Races are won and lost on the pit road. Roger Penske’s team has dominated NASCAR in the Next-Gen era, and a team of such stature is expected to perform flawlessly on the pit road. However, if the 2025 campaign is anything to go by, pit stop execution has been somewhat of an Achilles’ heel for them. Austin Cindric, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, and even Wood Brothers Racing’s Josh Berry, whose team has a technical alliance with Team Penske, have been struggling with their pit crews, a concerning trend for the side.

This vulnerability is already costing Team Penske valuable track positions, and in some cases, even race wins. With only Austin Cindric entering Victory Lane so far, things need to change for Roger Penske’s team if they aim to defend their three-peat. Recently, a visual representation of Penske’s pit crew struggles has surfaced, and it paints a grim picture.

Roger Penske needs to take drastic action

Team Penske’s struggles can be summed up by the race in Darlington. Ryan Blaney was all set to secure a triumph until a late caution forced him to go into the pit road for a critical stop. Unfortunately, the No. 12 crew stumbled at the worst time possible, allowing Denny Hamlin to pounce on the opportunity. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran went on to win the race with a blistering 8.42-second pit stop, while Blaney was relegated to 5th, a finish that didn’t do justice to how well he performed on that day.

NASCAR is a sport defined by fine margins, where performing well on the pit road is no longer optional, but a prerequisite to being competitive. Unfortunately, the statistics don’t paint a pretty picture, as all three of Roger Penske’s drivers seem to be suffering in the same area.

A graphic by Auto Racing Analytics revealed that despite dominating defending, passing, inter-track, and long run speed, the Team Penske drivers and Josh Berry are employing a struggling pit crew. Penske drivers have also been struggling on race restarts, and this would stem as a consequence of a slower pit stop.

Josh Berry has been the best among the four Fords on restarts, while Cindric has been the worst, yet these are the only two drivers to pick up a win so far! The stats are puzzling, but one thing is clear: the championship-winning organization needs change, and their season summary so far is far from their lofty standards.

Roger Penske’s team has won the last three Cup Series titles. However, even though 10 races have passed, the likes of (#12) Ryan Blaney and (#22) Joey Logano have yet to taste a victory, with the #22 even unable to get a single top-5 finish. The No. 12 driver has even led 198 laps and secured three top-five finishes, but has an average finish of 18.7! In light of this, Team Penske made immediate changes.

Front tire changer, Skip Flores, a respected veteran and co-host of the Stacking Pennies podcast, was replaced ahead of the Talladega race. Keiston France, who had been working with Zane Smith at Front Row Motorsports, was moved to the No. 12 team instead. The pit crew shake-up was only possible because of a technical alliance between the two teams, and time will tell if it pays dividends. 

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Could Team Penske learn from Bubba Wallace’s crew?

Roger Penske’s team doesn’t have to look too far to find answers. 23XI Racing’s team, led by Bubba Wallace, has already proven how a pit crew transformation can take place. The No. 23 crew underwent a significant overhaul during the offseason, which resulted in the departure of crew chief Bootie Barker for Charles Denike from the Truck Series. His influence has been instant, completely changing the narrative about a crew that used to make headlines for all the wrong reasons.

During the Straight Talk Wireless 400, Wallace’s team executed an 8.22-second pit stop, tying them with Joe Gibbs Racing for the second-fastest stop in NASCAR history. Such figures were impossible a year ago, as the No. 23 crew was subjected to plenty of mockery for their inconsistency on pit road. The inclusion of Jon Carvin, a former Hendrick Motorsports pit crew coach, has changed their fortunes, making them one of the fastest crews in the sport.

23XI Racing’s improvement is something Roger Penske’s team can take notes about. Hiring the right personnel, making them accountable for results, and developing chemistry between the pit crew is key to going from underperformers to overachievers. Swapping one crew member might not do the trick, especially if all the drivers seem to be struggling in the same area this year.