“I don’t think it’s a secret”: Ryan Blaney comes clean on his “struggles” with Team Penske at Richmond

Ryan Blaney was open about his difficulties at Richmond Raceway after finishing third in the Cook Out 400 on Saturday night (August 16). The Team Penske driver acknowledged he has never felt fully comfortable on the short track, but his latest run showed signs of progress.

The Ohio native has often shown strength on superspeedways and drafting tracks, but Richmond has been one of his weaker venues. That is why Saturday’s third-place finish was good. Blaney started 20th but steadily climbed through the field, eventually pacing the race for 39 laps. He credited the result to what he called a “big group effort” from his No. 12 crew. Blaney said post-race (via ASAP Sports):

“I always look at different ways to get around here every time I come back. I don't think it's a secret. I struggle really bad here. We work really hard to try to figure out how can we improve, like how can I improve, how can we work on the car to figure out what will mesh.”

For Team Penske, it was a breakthrough night. All three of their drivers - Blaney, Joey Logano, and Austin Cindric - finished inside the top five. It was the organization’s best collective run at Richmond in more than four years, the first time since July 2021 that all Penske cars landed in the top five.

August 16, 2025, RICHMOND, Austin Dillon and Ryan Blaney race during the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 - Source: Getty

Blaney led the charge with third, Logano stormed from the rear of the field to fourth, and Cindric completed the sweep in fifth. NASCAR Insights put the spotlight on Penske's performance, posting:

“This was the first time Team Penske had three cars finish in the top 5 in a race since New Hampshire in July 2021.”

NASCAR Insights

@NASCARInsights

This was the first time Team Penske had three cars finish in the top 5 in a race since New Hampshire in July 2021

Even if Ryan Blaney could not seal the win, Penske’s performance was considered a good run. Ford also benefited from the result, with Penske cars accounting for three of the manufacturer’s five top-10 finishes on the night.

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Ryan Blaney and Team Penske gain momentum before playoffs

The bigger story for Team Penske is what comes next. The organization’s 3-4-5 finish has injected confidence into its drivers heading toward Daytona, the regular-season finale, and the playoffs beyond.

Ryan Blaney described the night as both encouraging and frustrating. Encouraging because Penske executed one of its best team efforts in years. Frustrating because he felt his No. 12 Ford Mustang had the pace to win before Austin Dillon’s late-race pit strategy booked the win in Richard Childress Racing’s name.

Just a season ago, none of the Team Penske cars finished inside the top 10 at Richmond. This time, all three did. Blaney told Peter Stratta after the race:

“Great night by Penske. To have all of us right there, and obviously we would've liked to be 1-2-3, but it's a really good night.”

Blaney had positioned himself well. After starting 20th, he was inside the top 10 by the end of Stage 1 and running third in Stage 2. His car was strong on long runs, and when the final stage began, he cycled into the lead after pit stops. The duel came down to tire strategy. Dillon pitted earlier, gaining the advantage with fresher track position, while Blaney’s team gambled on stretching one lap longer. The plan backfired.

Explaining the moment, Blaney said:

“I thought we had a great shot at having a chance to win it there… I was really good at the end of the first run of the third stage and then… we pitted a lap earlier than him. And he got back by me at the end there, and then we ran a handful of laps later. Just trying to have a little tire advantage at the end.”

In the end, Dillon led 107 laps and won his first Cup Series race since 2022, while Ryan Blaney settled for his first top-five at Richmond. Ryan Blaney is fifth in the standings with 756 points, carrying one win and two poles from his 25 starts.