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Bristol Today
By the People, for the People
Former Blaney Tire Changer Calls for Changes to No. 12 Pit Crew
Skip Flores says the team's repeated pit road mistakes are hurting Blaney's chances to win races.
Apr. 14, 2026 at 5:26pm
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Pit road mistakes continue to undermine Blaney's championship aspirations despite his car's speed.Bristol TodayRyan Blaney has had a strong start to the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series season, but his pit crew has struggled mightily, costing him valuable track position. Former Blaney tire changer Skip Flores, who now hosts the 'Stacking Pennies' podcast, is calling for changes to the No. 12 team's pit crew after their latest mistake at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Why it matters
Pit road performance is crucial in NASCAR, and Blaney's pit crew issues have been a constant thorn in his side. If the team can't fix these problems, it could prevent Blaney from contending for wins and the championship despite having one of the fastest cars on the track.
The details
At Bristol, Blaney qualified on the pole and was running second in Stage 2 before a slow pit stop dropped him five positions ahead of the Stage 3 restart. Blaney would go on to finish second to Ty Gibbs. Flores, who was replaced as Blaney's tire changer last year, said the team has 'zero confidence' on pit road right now and that 'something's gotta change' if the issues continue.
- Blaney has lost 86 spots on pit road this season, 30 more than the next closest driver.
- Flores was replaced as Blaney's tire changer last year, the race at Bristol being the one where he was let go.
The players
Ryan Blaney
NASCAR Cup Series driver for Team Penske, currently second in the points standings.
Skip Flores
Former tire changer for Blaney's No. 12 team who now hosts the 'Stacking Pennies' podcast.
Ty Gibbs
NASCAR Cup Series driver who won the race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
What they’re saying
“Now look, they have zero confidence. They're gonna have zero confidence. The one thing they did this week — yes, they lost a bunch of spots — but they kept them in race. Look, it's gotta get better. We can't hide from it anymore, we can't fluff it, it's gotta get better. You cannot be continually 20th, 25th on speed on the day, especially in the first pit stall.”
— Skip Flores, Former Blaney Tire Changer
“But when you're pitting from the lead, and you're going out sixth, there's gotta be something that changes. When I got pulled off of that car last year, we were way better than they are right now. At this race last year — this is the race I got replaced in last year — we were sixth overall on the day. … There comes a point where it's 'OK, we've given you guys enough runway. Something's gotta change.'”
— Skip Flores, Former Blaney Tire Changer
What’s next
Blaney and his team will look to bounce back at the next race, where they will hope to avoid further pit road issues that have plagued them so far this season.
The takeaway
Blaney has shown he has one of the fastest cars in the Cup Series, but his pit crew's struggles have prevented him from capitalizing on that speed. If the No. 12 team can't fix their pit road woes, it could cost Blaney a chance at the championship despite his strong on-track performance.