Joey Logano is elated to have Ryan Blaney at Team Penske for a long time, following the latter's signing of a new contract, which makes him one of the biggest retentions in recent times after Tyler Reddick at 23XI. This comes amid the Watkins Glen race weekend, as Logano showered praise on the #12 driver.

"It affects the whole team," Logano said about Blaney's signing. "I think, honestly, Ryan’s probably one of the best, if not the best driver on the race track right now, so it’s a no-brainer to lock him in. That was my suggestion. Don't be too late on this one!"

Statistically, Ryan Blaney has been the best driver for Team Penske in 2026. The No. 12 driver picked up Ford's only win of 2026 in Phoenix and has remained in the top five in the drivers' standings. As a result, this was a no-brainer for the team to retain him.

Joey Logano further appreciated Blaney, adding "We’re glad to have him. He’s a great asset to have at Team Penske. Brings a lot to the table. Obviously brings a lot of speed but brings a lot of knowledge too, and some good direction. Proud of them being able to do that, and having some consistency helps."

Ryan Blaney started racing full-time with Team Penske in 2018 and has been Joey Logano's teammate ever since. During his stay at Roger Penske's team, the No. 12 driver claimed a championship in 2023, 17 wins, and many top fives and top tens. Blaney's finest non-championship season came in 2025, when he picked four wins and 15 top-five finishes.

With his future set and formidable results under his belt, Blaney looks good for the 2026 season. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for Logano.

Joey Logano's "tough" run in context of The Chase

Joey Logano might not be someone who would appreciate the Chase format, given how he outperformed everyone in the playoffs era. However, his preference wouldn't matter much this season as the Team Penske star has failed to get going even after 12 races.

Now, the three-time Cup Series champion faces an uphill task to get into the Top 16 and secure a spot in the playoffs. "I don't think we've had a stretch of races this tough, though," Logano said at Watkins Glen. This is probably a little more extreme than we've had."

"You just keep grinding. What are you supposed to do? You can't quit. You've got to keep pushing through. It's a long season, a long way to go. Yeah, it's been tough; I can't hide from that. It's frustrating; it's hard. I've also been here before," he added.

After the Watkins Glen race, Joey Logano fell to 18th in the Drivers' Standings with 245 points. Meanwhile, Ryan Blaney stayed in fourth with 405 points. Tyler Reddick leads the championship with 567 points.

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Written by

Sabyasachi Biswas

Edited by

Yask Kotak