Ryan Blaney leans on Bubba Wallace as his go-to parenting coach after major life update: "I ask him all the time"

As the Cup Series garage gears up for what could be the final chapter of NASCAR's Chicago Street Race, Ryan Blaney's mind is elsewhere. The former Cup champion is focused on fatherhood.

Ahead of the 2025 Grant Park 165, Blaney and his wife Gianna revealed they're expecting their first child later this year. The news, shared via Instagram earlier this week, caps off a whirlwind stretch for the Blaneys. They got married last December, after a strong title defense season, and now a new chapter awaits once the checkered flags fall.

"We're (due) in the winter, so that takes a lot of stress off. I can't say we necessarily drew it up that way. Just kind of got fortunate on the timing of it," Blaney said before qualifying on Saturday.

With the offseason expected to align with the baby's arrival, Ryan Blaney is embracing this quieter kind of preparation. Away from the telemetry and pit cycles, he's surrounding himself with parenting books and plenty of texts to Bubba Wallace, who entered dad mode last fall.

Bubba Wallace celebrates with Ryan Blaney after the NASCAR Cup Series 2021 YellaWood 500. Source: Getty

Blaney and Wallace, close friends since their early NASCAR days, now find themselves in the same lane once again, this time as fathers. Wallace and his wife, Amanda, welcomed Becks Hayden Wallace last September, which has now become a reference point for Blaney's next phase.

"I ask him all the time (for advice). I see it firsthand, being over at his place and flying together... Watching Becks grow up, it's been kind of neat. I ask him all the time for advice, what are some goods and what are the struggles of a newborn and things like that. So it's been nice to have him (Wallace) right there and kind of go through the same thing," he added.

Bubba Wallace, for his part, has watched the anticipation build for his friends.

"I've known for a while, obviously. Gianna's been going through a little rough patch with the sickness and stuff, but they've both taken it in stride. It's crazy how different everyone's pregnancy journey is. Amanda was pretty OK, but Gianna's been strong through it all," Wallace said (via NASCAR)

Blaney comes from a proud racing lineage, the son of former Cup Series driver Dave Blaney. His parents have already gotten used to being grandparents, thanks to his sister Emma's two boys. But this will be Gianna's family's first grandchild.

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Ryan Blaney returns to Chicago with In-Season Challenge dreams already dashed

Ryan Blaney (12) during qualifying for the Grant Park 165 at Chicago Street Race. Source: Imagn

On the racing front, Ryan Blaney heads into Sunday's 2025 Grant Park 165 with less pressure than most, not just because of his big off-track announcement. The Team Penske driver has already clinched a spot in the Cup Series Playoffs, freeing him from the points scramble gripping others.

But his bid in the In-Season Tournament's second round is already over, knocked out early by Carson Hocevar. That won't stop him from chasing his first road course podium this season and maybe a statement win on a layout he's grown into. But the 75-lap dash won't be easy.

Weather forecasts hint at more rain, and his closest friend in the paddock is facing his own uphill climb. Bubba Wallace, who led Group 2 practice with a scorching 87.080 mph lap, spun twice in qualifying and will start 37th. His matchup against Alex Bowman in the Challenge bracket is now a long shot.

Blaney was elevated from 17th to 15th on the starting grid of the Chicago Street Race after qualifying penalties shuffled the order, with ten drivers starting from the rear. He finished 10th last year at Chicago after a 33rd-place debut in 2023 and holds a solid road-course resume. With one win, five top-fives, and a 15.1 average finish in 38 Cup road races, he will be a strong contender on Sunday (June 6).

And while racing under pressure is nothing new, there's a different kind of countdown on Ryan Blaney's mind these days.