Roger Penske and his manufacturing partner Ford began this season as defending champions. Team Penske‘s #22 driver, Joey Logano, won the Championship 4 race in Phoenix last season and captured an early win in Atlanta this year. However, Logano could not maintain that momentum the rest of the year and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.

This brought the burden of Penske‘s playoff ambitions onto his remaining contender, Ryan Blaney. In this crucial round of 8, the #12 driver has to survive elimination and surpass Ford rival Chris Buescher. Blaney will need all the help he can get.

Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney pose a united front for Team Penske

Like his teammate Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney marked an early triumph with the Coca-Cola 600. Unlike Logano, the #12 driver secured his Round of 8 spot with the Talladega win in the Round of 12. This resulted in Blaney becoming the lone Penske representative for this year’s title contention. But he also knows that a bundle is stronger than a single stick. Blaney stood by his teammate during his championship journey last year, and he now expects reciprocation from Logano and the #22 crew chief, Paul Wolfe.

In the pre-race interview for South Point 400, Ryan Blaney stated, “It definitely is unfortunate we don’t have more cars in the playoffs still. That gives you the best odds of your team winning the championship. But, same time for us right, I think then all the focus shifts to us. Like 22 [Joey Logano] and 2 [Austin Cindric] really helping us out, unloading the same, working on certain things to try to help us. I think a lot of that focus kind of transfers. And that’s the same with anything.

When we got knocked out in this round last year going to Phoenix, I mean it was like all focused, we’re going to do everything we can to help the 22 group. From setups to me really giving all I can to Joey and Paul you know, ‘Hey I think this was good for us in practice, you guys might want to try it and all that stuff’. And I think that’s the team camaraderie we have with us three drivers and crew chiefs and I think that’s positive. That’s what a big team is for when you find yourself in this situation.”

Watch this story: Blaney Triumphs Over Harvick in Thrilling YellaWood 500

After all, Roger Penske cannot afford to let Ford stray away from Team Penske.

Will Ryan Blaney emerge victorious in the Round of 8 battle of Ford vs. Ford?

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When Penske’s Cup drivers faltered after their initial wins and Stewart-Haas Racing had a particularly disappointing year, Ford turned its attention toward Brad Keselowski’s revived RFK Racing. The end of the regular season belonged to the #17 Ford Mustang driver, Chris Buescher. With 3 wins and 8 Top 5 finishes, Buescher outperformed Blaney’s 2 wins and 5 Top 5 finishes this season.

Even in the first two playoff rounds, the RFK Racing driver had an average finish of 12.3 and currently sits 3 points below the cutoff line. At the bottom, sitting 10 points below the cutoff, the Penske driver had an average finish of 14 in the 6 playoff races. But the Round of 8 brings an excellent opportunity for Blaney’s redemption in the eyes of Ford. Ryan Blaney has recorded 8 Top 10 finishes in Las Vegas as opposed to Buescher’s one.

Roger Penske’s Team Redefine Themselves After Opportunistic Tendencies Pull Them Through

They have similar track records in Homestead, with Blaney having an edge with a Top 5 and Top 10 finish, and Buescher’s best-ever finish being P13. And finally, Martinsville, where Blaney tops with an average finish of 9.5 among all competing Cup drivers. It was time for Ryan Blaney to draw from these track experiences and redirect Ford’s interest in Roger Penske’s championship-worthy team.