NASCAR: 5 drivers who should attempt the Memorial Day Double
By Asher Fair
Ryan Blaney
Ryan Blaney, 24, revealed toward the end of the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series season when he was still driving for Wood Brothers Racing that he would like to attempt the Memorial Day Double one day.
That day may certainly come for him, as it should. Last summer, Blaney signed a contract to become Team Penske’s third full-time driver in the Cup Series, and Team Penske are one of only two teams with full-time teams in both the Cup Series and IndyCar.
Here is what Blaney had to say about attempting the Memorial Day Double, according to Motorsport.com.
"“I would love to do it. I have a lot of respect for the people that have done it. That is a tough day of racing – 1,100 miles and the plane rides back and forth. When Kurt [Busch] and Tony [Stewart] did it, I thought that was really neat. It is something I have always wanted to do and hopefully I can do it one day. Maybe down the road. “The Penske group is pretty good at the Indy 500 so hopefully I will get that chance. My interest level is really high and I would love to do it to say I was a part of it and able to race that event.”"
Whether or not Blaney competes in the Memorial Day Double within the next year or so is not yet known. However, this would seem to be doubtful seeing as how Team Penske are limiting their Indy 500 lineup to just four drivers, as they are only adding three-time Indy 500 champion Helio Castroneves to their lineup as their fourth driver in addition to their three full-time drivers.
They even ruled out fielding two-time Indy 500 champion Juan Pablo Montoya as their fifth driver, so it would probably take an official retirement from either Castroneves, who plans to continue driving in the Indy 500 for several more years, or one of the team’s three full-time IndyCar drivers in order to make room for Blaney to compete in the Indy 500, unless, of course, they field five entries in the race in the near future like they did last year, which does not seem extremely likely within the next year or so.
Nevertheless, Blaney wants a chance to attempt the Memorial Day Double, and he has as good of a chance if not a better chance than anyone to get that opportunity given the fact that he drives for Team Penske.