DAYTONA, Fla. (WGHP) — In sports, potential doesn’t always equal production.

You could say Ryan Blaney finally realized his full potential last season by winning the first championship of his career.

2023 will be an unforgettable year on so many different levels for him.

Blaney spent a lot of time in the off-season making different appearances representing NASCAR. 

“I’ve kind of always been that way … I want the sport to be healthy because I want to be in the sport for a long time,” he said.

Racing is the family business from his grandfather to his father, Dave Blaney, who spent 17 years in NASCAR

Blaney learned NASCAR from the inside, which is why he rarely declines appearances.

When Blaney was young, he says his father told him it’s important to leave things better than how you found them.

So now his attention turns to, “What’s next?”

Blaney starts the season as one of the favorites to win the Daytona 500 and one of a handful of drivers with the best odds at bagging the championship.