In NASCAR, having a fast and reliable pit crew is essential to produce good results, let alone podiums and wins. So far this season, Ryan Blaney’s pit crew has been struggling on the pit road, which has cost him crucial points.

To solve this issue, just before the Kansas race, the team made changes to the pit crew. Through the Penske-Wood Brothers alliance, the team was all set to make use of Patrick Gray. But that did not materialize, leaving the Mooresville-based team to make use of the talent at Front Row Motorsports. 

They brought in Graham Stoddard, who worked as the front Jackman on the No. 4 Front Row Motorsports car of Noah Gragson. Moreover, ahead of the Coca-Cola 600, the team has once again made use of its alliances to bring in a new rear-tire changer.

Per Motorsport.com, Justin Fox will depart Gragson's crew to replace Zach Price, who has been on the team since 2021 and also contributed to Blaney's 2023 championship victory. Fox has also previously worked on Todd Gilliland’s No. 34 car for Front Row Motorsports.

This change comes in as a part of the team's effort to perfect their pit road craft. In the first eight races of the season, Ryan Blaney lost nearly 88 places on pit road. 

The No. 12 Ford driver currently sits in fourth place in the Cup Series Championship with a 162-point deficit to Tyler Reddick in first. Despite all of the setbacks faced by the 2023 Cup Series champion, he has backed his pit crew. 

Ryan Blaney Backed His Pit Crew Despite Early Struggles

Ryan Blaney's potential chances at victories have come undone a few times this season because of errors on pit road. Consequently, he demanded better from the team to aid in more podiums and wins.

Nonetheless, to keep team morale high, during an appearance on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio ahead of Kansas, Blaney appreciated his team's efforts for improvement.

"So they’re working on the brink of perfection, and they might just make a mistake every now and then," said Blaney. "But I was proud of them for understanding, 'Hey, we have to get better here,' and just continuing to work."

Despite securing just one win this season so far, the 2023 Cup Series champion has not lost hope for his pit crew. With the new additions to the team ahead of the Coca-Cola 600, it will be interesting to see a potential uptick in performance.

Read more at the RFK Racing Digest!

Written by

Chionia Libania Colaco

Edited by

Yask Kotak