Ryan Blaney had already given fans one unforgettable moment by stealing victory in a dramatic three-wide overtime finish at EchoPark Speedway. But as it turns out, the race-winning pass wasn’t even the most talked-about part of his night.
Moments after climbing out of his race-winning No. 12 Ford Dark Horse, the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion traded four wheels for two, hopping aboard the custom Harley-Davidson Street Glide that came with his race win and taking it for a lap around the speedway.
Still dressed in his firesuit, the Team Penske star cruised around the 1.5-mile oval as the celebration continued, and it didn’t take long for clips of the impromptu victory lap to spread across social media.
Alongside his 19th career Cup Series victory, Blaney also received a limited-edition 2026 Harley-Davidson Street Glide, custom-built by Sturgis Harley-Davidson to commemorate the “250 Years of Freedom” celebration.
With only 26 motorcycles ever produced, it was one of the most unique winners’ prizes NASCAR has offered in recent years. And Blaney, rather than waiting until daylight to admire his new ride, decided to hop on it immediately.
Despite the race ending just before 2 a.m. local time, the 2023 Cup Series champion climbed onto the motorcycle and took it for a celebratory spin around the speedway. The spontaneous moment quickly went viral, with fans flooding social media to share their reactions.
Some couldn’t help but laugh after recalling Blaney’s comments during the broadcast about no longer being much of a night owl – “When he was talking about not being a night owl anymore during the broadcast I know he was full of it.”
Others, as usual, found another excuse to poke fun at Blaney’s now-famous mustache, writing, “Rumor is that the mustache actually makes him more aerodynamic and shaves off a bare minimum of .200 of a second nearly every lap.”
Following the same pattern, a third fan quipped, “Kinda surprised that woodchuck on his lip didn’t flip up and cover his eyes.”
While most fans enjoyed seeing the 32-year-old celebrate in his own style, a few questioned the safety of riding a motorcycle around the speedway immediately after the race.
One fan pointed out what he viewed as an ironic contrast and took a subtle dig at NASCAR. He noted, “Oh no we’re concerned about more horsepower/no restriction plates etc its too unsafe. Then there’s this dude with no helmet, full sending a bike and getting celebrated lol.”
That criticism was quickly met with a hilarious troll from another fan, who noted Blaney wasn’t riding completely unprotected, “He’s wearing a DOT approved half-helmet. Please look closely before trying to dunk on NASCAR or a dude having a damn good time.”
In the end, the lighthearted debate only added to what had already become a memorable night for the Team Penske driver.
Blaney’s victory not only marked his second triumph of the 2026 season but also delivered Ford’s 750th victory in NASCAR’s premier division.
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