If there is any group in the garage that screams unity, it is Team Penske! And Ryan Blaney couldn’t hold back his praise for the team, calling them “one big group” and saying that they are “better than any group.” Unlike Joe Gibbs, who faced criticism for staying on the sidelines during the Hamlin-Gibbs fallout at New Hampshire—raising questions about his leadership—Roger Penske runs his camp noticeably differently. Amid the high level of trust, Blaney has also opened up about the Bossman’s role in shaping the team’s culture.

Ryan Blaney has long emphasized the importance of maintaining strong relationships among teammates. He believes in mending fences after conflict and stresses that racing teammates cleanly is crucial for the team’s success. And it is all thanks to the environment that Roger Penske has created for his three Cup Series drivers.

Speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR radio, Ryan Blaney said, “I feel like we’ve always kind of had a, kind of a, not an unwritten rule, but just a certain understanding of when your teammates are around you and kind of what’s, what’s the procedure. You know, Roger has never once ever had a team orders type thing. He’s not that type of person.”

In recent years, Penske has turned the NASCAR playoffs into their personal stage. Take the 2024 Phoenix finale, for example: even during intense battles between Joey Logano, who finished first, securing his third Cup Series title, and Blaney, who finished second, they raced each other respectfully without causing incidents.

Ryan Blaney reflects on the Loudon run, where the JGR teammates had clashed and Penske had dominated. He said, “Like, if you’re running one-two, make sure you finish one-two. And that is what’s expected. Like, great example was New Hampshire. Joey and I raced super hard for the lead at multiple points. Never touched each other. We raced really hard because we knew what it was for, but we never made contact, you know.”

With no particular team orders in place, a simple “don’t wreck each other” is captured so beautifully in New Hampshire. Joey Logano and Blaney combined to lead a whopping 263 out of 301 laps and showed solid teamwork. Logano swept up the Stage 2 win and settled for fourth, while Blaney got the Stage 1 win and managed to lift the lobster at the end of the race.

But it’s not just about the headline champions. The late race duel between Blaney and Team Penske affiliate Josh Berry perfectly illustrated what clean, respectful teammate racing looks like. “I was going to race him hard but clean,” Berry said after the race, underscoring the strong communication and trust that defines Roger Penske‘s team.

Blaney dropped the last expectation that Roger had of the team: “Go 110%, but you know, probably not gonna see contact between because you don’t want to take the chance of spinning somebody around and have an opportunity for neither of you to win the race. So, that’s just what we’ve always kind of had in our minds. And that’s what Roger expects us. Roger expects us to go win the race, but be smart doing it, especially when it’s your teammate.”

With momentum and trust on its side, Penske looks unbeatable this season. While Ryan Blaney has soared through the Round of 12 with his Loudon win, securing a spot in the Round of 8 despite his horrible run at Kansas, his teammate Joey Logano and Austin Cindric face a different challenge altogether as the Cup garage heads to the final race of the Round of 12.

Penske teammates are on thin ice amid the Round of 8 fight

Logano, the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion, heads into the Charlotte Roval with everything on the line. Even though Ryan Blaney has come to his teammates’ defense in the title hunt, the playoff field is tightening. Every lap counts, and the spotlight is on the 35-year-old to navigate a high-stakes scenario that has fans and analysts buzzing.

At Kansas Speedway, the No. 22 driver crossed the finish line 21st, while Chase Briscoe of Joe Gibbs Racing grabbed a solid fourth. Despite these mixed results, both drivers still carry a point cushion into the Round of 12 elimination race at Charlotte Motor Speedway’s road course. But with margins thin, there is little room for error; clean, smart racing will be essential to dodge a shocking playoff exit.

Moreover, Austin Cindric is in a challenging position in the NASCAR playoffs. He currently stands at 12 in the Round of 12 standings, 48 points below the cut-off line, which places him among the four drivers at risk of elimination after the upcoming race at Charlotte.

FOX Sports journalist Bob Pockrass broke down the numbers. Briscoe needs 49 more points to lock in his advancement, sitting 21 points above the cut line. However, Logano’s margin is tight, just 13 points clear, meaning he will need to score over 50 points to cement his spot among the semifinalists.

Sunday’s Bank of America Roval 400 promises drama at every turn. Charlotte’s road course is infamous for technical twists and turns, ready to shuffle the playoff field and throw unexpected challenges at even the most seasoned drivers. For the three-time Cup Series champion and Austin Cindric, it is do-or-die time.