA
YouTube: www.youtube.com/RamTrucks, https://www.youtube.com/StellantisNA

For more information, please visit the Stellantis media site for North America at https://media.stellantisnorthamerica.com. 

Contact:
Nick Cappa
(248) 512-4266 (office)
(248) 202-8039 (cell)
[email protected]

SOURCE Stellantis