Ryan Blaney has long been a strong competitor at Texas Motor Speedway, known for his speed and consistency on the challenging 1.5-mile oval. Over the years, he has delivered impressive performances, including a thrilling victory in the 2022 NASCAR All-Star Race and multiple top-10 finishes in points-paying events. Blaney’s ability to lead laps and stay in contention has made him a favorite among fans and a serious threat to his rivals whenever the Cup Series visits Texas. However, 2025 has been a misery-filled season for the Team Penske #12.

After 3 DNFs within the first 10 races and a sure-shot win at Darlington stifled by a slow pit stop, fans were anxious when Ryan Blaney took the lead at the Wurth 400. What could go wrong this time? Well, nothing went as badly as before, but the result left Blaney with a sour taste in his mouth. He wanted more out of Texas. In the aftermath, Blaney candidly reflected on his performance, offering a rare and honest assessment of where things went wrong.

Ryan Blaney blames himself

Ryan Blaney’s Texas race was a rollercoaster of speed, strategy, and ultimately, disappointment. The Team Penske driver looked strong after overcoming adversity early on in the race. On Lap 22, Blaney accrued a speeding penalty on pit road that sent him to the back of the grid. But that didn’t demotivate the driver, who has arguably been the best passer this season. Blaney methodically worked his way up the field and was in the top 10 by Lap 139.

The closing stages at Texas saw a slew of lead changes as cautions started to pile up, shuffling the field. A total of  12 cautions were seen at Texas, and one restart late in stage 2 saw Blaney poised perfectly to take the lead. Kyle Larson led the most laps on the day with 90, but after he faded in stage 2, it was Michael McDowell and Ryan Blaney on the front row during a late race restart. The inside lane was working well for Larson while he led the race, and Blaney, who normally had the outside lane, decided to go against his tactics. A decision that eventually cost him the race.

Blaney explained the pivotal moment in his post-race interview: “The one time I didn’t pick the outside, the 71 [Michael McDowell] gets the lead, and then I couldn’t get it back. Just a driver making dumb decisions and not doing his job.” With less than 10 laps to go, Blaney chose the inside lane for a restart, hoping to defend his position. Instead, Michael McDowell’s No. 71 surged ahead, snatching the lead and putting Blaney on the back foot. That move set off a chain reaction. Joey Logano capitalized on the shuffle and overtook Blaney as he hunted McDowell. Then, as Logano took the lead, McDowell spun out and put Blaney beside Logano on the final restart. With Logano taking the outside lane, he cruised to victory.

Blaney had to settle for a third-place finish after getting overtaken by Ross Chastain in overtime. Not the result he would have wanted after serving every wreck and working his way up from as low as 34th place in the field.

Blaney’s frustration was palpable. “Just can’t do nothing right currently,” he admitted. This sentiment echoes a tough 2025 season so far. Blaney has shown speed. He has four top-10s and three top-5s in ten races. But the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series champion hasn’t managed a win yet and has suffered from misfortune, including two engine failures earlier in the year.

The Texas result was another near-miss in a string of races where execution or luck slipped away at the worst moment. “Hopefully, it will work itself out,” he concluded, his voice tinged with equal parts hope and weariness. As the series heads to Kansas, Blaney and his team will look to regroup and turn their speed into a much-needed victory. Can Blaney shake off the frustration and finally capitalize on his fast cars? Or will the string of “dumb decisions” continue to haunt his 2025 campaign?

While the Team Penske #12 licked its wounds, the #22 was basking in glory.

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Joey Logano surges from 27th to win wild Texas overtime finish

Contrary to Ryan Blaney’s performance, Joey Logano turned a tough start into triumph at Texas Motor Speedway. Starting 27th, Logano worked his way through the field, staying patient while others faltered in a race marked by 12 cautions and relentless restarts. This is Logano’s first victory in the 2025 season, which was long overdue.

Logano’s breakthrough moment came in the closing laps. As the race headed into overtime after Michael McDowell crashed out of the lead. Logano lined up on the inside of his teammate Ryan Blaney for the final restart. With a bold move on the backstretch, Logano surged past the crowd and never looked back. Logano finished 0.346 seconds ahead of Ross Chastain, with Blaney, Kyle Larson, and Erik Jones rounding out the top five.

The win was especially sweet for Logano, who had struggled for results early in 2025 and had yet to record a top-five finish before Texas. “We just grinded it. Just keep grinding a couple here and a couple there, and eventually get a win here. It’s nice to get one. Real nice,” Logano said after the race.

With the Texas victory, Logano not only reversed his season’s fortunes but also gave Team Penske back-to-back Cup wins. However, teammate Ryan Blaney missing out on the win added a bittersweet edge to the celebration. Now, with momentum finally on his side, the multi-Cup champion heads to Kansas with renewed confidence and the kind of swagger that only a win can provide.

Do you think Ryan Blaney can make it three in a row for Penske at Kansas and redeem himself next Sunday? Let us know in the comments!