For most of the summer, Team Penske looked quiet, almost too quiet. But as the NASCAR season hits its final stretch, something has shifted. Their drivers aren’t just showing up, they’re showing out, especially on the short tracks that matter most. With Richmond’s top-five sweep and playoff-heavy circuits like Phoenix and Martinsville on the horizon, even insiders are buzzing about the team’s momentum.
After weeks of mediocre performance, drivers Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and Austin Cindric gave a collective statement of strength when Team Penske put all three of their vehicles in the top five at Richmond’s Cook Out 400 on August 16, 2025. “We work hard at this place, so hopefully we learned some stuff going forward,” Ryan Blaney said post-race. That performance marked the beginning of something bigger.
Team Penske’s short-track revival signals NASCAR playoff threat
According to motorsports journalist Jeff Gluck on ‘The Teardown’ podcast, Penske has recently regained its prominence on the kinds of tracks that have long been its niche, such as New Hampshire, Martinsville, and Phoenix.
“Team Penske, finishing with all three cars in the top five. Plus, Josh Berry finished eighth. This is very scary for the field because this is exactly the kind of track. Penske has been a non-factor for much of the summer. Now, all of a sudden, they return to one of these tracks that is their bread and butter,” Gluck said.
The success of Team Penske at those tracks is firmly based on performance, not speculation. The NASCAR gallery of Penske’s Cup-level victories shows that the team has won at least four times in New Hampshire: in 1993, 2008, 2014, and 2020. Brad Keselowski won in both 2014 and 2020, adding to the team’s strong track record at the venue.
However, Keselowski now drives for RFK Racing and hasn’t yet secured a playoff spot this season. Still, as we’re talking about Penske, the spotlight remains on their impressive resurgence on short tracks.
Martinsville has historically benefited from Penske’s strengths due to its streamlined, short track configuration. Penske’s long-term dominance on the challenging paperclip course was cemented in 1991 and 2004 when Rusty Wallace claimed the checkered flag there. Ryan Blaney’s clutch victory at Martinsville in late 2024 is the recent feather to the cap.
The team’s success at Phoenix exceeds the championship level. In a commanding 1-2 result for them at the Phoenix finale, Joey Logano secured his third NASCAR Cup Series title in 2024, demonstrating the organization’s superiority on flat, concrete-oval pavements.
Team Penske’s historic comfort on these tracks is built on proven results. Martinsville and Phoenix are both playoff venues this year. “Oh, it just so happens now that New Hampshire, it’s not just the July race, it’s in the playoffs. And then of course you have Martinsville and Phoenix, these similar style tracks that they’re so good at,” he added.
Also noting that, meanwhile, Hendrick Motorsports, whose drivers occupy the top standing, has displayed uncharacteristic inconsistency on these flat circuits. “By the way, you know who struggles there at those style tracks? Hendrick Motorsports,” Jeff Gluck said.
In 2024, at the “Fantasy Fastlane,” New Hampshire was a weak link for Hendrick, with William Byron failing to record a single top-10 in six starts there, and the last Hendrick win at the track was by Kasey Kahne in July 2012. That vulnerability contrasts starkly with Penske’s renewed traction.
Collectively, Team Penske’s late-season surge sends a clear warning that these tracks could spark their playoff comeback. Meanwhile, another driver quietly made his own statement at Richmond. That performance came from Josh Berry, whose consistency on short tracks is starting to turn heads.
Josh Berry’s Richmond top-10 restores momentum ahead of NASCAR playoffs
At Richmond Raceway on August 16, 2025, Josh Berry piloted his machine to an eighth-place finish, completing all 400 laps and finishing 14.063 seconds behind the winner, Austin Dillon.
“It was an up-and-down day. I thought we did a really good job managing everything, but we would have liked to have been a little bit better. We just struggled with the balance a little bit. It got better in the second half for sure, but I would have liked to have been a little bit better towards the end, but all in all, a really good job for these 21 guys,” Berry told SpeedwayMedia.
Berry’s eighth-place finish was gained by his unwavering consistency; he maintained the lead lap the entire time, handled the pit stops with care, and took advantage of drivers who had late-race problems to produce one of his best performances of the season. “Tonight is what we’re capable of. We know that going into the playoffs, so it’s nice to have a solid run and, like I said, we’ll go to Daytona and get ready for the playoffs after that,” he added.
The performance is not an unusual instance. On courses that resemble playoff settings, Berry has already shown his resolve. He won the 2021 Cook Out 250 at Martinsville Speedway, his maiden NASCAR Xfinity Series race. He led a race-high 95 laps to win, demonstrating his ability to perform well under pressure at one of NASCAR’s most difficult short courses.
Driving for Stewart-Haas but competing against Penske machines, Josh Berry secured third place in the 2024 USA Today 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Especially after achieving two consecutive top-seven finishes, including two top-five regular-season finishes at Darlington and New Hampshire. Earlier in 2025, Berry recorded a strong fourth-place finish at Phoenix Raceway. Berry’s speed on such flat tracks showed off moments of brilliance.
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