Ryan Blaney shares first message after winning NASCAR Cup Series Championship

“What an unbelievable season and playoff run for this 12 team,” Blaney wrote. “Working hard through the summer to get to where we needed to be and everyone @team_penske should be proud of themselves. So happy for RP and @ford on back to back championships. Thank you to all our great partners!”

Blaney earned his first Cup Series championship after finishing second in the season finale, just behind race winner Ross Chastain and in front of fellow championship contenders William Byron, Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell.

Team Penske now has captured back-to-back championships in the Cup Series for the first time after Joey Logano won his second-career title last season. Blaney was at his best in the final six races of the season, notching two wins, a top-10 and two runner-up finishes.

“He really matured over the last say, two months. He learned how to win. Win fairly and squarely. That racing today was outstanding,” car owner Roger Penske said after the race. “To think about, Kyle Larson came up here, gave him a big thanks. His great buddy [Chase] Elliott did too. But I think being a champion like he is, when he walks in somewhere, he’s going to get the accolades.

“And again, I think in the garage area, his stock is at the highest among these drivers. That’s more important than anything.”