Team Penske’s campaign for a spot in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Four concluded dramatically on Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, where their drivers battled fiercely but ultimately fell short of breaking through. The Team Penske Martinsville NASCAR report highlights a day marked by intense racing, shifting strategies, and a final push from Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, and Austin Cindric to keep their championship hopes alive.
Strong Start and Mid-Race Challenges for Austin Cindric
Austin Cindric launched his race from the 10th spot at Martinsville, quickly finding rhythm in the top 10 during the Xfinity 500. As the opening stage progressed, Cindric managed to hold his ground, finishing Stage 1 in 10th despite noting his car felt tight and struggling with drive. His crew executed a routine pit stop that helped him return to the track in ninth for the next segment.
Throughout Stage 2, Cindric continued to grapple with handling issues, yet maintained competitive pace as strategies shifted following a caution with fewer than 20 laps remaining in the stage. The No. 2 team chose to pit for fresh tires and fuel, moving Cindric outside the top 15 for the ensuing restart. Despite this setback, he finished Stage 2 in 17th. With most contenders pitting, Cindric’s crew opted to stay out for track position, allowing a restart from sixth at the onset of the final stage.
Cindric remained competitive with the leaders until a mid-race caution upset pit stop cycles. Unfortunately, a pit road speeding penalty relegated him to the tail of the field, and he ultimately finished the race in 15th place.
“I’m proud of the effort by everyone on this Menards/Richmond team. We had good speed and executed well for most of the race. It’s unfortunate that the speeding penalty set us back late, but we learned a lot. I’m looking forward to getting to Phoenix next weekend and finishing the season on a high note.”
– Austin Cindric, Driver
Ryan Blaney’s Determined Push Ends Just Shy of Championship Four
Ryan Blaney entered Martinsville needing a win to secure Team Penske’s spot in the Championship Four for a third straight year. Although Blaney started from 31st, his pace on the long run allowed him to climb into seventh by the end of Stage 1, signaling he would be a major contender for the remainder of the event.
During Stage 2, Blaney managed his tires to hold onto a top-10 position before climbing as high as second near the end of the segment. With 18 laps left in the stage, Blaney and other leaders pitted under caution, dropping him to 11th by the end of Stage 2, but positioning him well for the final segment. As the remainder of frontrunners pitted, Blaney cycled into second for the restart, seizing the lead on Lap 274. Over the afternoon, he would go on to lead a race-best 177 laps.
A green-flag pit cycle on lap 377, interrupted by a caution, left only seven cars on the lead lap. Blaney was among them and regained control of the race during the following restart with 111 laps remaining. As the race neared its conclusion, lapped traffic allowed William Byron, driving the No. 24, to close in. With 44 laps to go, Byron’s decisive move in turn one involved contact with Blaney’s car, shifting the lead away from the No. 12 as Blaney tried to reclaim position. A caution with 19 laps remaining set up one final pit stop, and Blaney exited the pits in second. Despite a determined effort on the final restart, he was unable to retake the top spot and finished as the runner-up.
“We just came up short. We did a good job and we got control of the race for a bit, but, gosh, [William Byron’s] car was really fast. My rears started to go away pretty big on that long run and working through lapped traffic [Byron] was able to get by me. Then he got control of the race from there and his car was really fast. I never really thought I had much for him, especially as I think it got cooler I feel like his car got even better, so he just had great rear drive and they were able to utilize it. I’m proud of our effort. I’m proud of coming from where we qualified and getting to lead and leading laps and had a shot at the win. It stinks to come up short, but I’m really proud of the effort and proud of our year.”
– Ryan Blaney, Driver
Joey Logano’s Effort Not Enough to Extend Title Defense
Joey Logano, piloting the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford, started from fourth and quickly moved into the upper echelon of contenders. Logano displayed strong pace, climbing into second by the end of Stage 1. As Stage 2 unfolded, he maintained third position before a late-segment caution influenced a strategic pit stop, causing him to finish the stage in 13th. This position enabled Logano to cycle into fourth for the last segment after other leaders pitted.
As the race progressed, Logano battled tight handling and opted for an early pit stop on lap 374. However, a subsequent caution just five laps later complicated matters, leaving all but seven competitors a lap down and forcing Logano to rejoin the lead lap via the wave around. He restarted from 14th with 111 laps to go, and after another pit stop for fresh tires on lap 397, began advancing through the field again. Following the final restart with 11 laps remaining, Logano worked his way up to an eighth-place finish, thereby marking his 13th consecutive top-10 effort at Martinsville. Despite this consistency, he too missed advancement to the season finale at Phoenix.
“We pitted in the middle of the second stage there coming to the end when everyone was flipping and all that stuff to the end of the second stage and, I don’t know, I feel like I lost control when the Hendrick cars pulled the ‘okie dokie’ in front of me and I chose the inside lane, which put me third and that’s what let [Ryan Blaney] get up there and then you just kind of get stuck in dirty air. I’m kind of kicking myself on that decision, but, outside of that, we just weren’t fast enough. That’s the bottom line. We weren’t good enough to drive back through either way, but I thought I would have had a chance if maybe I could have made that better earlier in the race.”
– Joey Logano, Driver
Tactical Decisions and On-Track Incidents Shape Team Penske Results
All three Team Penske drivers faced critical tactical calls and on-track developments at Martinsville Speedway. Pit road penalties, mid-race cautions, and the timing of green-flag stops played pivotal roles in shaping their final results. While Ryan Blaney charged from deep in the field to become a dominant presence, Austin Cindric’s chances were hampered by a late speeding penalty. Joey Logano, meanwhile, stayed consistent but found himself stuck after a late-stage decision and a field dictated by shifting pit strategies and lapped traffic.
Key figures like crew chief Jonathan Hassler, guiding Blaney’s runs, and Paul Wolfe, overseeing Logano’s campaign, were instrumental in navigating high-pressure scenarios. Additionally, William Byron’s decisive pass on Blaney was a defining moment for the championship chase and set the stage for the final weeks of the NASCAR Cup Series season.
Outlook: What Lies Ahead for Team Penske at Phoenix
With no Team Penske drivers earning a spot in the championship race, attention now turns to finishing the year positively at Phoenix Raceway. The Team Penske Martinsville NASCAR report points to lessons learned and areas for growth as the organization seeks to regroup for the next season. The upcoming race at Phoenix Raceway holds the promise of a final showcase for the team’s resilience and capability on the national stage as the NASCAR Cup Series concludes on Sunday, November 2, with live coverage set to begin at 3:00 p.m. ET.
