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Ryan Blaney stops by Texas Longhorns basketball game during tour of Austin

JHby:Jonathan Howard•02/06/25•

Jondean25

Ryan Blaney Gianna NASCAR
Taj Falconer / USA TODAY NETWORK

During this week between the Clash and the Daytona 500, Ryan Blaney and his wife Gianna made their way to Austin, Texas for a day of fun. Blaney is out promoting the sport, the NASCAR race at COTA in March, and having a little bit of BBQ while he does it.

Everything is bigger in Texas. That includes the NASCAR promotions. The sport is in a new era with NASCAR giving out thousands and up to millions of dollars to drivers as part of a new incentive program.

Basically, when a driver does a promotional event they get points towards the program which dictates how much money they can earn. I’m sure touring Austin and attending a Longhorns basketball game, complete with a t-shirt cannon, is worth some points.

And the basketball game was just the nightcap:

While Ryan and Gianna Blaney were in Austin they had to hit up the local spots. Starting the day at Cuantos Tacos, they withstood the early day rainfall for some delicious food. From there it was to Tecovas for some new boots, of course.

Gianna got her own custom boots fit with the No. 12 in support of her man.

Just before going to the Longhorns game, it was time to eat again. You can’t go hungry when in Austin, Texas, that’s just cruel. Terry Black’s was the spot and you can see why. A HUGE platter of meat. I hope the Blaneys had some friends with them to help out.

NASCAR wants drivers out and about. They want them to be visible not just on Sundays in their firesuits but during the week going on about their lives. Whether these drivers like it or not, they are professional athletes, they are celebrities! At some point, they should act like it.

Team Penske is doing a good job getting their drivers out there. Ryan Blaney in Austin for the Longhorns game and Joey Logano was at an Orlando Magic NBA game not long ago. Josh Berry, with Wood Brothers who is closely associated with Penske, has a new sponsorship with PPG and is in Nashville today doing a promotion with Josef Newgarden.

NASCAR has put a carrot out there for drivers and teams. So, guys like Ryan Blaney are taking advantage. Thankfully, Blaney also dressed like a regular person and not a walking billboard for Menards or another sponsor. Expect to see more drivers out and about with the new incentive program.