First Chevrolet showcased the all-electric Blazer EV SS as the pace car at the Daytona 500. And then a fan visiting Team Penske’s race shop spotted an electric car parked between Joey Logano and Austin Cindric’s Cup cars. It didn’t make a sound. But it made a lot of noise online.

It looks like one of NASCAR’s longest-serving manufacturers is heading towards a transformative new chapter in its racing and production future. Even Roger Penske himself has been candid about his vision for NASCAR’s future. “I think the hybrid formula seems to be something that will make a lot of sense as we go forward because we’ve been seeing electrification kind of slow down here lately,” he had said back in 2023. While Penske acknowledges the current technological and infrastructural limitations of all-electric race cars, his vision lies in balancing the sport’s heritage.

Ford to invest billions in its ‘Next Model T Moment’

Ford has recently announced, as per Adam Stern on X, that it will pour a staggering $5 billion into U.S. electric vehicle production. A news that is being hailed as the company’s “next Model T moment.”

Doug Field, Ford’s chief EV digital and design officer, dropped this powerful line, drawing a direct parallel to Ford’s revolutionary launch of the Model T over a century ago.

Back in 1908, the Model T transformed the automobile from a luxury item into an affordable necessity, reshaping the entire transportation industry and American society. Now, Ford is betting that its new generation of electric vehicles, with cutting-edge battery tech and streamlined production lines, will do the same for the EV era, making electric cars accessible and mainstream, just like the Model T did for gas-powered cars. This isn’t just business as usual; it’s a full-on revolution aimed at reshaping how Americans drive, and potentially how motorsports like NASCAR evolve too.

At the core of Ford’s ambitious plan is a radical redesign of its assembly line, moving away from the traditional straight-line setup pioneered by Henry Ford himself in 1913. The new “tree layout,” as Ford describes it, is designed to feed vehicle parts into each other in multiple streams, speeding up production while reducing costs and physical strain on workers.

What does all this mean for NASCAR? With Ford going full throttle on EVs and NASCAR showing off its first all-electric prototype at the 2024 Chicago Street Race, the electric future isn’t something fans can just wave off anymore. Maybe it’s time to really understand what the EV debate is all about. So, we sat down with NASCAR’s official EV partner — ABB’s VP, Chris Shigas — to talk about the bigger picture. Shigas shared how this shift isn’t about replacing the heart and soul of the sport, but about building a future where racing and sustainability can ride side by side.

While Ford’s electric ambitions may be reshaping the horizon, drivers’ performance at the Ford garage at Watkins Glen was a reminder that speed, strategy, and grit still define the sport.

Ryan Blaney leads the way 

Ford made its presence felt at Watkins Glen in 2025, with Ryan Blaney leading the charge. Blaney set the tone by earning the pole position his first at The Glen and the 150th Cup Series pole for Team Penske after narrowly edging out road course ace Shane van Gisbergen.

Starting from the front, Blaney held his own against some of the sport’s most formidable road racers, securing a Stage 2 victory and keeping the No. 12 Ford in contention throughout the afternoon. Despite a tight-handling car in the closing laps, he crossed the line in sixth on Sunday, marking another strong performance in his push toward the playoffs.

Blaney was candid about his road course craft, even after bypassing one of the series’ most dominant specialists for the top starting spot. “I’m pretty average road racer, honestly,” he admitted. “And I work really hard to try to get better at it and try to figure out ways to be better.” This run reflected that Ford is competitive, and blending improved pace with strategic execution is what keeps making the sport better.

While other Penske Fords, Joey Logano and Austin Cindric finished 14th and 16th, respectively, Blaney’s pole win, stage victory, and top-10 finish highlighted the OEM’s competitive edge on one of the season’s most challenging circuits.