Blaney's Pit Crew Struggles Threaten Penske's Title Hopes

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Ryan Blaney has been one of the top drivers in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, ranking second in the championship standings. However, his pit crew has struggled mightily, losing a net 88 positions on pit road through the opening eight races - 31 more than any other team. While Blaney has been able to overcome these issues and finish inside the top three in the races where his pit crew made major errors, Team Penske may not be able to tolerate the subpar pit stops for much longer as the focus shifts to consistency and accumulating points under the new Chase for the Cup format.

Why it matters

Blaney's pit crew struggles threaten to undermine his and Team Penske's championship aspirations. With the new emphasis on accumulating points throughout the regular season under the Chase for the Cup format, Blaney's inability to maximize his finishes due to poor pit stops could prove costly in the long run, especially at tracks like Kansas Speedway where he has historically struggled.

The details

Through the first eight races of the 2026 season, Blaney's No. 12 pit crew has lost a net 88 positions on pit road, 31 more than any other team. This has forced Blaney to fight back from poor track position to finish inside the top three in the three races where his pit crew made major errors. However, Team Penske may not be able to tolerate these issues for much longer, as the focus shifts to consistency and accumulating points under the new Chase for the Cup format.

• After 8 races in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season
• This weekend, the series heads to Kansas Speedway

What’s next

This weekend, the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Kansas Speedway, a track where Blaney has had up-and-down results throughout his career. If Blaney and the No. 12 team are going to keep moving in a positive direction this weekend, the pit crew is likely going to have to perform better.