"I'd hate to bet against him": NASCAR legends Richard Petty and Dale Inman tip Ryan Blaney as title favorite after a dominant Loudon run

Ryan Blaney won his third race of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and marked a decisive shift in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, according to Richard Petty. The Team Penske No. 12 Ford was the class of the field in the Round of 12 opener, after Toyotas had swept all the Round of 16 races.

The win booked Blaney’s ticket into the semifinal round, while his Penske teammates Joey Logano and Wood Brothers ally Berry ensured Fords controlled the weekend from practice to the checkered flag. On the Petty Family Podcast, Richard Petty and longtime crew chief Dale Inman weighed in on what the performance meant for the championship fight. The King noted:

"The deal was he (Blaney) ran a good race. And at last there I think that the 12 car was a dominant car and no matter even if the 21 (Berry) would had new tires, I don’t think he would have been able to do anything with him." (1:27 onwards)

The win not only advances Ryan Blaney, but sets him up well for the tracks ahead. Kansas, the next stop, mirrors the 1-mile intermediate style that Penske has long mastered.

Beyond that, another 1.5 tri-oval Las Vegas opens the Round of 8, while Martinsville demands the same disciplined corner work as Loudon. And the finale at Phoenix, a track Team Penske has won the last three championships on, offers a clear target.

Ryan Blaney (12) and Joey Logano (22) at Bristol Motor Speedway. Source: Imagn

Inman said:

"If he gets in the final four and goes to Phoenix and Phoenix is a little bit like that track yesterday. I’d hate to bet against him." (2:55 onwards)

"He's always run good at Phoenix," Petty chimed in.

"And the 22 (Joey Logano) has too," Inman added.

Still, Richard Petty cautioned that a different tire compound in November could tilt the balance, though Penske’s current form leaves little doubt about the team's momentum.

Ryan Blaney led a total of 116 laps and held off Josh Berry in the closing stages to take the checkered flag. For Joey Logano, the day was also crucial. Entering New Hampshire just two points above the cutline, he left sixth in the standings and 24 points clear.

With Blaney already locked into the Round of 8, Team Penske has both of its title contenders positioned for a deep run.

"That's going to be a toss-up": Richard Petty and Dale Inman debate if Team Penske could challenge Joe Gibbs Racing in the playoffs

(L-R) Bubba Wallace, Richard Petty, and Ryan Blaney at Pocono Raceway in 2017. Source: Getty

While Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano celebrated strong runs, Joe Gibbs Racing left Loudon facing internal tension. Racing for 11th, Hamlin clipped Gibbs’ No. 54 Toyota off Turn 4, sending the younger driver hard into the wall on Lap 143. Despite this, all three JGR playoff drivers finished inside the top 12.

Hendrick Motorsports also had its three playoff drivers finish inside the top ten. This puts the big three in a tight battle in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs. Reflecting on a fan question about who could challenge Joe Gibbs Racing the best among the two, Richard Petty said:

"That's going to be a toss-up. The Chevrolets in the playoffs so far have not really dominated anything, but they've been right there on the verge. So, it's going to come down to who gets the breaks and who doesn't get the breaks."

Dale Inman disagreed and said:

"I'm going to give it to Penske. Because in the last race, the determining factor is out of the final four, who's got the best finish at Phoenix, and the Fords was the dominant cars yesterday. And I think the two tracks are somewhat alike."

Richard Petty pointed to Ford's dominance at New Hampshire Motor Speedway as a warning to the Chevrolets and Toyotas. The JGR cars won all three Round of 16 races but failed to match the Team Penske cars throughout the weekend.

Between Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, Penske has won the last three titles and knows how to deliver when the stakes are high. So far, Denny Hamlin is carrying JGR’s strongest championship hopes with five victories this season, while William Byron and Kyle Larson are 40 points to the good heading into Kansas.

It remains to be seen if they match Team Penske at the business end of the season, as Richard Petty remains undecided.