Ryan Blaney reveals if IndyCar's Josef Newgarden will really get tattoo of his face

There might be some serious consequences for Team Penske teammate Josef Newgarden after Ryan Blaney won the NASCAR championship. Before Blaney made his start at Phoenix, Newgarden had let the stock car driver know there was more up for grabs than just the Bill France Cup.

IndyCar star Josef Newgarden has been a huge supporter of the NASCAR team. He and Ryan Blaney seem to be really good friends away from work. This latest friendly wager really highlights that friendship, too.

Newgarden let Blaney know before the race on Sunday that if he brought Team Penske home another championship, he would get Blaney’s face tattooed on him.

This makes me think that Newgarden didn’t really have a lot of faith in Blaney, or he really doesn’t mind having a new piece of art on his body.

In a one-on-one with Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports, Blaney talked about the bet.

“No idea [if he will follow through],” Blaney said. “He texted me that on Wednesday [before the championship]. I was shocked. He’s in Japan, and he texted me that. It fired me up because that’s not like him. I [then] forgot Newgarden bet a tattoo of my face, so we’ll see. We’ll see if he goes through with it. He put it out in the world. I wasn’t going to put it out in the world and then he tweeted it.”

Now that Newgarden has backed himself into this corner, he needs to follow through, right? It would be hilarious if the Indy 500 winner and two-time IndyCar champion had Ryan Blaney inked on him. But will it happen?

Ryan Blaney, 2023 NASCAR Champion

Say what you will about the playoff format, this is the game they play now. Ryan Blaney was able to swing his season around in the final six weeks to put himself in championship position. Then, he executed. Team Penske has Phoenix Raceway figured out right now.

Right now, Blaney is in the middle of his media tour. The NASCAR champion goes around to New York, Los Angeles, and other cities, highlighting the season and promoting the sport on TV, the internet, and radio.

I think that Blaney is a great champion for NASCAR. He has the family legacy, he’s written his own story a bit. Let’s not forget that he put the Wood Brothers into victory lane in the 21st century. That’s a massive accomplishment as a young driver.

Now, Ryan Blaney is a NASCAR champion. He’s come a long way. Blaney has the look, attitude, and demeanor to make longtime fans happy, entertain and entice new fans, and promote the sport in a positive way.