Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney won a hard-fought victory at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday. It was his third win of the season and firmly cemented his place in the Cup Series playoffs, Round of 8. As is tradition at the Magic Mile, he was awarded a lobster as a prize from the track management.
Jubilant at the proceedings, he chose to wash the success down with a glass, or rather bottle, of Ten Runner, the bourbon whiskey brand that he recently introduced to the world. Blaney had worked on the brand for nearly two years before lifting the covers on it last month.
He considers the name an ode to his family’s history with the No. 10 and to the moonshine runners who shaped stock car racing. It is only fitting that he took a few many sips of it after what was a truly memorable race in his career and boasted about it on X.
Gotta say, @TenRunner and lobster is a solid pairing. 😜 pic.twitter.com/SBfgaBZ29G
— Ryan Blaney (@Blaney) September 23, 2025
Ten Runner’s character was shaped by the driver working closely with a veteran distiller. It is bottled at 103 proof, meaning it is 51.5% ABV, and is crafted from a mix of Kentucky straight bourbons. Interestingly, a bottle of the whiskey had even quickly found its way to the inside of his No. 12 Ford Mustang in Victory Lane.
What happens to the real lobster?
By procedure, the real lobster, called Loudon, is sent to the Makris Lobster and Steakhouse to be cooked once it is done posing for photographs at the track. The meat is frozen and sent to wherever the winning team is. The shell is then sent to a taxidermist to restore it and make it look as it was before being cooked.
Once restored, it is kept on display at the track for a few months before being sent to the winning driver. Many enjoy the idea of being given a lobster as a trophy. But there are some who aren’t fond of it as well.
For instance, Denny Hamlin said after winning a race at New Hampshire in 2017, “I’m not going to do anything with it. I’ve seen it and touched it for the last time. I have a lobster phobia. I just don’t like them. Can’t look at it. So as far as I’m concerned, they need to put it back in the water and let it live.”
Christopher Bell had won at New Hampshire in 2024. Just before Sunday’s race, following a press conference, the track president awarded him the restored lobster that he was due. Although reluctant about the concept in earlier years, he received the trophy with a smile on his face.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Sep 23, 2025, where it first appeared in the Racing section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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