At EchoPark Speedway on Sunday, Team Penske experienced a rollercoaster of fortune during the intense Autotrader 400, with standout moments and late-race setbacks shaping the outcome for drivers Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, and Joey Logano. The Team Penske NASCAR race report details the efforts and misfortunes that marked the event, showcasing both the resilience and competitive fire of the organization.
Austin Cindric’s Determined Climb Disrupted by Late-Race Chaos
Starting 30th after qualifying was cancelled due to rain, Austin Cindric’s day began in the depths of the field. He methodically worked his way toward the front, swiftly advancing through the pack with his No. 2 Autotrader Ford Mustang Dark Horse. By the conclusion of Stage 1, Cindric surged to the lead, earning a stage win and adding crucial points to his tally. Car adjustments made during the break prepped him for a renewed charge, but three cautions in Stage 2 led to shuffled strategies and tighter racing conditions. Despite his car tightening up, Cindric maintained his position inside the top 15 and finished the stage in 11th, narrowly dodging an on-track incident around him.
With less than 100 laps to go, Cindric restarted from 12th position, and a quick pit stop for fuel and fresh tires moved him into 10th. He then made another push forward, reclaiming the lead by lap 221 and racing alongside the frontrunners as the end neared. The pivotal moment for Cindric came when contact involving the No. 24 set off a multicar wreck with just a handful of laps remaining. Cindric’s strong run was cut short, and he ended the race 26th—a finish that did not reflect the poise and speed he showed throughout the day.
“We had a really fast No. 2 Autotrader Ford Mustang Dark Horse today. With no qualifying, we had to start near the back, but we fought hard and put ourselves in position there at the end of Stage 1. We made good adjustments and kept ourselves in the fight all day. It’s frustrating to have it end like that when you’re battling up front, but I’m proud of the effort from the 2 team.”
— Austin Cindric, Driver
Ryan Blaney’s Resilience Earns First Top-10 of Season
Ryan Blaney, piloting the No. 12 Menards/Dutch Boy Ford Mustang Dark Horse, began from 22nd, quickly breaking into the top 10 before Stage 1 ended. His momentum was briefly halted by a speeding penalty on pit road during a stage break, dropping him to 36th for the restart. Forced to adapt, Blaney and crew chief Jonathan Hassler adjusted their pit strategy to regain position, making notable progress through the densely packed field. Blaney pushed into eighth by the end of the second segment.
Strategic pit calls continued to shape Blaney’s race, allowing him to win the battle off pit road before rejoining on the front row. He led laps during the last quarter of the race, but contact with the No. 45 broke his rhythm, sending Blaney into the shuffle as the front runners vied for victory. During the race’s closing stages, multiple cautions set the field up for two overtime restarts, where Blaney attempted to retake the lead from the top lane. He ultimately secured 10th at the checkered flag, marking his first top-10 finish of the season and earning points for the No. 12 team.
“We had a little bit of a different strategy there in the second stage. We topped off once and then that gave us the ability to take less gas and two [tires] just to try and get some track position and we had it. We had good control of it for a while and then just lost control of it there and that was the end of it.”
— Ryan Blaney, Driver
Joey Logano Breaks Records, Battles Back from Late Trouble
Joey Logano started from the front row in the No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse and made history by leading the opening lap, setting a new record for leading at least one lap in 20 consecutive drafting track races, surpassing Richard Petty. Throughout the first 60-lap stage, Logano consistently raced near the front, finishing stage one in eighth. In Stage 2, the pack’s intense battling forced Logano to the lower lane, leaving him short on momentum and resulting in a 17th-place finish for that segment.
Resilient, Logano pushed back into the top-10 after a rapid stop for minimal fuel. Moments later, racing with 23 laps to go, contact with the No. 77 sent him spinning off the track, forcing a pit stop due to a damaged right rear tire. A late-race crash triggered by trouble for the No. 24 involved Logano in another multicar incident, necessitating multiple pits and costing him a lap. However, a timely caution allowed him to get back onto the lead lap before the last overtime attempt. Logano completed the event in 18th place after persevering through the late incidents.
“I thought we were really competitive for most of the day and had a car that could control lanes and make the runs that we needed to, especially early on. We lost some track position late in Stage 2 that set us back a bit but I’m proud of the effort from this 22 team to get us back into contention after the final fuel-only stop. I thought we were fortunate to finish after that last wreck and that’s a testament to those guys for staying with it.”
— Joey Logano, Driver
Looking Ahead: Penske Prepares for the Circuit of the Americas
Following the dramatic turns at Atlanta, Team Penske will now focus on the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series event at the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) road course. The next race is scheduled for Sunday, March 1, with coverage starting at 3:30 p.m. ET on FOX and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. The team will be eager to convert their efforts and speed into strong results on the challenging road course, aiming for redemption after the tumult of the Atlanta race.
This Team Penske NASCAR race report highlights a weekend of hard-earned gains, unforeseen losses, and unwavering persistence, with drivers and teams overcoming adversity as they look ahead to new challenges on the schedule.
