Ryan Blaney has shared his approach to resolving disagreements swiftly, emphasizing direct communication. Around 2015, while competing part-time across NASCAR‘s top three series, Blaney explained that he prefers to address issues in person whenever possible, but is willing to use calls or texts when necessary. His desire to settle matters quickly reflects his overall conflict resolution style, focusing on clarity and closure rather than prolonged disputes.
At just 20 years old during that period, Blaney was racing in the NASCAR Cup Series for Wood Brothers Racing, making 16 starts in the No. 21 Ford and finishing with two top-10 results, including fourth place at Talladega and seventh at Kansas. Additionally, he achieved two wins in the Xfinity Series racing for Team Penske.
Examples of Blaney’s Conflict Resolution in Action
Blaney recounted a specific incident involving veteran driver Clint Bowyer at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. After an on-track collision that left Bowyer brushing the wall, Blaney sought to resolve the situation despite not racing in the Cup Series for the next two weeks. Due to poor cell service at the track, he chose to send a text message instead of calling Bowyer directly, which is not his preferred method.
“I’d like to try to reach out to them as quickly as possible, whether it’s in person or a call or a text. You’d rather do it in person, but it’s hard to wait until the next week if you don’t see them,” Ryan Blaney said.
“I wasn’t racing Cup for the next two weeks, so I probably wasn’t going to see him [Bowyer]. I didn’t want to call him, because the service was terrible in New Hampshire. I thought it would be worse to call him and drop the call in the middle of our talk than to send him a text. Texting somebody is kind of the last thing I want to do, but I had to do it in that situation,” he added.
Maintaining Professionalism Amid High Tension
Despite occasional passionate outbursts over the radio, Blaney rarely engages in retaliatory actions on the track. His takeaway is to communicate and move forward after conflicts rather than dwell on grudges. For example, during the 2024 Brickyard 400, Blaney criticized Kyle Larson for a controversial restart that affected his performance. Similarly, in an Atlanta race the same year, he called Carson Hocevar a moron over the radio after contact in the final stage, but the dispute did not escalate beyond that moment.
Blaney revealed how he handles disputes with teammates and rivals alike by focusing on dialogue and forgiveness. He recognizes that clashes happen, intentional or not, and stresses the importance of talking through issues and then moving past them.
“No matter if you’re a teammate, worst enemies, best friends, you’re gonna get into it with everybody, intentional or not, and those things just happen. … Joey and I have had a couple run-ins over the years, me and Austin, and you get over that stuff. You talk about it. You get over it,” Ryan Blaney said (via NASCAR.com).
Implications of Blaney’s Conflict Approach on His Career
Blaney’s style of confronting conflicts quickly and openly has contributed to his reputation as a driver who prefers to settle tensions maturely rather than escalate them. Despite the frustration and tension often present in high-stakes racing environments, his approach helps maintain professionalism and focus in competition. This stance not only minimizes prolonged distractions but also fosters better relations with fellow drivers, teammates, and competitors.
As NASCAR seasons progress, this conflict resolution style could benefit Blaney in sustaining strong collaborations within teams like Team Penske and Wood Brothers Racing, while allowing him to compete aggressively without personal grudges interfering. His ability to channel frustration into productive communication rather than payback is likely to remain a key element of his racing persona moving forward.
