During a highly eventful race on Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, Ryan Blaney experienced an unexpected moment when a voice not from his Team Penske No. 12 crew came over his radio. The interruption came from his four-year-old nephew, Bodie, who managed to activate the radio and deliver a playful message to Blaney while he was focused on the 2023 Cup Series competition.
This unusual Ryan Blaney radio moment occurred during one of the race’s caution periods, which helped keep the distraction lighthearted rather than problematic.
How a Young Fan Took Over the Radio Feed
Bodie was at the track with his older brother, Louie, both nephews of Blaney, enjoying the race weekend with family. The radio in question belonged to Blaney’s wife, Gianna, who was listening onboard their bus before the race began. Neither Ryan nor Gianna realized that the radio’s button was still functional.
Blaney explained during a recent Ford Racing teleconference that Bodie figured out how to use the radio on his own.
“He’s like, ‘What’s that thing with Aunt Gianna’s name on it?’ I was like, ‘It’s a radio to where Aunt Gianna can listen to my racing.’ And he was like, ‘Oh, like a walkie-talkie.’ I was like, ‘Yeah, kind of like a walkie-talkie,’ so I guess he took that and remembered it. He’s a smart kid. He figured it out and turned it on and pushed the button and gave me a little bit of motivation.”
The Radio Moment’s Timing and Team Reaction
The timing of the radio interruption was fortunate, as it happened during a period when the race had slowed down under caution and there was minimal action on the track. Blaney and his team found humor and amusement in the unexpected event.
“That was funny. I was laughing,”
Blaney recalled.
“It was at a great time. It was under caution. There was not much going on and I got a real good kick out of it. We all did. All of my team got a good kick out of it, so that was funny, and I knew right away who it was. When he called me Uncle Ryan I was like, ‘Alright, that’s either Bodie or Louie, and I figured it was Bodie, the younger one, because I talked to him about this radio, so I got a good laugh out of that.”
He acknowledged the need to secure the radio button better in the future to avoid accidental transmissions.
“We’ve got to get that button worked on to where no one pushed it on accident, but he’s a smart kid. I wouldn’t have known how to do that at four years old, but he figured it out.”
Significance of the Incident in a High-Pressure Race Environment
In an intense race filled with multiple cautions, the brief radio intrusion provided a moment of lightness and family warmth amid the competition’s tension. Having this Ryan Blaney radio moment at Bristol not only brought a smile to the driver and team but also highlighted the human side behind the sport’s high stakes. It serves as a reminder that, even in the heat of competition, unexpected moments of joy can emerge to break the intensity.
As the Cup Series season progresses, Blaney and Team Penske will likely take additional precautions with their communication equipment to prevent similar interruptions. Meanwhile, Bodie’s quick thinking established a memorable highlight that will be shared in racing circles and among fans for some time.
