- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Darlington Today
By the People, for the People
Ryan Blaney Completes NASCAR-IndyCar Sweep at Phoenix
Team Penske driver overcomes early mistakes to hold off rivals and win at Phoenix Raceway
Published on Mar. 8, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Ryan Blaney, driving for Team Penske, won the NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway, completing a NASCAR-IndyCar sweep for the organization after Josef Newgarden's victory the previous day. Blaney had to overcome some early mistakes and come from the back of the field multiple times, but he was able to take the lead late and hold off the competition to claim the victory.
Why it matters
This win is significant for Team Penske, as it demonstrates the organization's strength across both NASCAR and IndyCar racing. The ability to win major events in both series is a testament to Penske's depth of talent and resources. Additionally, the Phoenix race is an important event on the NASCAR calendar, as it serves as a precursor to the championship-deciding race later in the season.
The details
Blaney said the key to his victory was "perseverance" as his team made adjustments throughout the day to overcome some early issues. He noted that rival driver Christopher Bell had the best car, but Blaney's crew chief Jonathan Hassler made a great call to take just two tires on a late pit stop, allowing Blaney to take the lead and hold on for the win.
- The race took place on March 8, 2026 at Phoenix Raceway.
The players
Ryan Blaney
The winning driver for Team Penske, who completed a NASCAR-IndyCar sweep at Phoenix Raceway.
Jonathan Hassler
The crew chief for Ryan Blaney's No. 12 team, who made a key strategic call late in the race to help Blaney secure the victory.
Roger Penske
The owner of Team Penske, which won both the NASCAR and IndyCar races at Phoenix over the weekend.
Christopher Bell
A rival driver who Blaney said had the best car, but was unable to hold off Blaney's late charge to the win.
Josef Newgarden
The Team Penske IndyCar driver who won the race at Phoenix the previous day, completing the NASCAR-IndyCar sweep for the organization.
What they’re saying
“Perseverance. Everybody on the 12 group persevered all day. We had a couple of mistakes that we learned from and got better. I had to come from the back a couple of times. Honestly, (Christopher Bell had) the best car. (Crew chief) Jonathan (Hassler) made a great call to take two (tires). We were able to get the lead and just hold them off. I don't know how many more laps to hold them off. We were able to do that. Really proud of everybody at Team Penske. So cool we swept the weekend. (Josef) Newgarden winning yesterday, us winning today. Can't wait to see Roger (Penske). It's cool to win here again, especially after a day like that.”
— Ryan Blaney, Race Winner (nbcsports.com)
What’s next
The next major NASCAR event is the race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, where Blaney and the rest of the field will look to continue their strong starts to the 2026 season.
The takeaway
Team Penske's ability to win major events in both NASCAR and IndyCar demonstrates the organization's depth of talent and resources. Blaney's perseverance and his crew chief's strategic call were key factors in the victory, which will provide momentum heading into the next race at Las Vegas.
