"It was pretty stressful the last ten laps": Scott McLaughlin congratulates Penske teammate Ryan Blaney on his NASCAR Cup championship victory

Ryan Blaney's Team Penske Indycar teammate Scott McLaughlin was stressed out watching the final 10 laps of the season finale at Phoenix as his close friend was racing for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Although the #12 Ford driver was the quickest on the field, Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain put on a stern defense to keep the lead. This made Blaney vulnerable to championship contenders Kyle Larson and William Byron, who were chasing him down for second place.

After a heated battle with Chastain, Ryan Blaney settled for second place stabilizing the gap to Larson behind. He led the Hendrick Motorsports duo over the line to capture the 2023 Cup title.

While all the action transpired on the track, Blaney's close friend Scott McLaughlin was stressed out watching the action unfold from the family box. The Indycar ace was relieved to see his teammate cross the finish line and win the championship.

"I was in the family and friends box, it was pretty stressful the last 10 laps, but he had an absolute piece. His car was unreal and he just drove the wheels of it which is exactly what you need. He's a wheelman... and really proud of him." he said to SiriusXM post-race.

The three-time Supercars champion was proud to see his friend join the League of Champions as he had seen the hard work Blaney and the #12 team put in behind the scenes.

"I'm so, so proud of him as a friend and as a teammate the utmost respect. I know how hard he's worked for it. I'm super proud." the Penske driver added.

The 29-year-old from New Zealand has a successful career in stock car racing but switched to open-wheelers when he moved to the States. He is a four-time winner in the IndyCar series and has previously expressed his interest in making his debut in the Cup Series.

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Roger Penske heaps praises on his newest champion Ryan Blaney

Team Penske owner Roger Penske was full of praise for Ryan Blaney, who brought home the 44th championship across different series for The Captain.

After witnessing Blaney's stellar run in the playoffs which culminated in winning the 2023 NASCAR Cup title, Roger Penske put the soft-spoken 29-year-old in the same class as 4x Indy 500 winner Rick Mears.

“I think his limits are the sky, to be honest with you. He gets in that class with (Rick) Mears,” Penske was quoted by motorsports.com. “He’s a soft-spoken guy, really, but when he gets behind the wheel, like Joey, when he puts his hat on, don’t get in his way. I think he showed that (Sunday).

Roger Penske and Ryan Blaney

The team owner was particularly impressed with Ryan Blaney's two playoff victories at Talladega and Martinsville which put him in the championship hunt.

He concluded:

“He’s only getting better and better. He’s got the confidence. He’s a leader. He’s a winner and a champion. Once you have that – it’s so hard to get there.”