“Every day, I like getting up because there is another challenge.” That quote from Roger Penske pretty much sums up why his empire is still thriving after six decades of turning wrenches and rewriting record books. Team Penske isn’t just a motorsports team. It’s a machine built on method, not mayhem. From the Indy 500 to the NASCAR Cup Series, Penske’s legacy is fueled by precision and a no-nonsense approach to solving problems fast.
But even the best-built machines hit rough patches. And let’s be honest. 2025 didn’t exactly start with a victory lap for Penske’s NASCAR lineup. The slump was real. Yet now, something’s shifted. The storm has finally broken. And at the center of this turnaround? A driver who knows a thing or two about rising when it counts most: Joey Logano.
Joey Logano and Team Penske flip the script in 2025
Things changed fast for Team Penske. Logano snapped a win at Texas right after Austin Cindric’s at the ‘Dega. The turnaround wasn’t just noise. It came after weeks of speed without results. Ryan Blaney, Austin Cindric, and Joey Logano all sat in the top 5 for laps led, but none had a win until Talladega. Cindric and Logano going back-to-back highlight Penske’s fighting spirit, and Joey Logano explained how it comes through.
In 2024, Team Penske has started slow, often struggling to find early momentum. Their first win was not until June at Gateway, where Austin Cindric finally made Victory Lane. However, they never looked back from there. Two races later, Blaney won at Iowa, and a couple of races after that, Logano clinched a quintuple overtime victory at Nashville, locking all three drivers into the playoffs. So, how does Team Penske do this?
As is tradition, Logano appeared on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour after his win in Texas to decode Penske’s turnaround. Harvick noted Penske’s struggles at the start of the recent seasons, saying, “The Penske group has kind of gotten off to a slow start the last few years. You’ve won two weeks in a row now. You’ve been in contention.” Joey Logano credits their turnaround to their mindset while facing a setback. “The simple answer to me is that we’re a process-driven organization.” He explained, “When there is an issue, there is a process of figuring it out, and then we will start a new process. How do we make sure this doesn’t happen again?”
NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Practice Feb 12, 2025 Daytona Beach, Florida, USA NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano 22 during practice for the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Daytona Beach Daytona International Speedway Florida USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xMarkxJ.xRebilasx 20250212_mjr_su5_010
Team Penske’s approach is what sets them apart from other teams. Despite setbacks like Logano’s DQ at Talladega, the #22 emphasized that Penske just focuses on what they can do to improve, rather than lament mistakes from the past. Joey Logano added, “It’s very disciplined… an engineering process mind. I think that’s where our advantage is. There’s not much emotion. It’s just kind of what the facts are. Let’s work through it.” From facing multiple setbacks on pit road to engine failures and disqualifications, two of Penske’s cars are already locked into the playoffs. And even the third driver, Ryan Blaney, has arguably been the best of the lot, but has not cracked victory lane yet.
Blaney has had speed, passed more cars than anyone this season, and has put himself in positions to win multiple times, like Texas recently and Darlington a few weeks back. A bad restart at Texas and a slow pit stop at Darlington are what cost him the race. So, now that Penske has solved the issues with Cindric and Logano, it’s about time Blaney enters victory lane, and Roger Penske will certainly be hoping to make it three in a row at Kansas next week.
Team Penske heads to Kansas as Blaney seeks first win
Team Penske heads to Kansas Speedway for the AdventHealth 400 with momentum and questions. Joey Logano snapped his winless streak at Texas, locking himself into the playoffs and signaling a turnaround for the organization. Austin Cindric, already a race winner this season at Talladega, has shown speed and consistency, continuing his growth after a career-best 2024 campaign.
Ryan Blaney, the 2023 champion, remains the biggest question mark. Despite leading 200 laps and earning four top-five finishes in 11 starts, he has yet to win a race this year. Blaney’s average finish sits at 17.3, and he’s suffered four DNFs, which have hampered his points total and consistency. He currently ranks seventh in points with five top-10s and one pole.
After giving up the lead to Michael McDowell late in the Texas race, Blaney was distraught at himself, saying, “The one time I didn’t pick the outside (lane), the 71 (McDowell) got the lead and then I couldn’t get it back. Just (the) driver making dumb decisions and not doing his job … The 12 car was a fast car today. I just can’t do anything right currently. Hopefully it will work itself out.”
With Penske’s process-driven approach and recent momentum, Kansas could provide the breakthrough Blaney needs to get his first win of 2025. Will he finally convert speed into victory, or will his winless streak continue as the season intensifies? All eyes will be on the No. 12 Ford as the team looks to keep their resurgence rolling.
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