In the dynamic world of NASCAR, change is the only constant, and the 2023 season is proving that adage once again. The reigning champions find themselves grappling to maintain their supremacy in the face of relentless competition. JGR’s Martin Truex Jr. has emerged as the new force to reckon with, securing the regular season championship halfway through the season. Truex’s sights are now firmly set on the coveted victory at Phoenix. However, contrasting this dominance is the struggling defense of the previous champions, Team Penske. The once-commanding team is experiencing a sharp decline, with a meager triumph by the #22 Pennzoil team and Joey Logano. This single win at Atlanta underscores their struggles, leaving them far from their former glory.

Roger Penske, the team boss, candidly acknowledged their shortcomings in a revealing interview with Sirius XM NASCAR Radio. The Ford powerhouse, which was once the fastest in the pack, now finds itself humbled, as underdogs seize the spotlight on the racetrack.

Unraveling Roger Penske’s struggles amid RFK’s resurgence

2023 has unmistakably etched itself as the year of Chevy’s dominance. With Chevy drivers snatching victories left and right, faint whispers of Ford wins echo in the background, yet they don’t resonate from the Penske camp. While our 2022 champion, Joey Logano, managed to clinch a solitary victory, a triumph that secured his ticket to the playoffs, his subsequent journey has been cloaked in a shroud of muted outcomes. The question that has now taken center stage passionately dissected on the Dirty Mo Live podcast, revolves around the catalyst behind Logano’s lackluster season. An answer emerges: “It’s a Ford problem.”

But does the issue truly lie there? A sidelong glance at the RFK garage paints a different picture. The problems seem to be distinctly Penske’s. The introduction of new regulations, coupled with constraints on car development, has coerced every team back to square one. Citing this as the main issue for their struggles this year, Roger Penske admitted, “We’ve had a good year, but not the year that we want – obviously, let’s be honest with you. We’ve had people driving Fords that are better than we are.”

The crux of the matter lies in the intricate challenge posed by the new car dynamics, a sentiment Penske attested to. The underwing, the delicate balance of aerodynamics – all of these elements have posed a steep learning curve, thwarting Penske’s supremacy. However, Penske is resolute in their pursuit of excellence. Drawing inspiration from their ventures in Supercars, they’re attempting to decode the enigma posed by the evolving car design. “This car has been tricky to figure out the underwing, all the things that are different on the new car. But you know during simulations, we’re trying to get information from all we learned in Supercars and how we set those cars up in Australia and similar type vehicles.”

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Amidst the bitter pill of car development setbacks, an underdog team flaunts a Ford marvel on the asphalt. Chris Buescher’s dual conquests at Michigan and Richmond, coupled with RFK’s 1-2 triumph at the Daytona regular-season finale underline their mastery. Against the 2022 backdrop, such a resurgence seemed implausible for RFK, who battled a challenging season. However, 2023 heralds a different tale as they surge back to glory.

Once Ford powerhouses, Penske and Stewart-Haas Racing are under scrutiny

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Struggles in the NASCAR arena are not exclusive to Team Penske, as a similar narrative unfolds within the Stewart-Haas Racing camp. These two once-dominant Ford powerhouses now find themselves grappling hand-in-hand with adversity. Observing this ongoing tango of challenges, seasoned veteran Kyle Petty had some strong words for Roger Penske and Tony Stewart during a recent NASCAR on the NBC podcast.

“RFK has not been in the conversation over the last few years. I am blown away by the success of that team, [RFK Racing],” Petty asserted. He elaborated that while RFK’s accomplishments were remarkable, they weren’t as astounding as the simultaneous struggles faced by Stewart-Haas Racing and the lackluster performances of the Penske organization. Petty emphasized being blown away by “the lack of success from Stewart-Haas Racing, and the mediocre performances that we are seeing from the Penske organization.”

Petty noted that an unexpected shift seemed to be occurring, with momentum favoring the third and fourth-tier teams rather than the traditionally dominant players at the top. In a nod to Brad Keselowski’s efforts and success, Petty concluded, “So, you gotta give credit to Brad.”

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In the midst of these challenges, perhaps the only silver lining lies in Penske’s resolute words: “To me, this was just about commitment, and you know, we are not in the racing business; we are racers, and racers never give up.” These sentiments illuminate a profound love for the sport cherished by millions, where the journey of rising, falling, and ultimately resurging back to glory is an integral part of NASCAR.