DES MOINES, Iowa — Ryan Blaney won more than just a race last weekend in Newton: He won hearts.
Blaney took first place at the Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol, the first NASCAR Cup Series race hosted in Iowa, on June 16.
When he wasn't racing, Blaney stayed busy. On June 15, the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation, held a "Dinner with the Champions" fundraising event at the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum in Knoxville.
There, Blaney and his foundation presented a $10,000 check to the Iowa chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.
Blaney started the foundation in 2018 after losing his grandfather, Lou, to Alzheimer's in 2009.
"The Alzheimer's Association has been a part of our family since my grandfather’s diagnosis around 2005," Blaney said. "Their resources and support are beneficial to millions of people, and the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation is honored to continue our partnership and support their mission."
The donation was extra special thanks to Blaney's Iowa roots: His mother is an Iowa native and his father won the Knoxville Nationals in 1997.
Blaney's uncle also competed in the Knoxville Nationals multiple times throughout his career, and his grandfather, Lou, ran 4th in the Knoxville Nationals in 1974.
Since its inception, the Ryan Blaney Family Foundation has raised and donated over $1 million to the Alzheimer's Association to grow research and strengthen support services for those in need.
Almost 7 million people in the U.S. aged 65 and older live with Alzheimer's, including more than 62,000 Iowans, the Iowa chapter said.