In NASCAR, speed on the track is only half the battle. The real game-changer? Pit stops. Just ask Denny Hamlin, whose crew snatched victory at Darlington thanks to a lightning-fast final stop. Or go to last year’s Richmond spring race, where the #11 pit crew handed Hamlin the win. These are the instances where teams create their own luck, something that the #12 team needs to learn.
These are the moments when milliseconds matter. A botched stop can tank a championship run, while a perfect one can rewrite headlines. So, when the No. 12 team starts slipping on pit road, it’s more than just a bad day. It’s a warning light flashing.
Blaney’s team sorted out the engine troubles he had for the past few races and he was oh so close to winning his first race at Darlington. But, just when he needed his pit crew the most, they couldn’t deliver the goods. Team Penske has been the class of the field in the Next Gen era with three back-to-back championships, but it seems like they’ve lost their way.
And if we are to go by Kevin Harvick’s assessment on No. 12 team’s mediocre pit stop runs, Blaney could be playing catchup for the rest of the year.
Ryan Blaney’s pit crew woes at Darlington
Ryan Blaney’s pursuit of his first victory at Darlington Raceway was thwarted by late-race pit stop issues, drawing attention to his No. 12 team’s performance. NASCAR veteran Kevin Harvick highlighted these concerns. “They [Car no 12] were ranked 35th this week in the pit crew ranking.” Harvick then emphasized the importance of pit crew efficiency, stating, “If you don’t think it’s important [pit stops], you’re not going to put yourself to be in contention to consistently win.”
Well, Harvick’s observation is spot-on. Just look at the incidents from the Darlington race. A pivotal moment occurred when a caution was triggered with just four laps remaining. This prompted the lead pack, including Ryan Blaney, to head for the pits. And guess what happened? Blaney, who had been leading, emerged from pit road in fourth place, losing critical track position. Blaney’s miseries didn’t end there.
In contrast, Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 team showcased exemplary pit performance during the same sequence. Hamlin entered pit road third and exited first, a move that secured his victory. The reason? An impressive pit time of just 9.42 seconds! “Pit crew just won the race with 11 car,” Harvick summed it up perfectly. Hamlin went on to hold the lead and crossed the line 0.597 seconds ahead of William Byron.
DAYTONA, FL – FEBRUARY 16: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #4 Busch Light #BUSCHRACETEAM Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang, fields questions from the media during Daytona 500 Media Day on February 16, 2022 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Fl. (Photo by David Rosenblum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Harvick pointed to Hendrick Motorsports as a model for proactive pit crew management, observing, “You see Hendrick be super aggressive in the changes that they made with their pit crew.” He suggested that similar decisive actions could benefit Blaney’s team. Hendrick Motorsports has made significant changes to Kyle Larson’s No. 5 pit crew ahead of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway. They replaced key members, with Jafar Hall (front tire changer), Mike Moss (rear tire changer), Allen Stallings (tire carrier), and Eric Ludwig (jackman) joining the team. Fueler Brandon Harder was the only returning member.
Addressing these pit crew inefficiencies is crucial for Blaney and Team Penske to capitalize on their on-track potential and secure consistent victories in the NASCAR Cup Series. It’s a strategy that’s paid off in clutch moments and one that Team Penske needs to consider. Because at the end of the day, Harvick put it plainly, “You can’t hide from these realities.”
Ryan Blaney’s crew chief addresses pit stop issues at Darlington
At Darlington Raceway, Ryan Blaney’s bid for victory was hampered by pit stop challenges. Crew chief Jonathan Hassler acknowledged the team’s potential but emphasized the need for consistency to win races. He stated, “The group’s perfectly capable. We’ve just got to clean it up, and we’ll be there, hopefully, sooner rather than later.”
A significant setback occurred during a pit stop when a jack malfunction cost the team valuable time. Hassler explained, “They definitely had one mistake with the jack that cost us a lot of time.” Despite a subsequent clean stop timed at 10.10 seconds, competitors were executing stops in the low 9-second range, highlighting the need for improvement.
The final pit stop saw Blaney’s team matching the time of the No. 24 car, but the advantage of pit stall one played a role. Hassler noted, “The 24, I think, we matched his time there on the last stop, but in pit stall one, you just have that advantage.” Unlike Hamlin and Byron, Blaney’s pit stall was stationed deep on the pit road, which demanded nothing but the best time to keep up with the leaders. Of course, that did not happen.
Jonathan Hassler on their almost strategy with the 12 team and the state of their over-the-wall crew pic.twitter.com/kLSQNfDvCV
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) April 6, 2025
The team’s focus now shifts to refining their pit stop procedures to ensure such errors are minimized in future races. With the Bristol race just around the corner, all eyes will be on the No. 12 crew. It’ll be interesting to see if the pit team can bounce back under pressure and give Ryan Blaney the clean stops he needs to contend. On a track where every second counts, even the smallest misstep could cost him another shot at victory.
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