Ryan Blaney, reflecting on Team Penske’s dominance and the preparation that he believes gives the team an advantage in the Ryan Blaney NASCAR Cup Playoffs, shed light this week on what keeps him and his teammate Joey Logano contenders for the championship. The two drivers, part of an organization that has secured three consecutive NASCAR Cup Series titles, appear poised for another competitive postseason run following a commanding performance at New Hampshire.
Penske’s Consistent Success in the Playoff Era
Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano have been pivotal to Team Penske’s string of championships under the current playoff format. As close teammates, they have split the last three seasons’ titles, with Penske’s process and focus standing out. Their effort at New Hampshire, where they combined to lead over 200 laps in a 301-lap race, sent a strong signal to their competitors about Penske’s continued strength heading into the tail end of the year.
Despite some lackluster finishes early this season, Logano, especially, managed to stay high in the points standings. While his end results have recently begun to align with his performance throughout races, the underlying preparation and strategy, a hallmark of the Penske organization, are now paying off as the championship approaches.
What Gives Logano and Penske the Edge?
On the Dale Jr. Download, Ryan Blaney spoke candidly about what sets Joey Logano and his crew chief Paul Wolfe apart when playoff pressure mounts. Blaney highlighted the deliberate and methodical approach taken by Logano, Wolfe, and the entire team, especially their strategic decisions related to tire tests and race preparation. This inside look underscores why Penske drivers often peak when it matters most.
“It’s not a big surprise to me anymore. I’ve been teammates with Joey for long enough to where I know how good he is and how kind of methodical that he goes about things,”
Blaney explained.
“I know how great Paul Wolfe is, of how he goes about things and how they kind of pick and choose, like, ‘Hey, yeah, we’re going to go do this tire test.’ And they go first pick of tire test, right? In our organization, we go by kind of previous year points, right? So, he gets first pick, I got second, and then Austin. So, yeah they knew Loudon was going to be in the playoffs, they said let’s do this, and they were really able to take advantage of it.”
– Ryan Blaney, Driver
This detailed insight reveals the value of internal planning and the importance of utilizing every opportunity—such as tire tests—to collect data and gain an edge for critical races later in the season.
What’s Next as the Playoffs Draw Near?
As the Cup Series season progresses, all eyes will stay on Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano, as their teamwork and Team Penske’s strategies have established them as perennial threats. The lessons from races like New Hampshire and the choices made by key figures such as crew chief Paul Wolfe are likely to influence their approach to the upcoming playoff rounds. For rivals, the message at Loudon was clear: the level of deliberate preparation and execution within Penske poses a formidable challenge as the Ryan Blaney NASCAR Cup Playoffs approach.
With the playoffs on the horizon and Team Penske’s top drivers maintaining their resolve, the competition must quickly adapt if they hope to break the streak and prevent another Penske championship celebration at season’s end.
