Ryan Balney may sit second in the race to the Chase, but his fight to keep Team Penske on top hasn’t come without its share of errors from various facets of the team. 

In Phoenix, Blaney was forced to drive from the back of the field twice because of loose wheels. In Darlington, two loose lug nuts sent him into the pits once again, and if that wasn’t enough, a speeding penalty in Kansas during the last pit cycle saw him drop to 24th from a possible top-five finish.

But Martinsville, before the short break, looked like a race in which the team had turned over a new leaf.

Speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR, Blaney said, “Those guys put together a really good day at Martinsville. Really didn’t have any mistakes. They bonded together.” The #12 added, “It’s been a big talk, our wheel problems and stuff like that. But, I think you just go through it.”

Blaney has done incredibly well to keep himself consistently in contention during races despite these struggles. While there have been no major revamps, the team is still getting used to the new changes around the team and on the track when it comes to the car.

“We have a new jack man, and it takes a bit of time to create that bond with everybody and create that rhythm and timing. Landon’s done a good job of trying to get where he needs to be.”

There have been many question marks raised by people about Team Penske's form in the pit. However, Blaney has not allowed all of that to affect his relationship with the crew.

Mistakes happen in the strife for perfection

The 2023 Cup Series winner proved his leadership by backing his crew and the hard work they were putting in.

He explained the role his crew was playing in a racing analogy, showcasing how much he values everyone who is working towards his victory.

“I could go out there and run half a second off the pace and never make a mistake all day.” Adding further, Blaney said, “If I’m trying to push it to the edge and the limit, then I might make a mistake and hit the fence or something. It’s the same with those guys.”

These pit issued have been taking place since last year, but Blaney expressed his view on what it takes to be part of a racing team's crew.

"They could slow down half a second, but now you’re losing half a second off pit road, and they are working on the brink of perfection, and they might just make a mistake now and then," said Blaney.

The Roger Penske-run team will be wary of their mistakes and try to curb them, knowing that they could have a lasting impact on their hunt for a fifth Cup Series trophy.

Both the driver and team executive have shown their support to the crew, which shows the team is well aligned.

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Debrup Chaudhuri

Edited by

Godwin Issac Mathew