Team Penske’s Lungs Feel Lighter Than Ever: Team Boss Expresses Emotion as Ryan Blaney Advances to the Playoffs in Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS – In the high-stakes world of NASCAR, where every lap can swing a season from triumph to heartbreak, Team Penske exhaled a collective sigh of relief under the neon glow of the Las Vegas Strip. Ryan Blaney, the defending champion and emotional core of the No. 12 Ford squad, punched his ticket to the Round of 12 in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with a gritty third-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday night. The result not only kept his title defense alive but also lifted a palpable weight from the shoulders of team owner Roger Penske, who watched from the pits with the intensity of a man who’s built an empire on precision and perseverance.

For Blaney, the South Point 400 was a masterclass in redemption. Starting from the rear after a practice session crash that left his car battered and his crew scrambling, the 31-year-old Ohio native clawed his way through the field. A flat tire in Saturday’s session had sent him slamming into the Turn 1 wall, echoing the misfortunes that plagued his early playoff runs in previous years. But this time, with the championship pressure mounting, Blaney channeled the resilience that defined his 2023 phoenix-like rise. He methodically picked off cars, capitalizing on a late-race caution that bunched the field and gave his Menards-sponsored machine fresh tires for the final sprint.

As the checkered flag waved, Blaney crossed the line behind winner Joey Logano – his Team Penske teammate – and runner-up William Byron, securing enough points to advance alongside Logano and Austin Cindric. The trio’s sweep of the top three spots underscored Penske’s dominance, marking the organization’s strongest showing at the 1.5-mile oval since Logano’s fuel-mileage miracle here in 2024 clinched his third title. Blaney’s radio crackled with raw elation: “We did it, boys. That’s how we fight back.” His crew chief, Jonathan Hassler, responded with a simple, “Hell yeah, we breathe now.”

It was Roger Penske himself who captured the moment’s deeper resonance in a post-race interview, his voice thick with the gravelly emotion of a 88-year-old titan who’s seen it all. “Our lungs feel lighter than ever,” Penske said, leaning against the hauler with a rare, unguarded smile. “Ryan’s been carrying this team through some dark miles this year – the wrecks, the close calls, the what-ifs that keep you up at night. Seeing him advance here, in Vegas of all places, it’s like shedding a year’s worth of weight. We’re not just racing cars; we’re racing for each other, for belief. This one’s for the whole family.”

Penske’s words carried extra gravity amid a season shadowed by off-track turbulence. Earlier in 2025, Team Penske weathered a storm of scrutiny following the IndyCar cheating scandal at the Indianapolis 500, where push-to-pass manipulations led to severe penalties and the dismissal of key personnel, including longtime strategist Tim Cindric. The fallout rippled through the NASCAR shop in Mooresville, North Carolina, where Blaney and his teammates shared space with the open-wheel program. Blaney, ever the loyalist, publicly backed his boss during the chaos, telling reporters in May, “I’m gonna have Roger’s back no matter what. He’s the leader who pulls us through.”

That solidarity paid dividends on the track. Blaney’s Las Vegas performance capped a playoff opener where Penske’s Fords showed unmatched speed on the long runs, a nod to the engineering tweaks Hassler and the team implemented after a mid-season slump. Entering the playoffs as the No. 4 seed with two regular-season wins – at Iowa and Pocono – Blaney had posted seven top-fives and 11 top-10s through 26 races. Yet, doubts lingered after a string of near-misses, including a heartbreaking second at Bristol that left him fuming about tire wear.

Logano, who swept the front row in qualifying with Blaney alongside and Wood Brothers affiliate Josh Berry in third, set the tone early. The pole-sitter led 142 laps, his No. 22 AAA machine slicing through the desert heat like a scalpel. But it was Blaney’s recovery that stole the narrative. From 28th after the restart, he sliced through traffic, overtaking Hendrick’s Chase Elliott on Lap 187 and holding off a charging Kyle Larson in the closing stages. The move netted him stage points in the second segment and positioned him perfectly when Denny Hamlin’s spin triggered the decisive yellow.

For Penske, the emotion ran deeper than strategy. At an age when most legends step back, the “Captain” remains hands-on, his presence a talisman for drivers who’ve grown from raw talents into title contenders. Blaney’s journey mirrors that mentorship: from his 2012 Xfinity debut under Penske’s wing to the 2023 championship clinched with a runner-up at Phoenix. “Roger’s not just an owner; he’s the guy who believes when no one else does,” Blaney said post-race, sweat-streaked and beaming. “After that crash yesterday, I thought, ‘Not again.’ But we fixed it, we fought, and now we’re in. Lighter lungs, heavier hearts for what’s next.”

The advancement sets up an intriguing Round of 12, with Blaney facing do-or-die races at Kansas, Talladega, and Charlotte. Talladega, in particular, looms as a wildcard – site of his 2024 playoff derailment – but with Penske’s three cars intact, the team eyes a repeat of their 2024 Championship 4 lock-in. Logano, fresh off a dominant win, joked in victory lane, “Ryan’s got that fire now. Watch out, playoffs.” Cindric, rounding out the Penske trio in fifth, added, “This is our house. We’re built for October.”

As confetti rained down on Las Vegas Boulevard, the Penske garage buzzed with renewed vigor. Crews high-fived under the LED lights, mechanics tweaking setups for Kansas with the fervor of a team reborn. Blaney, hoisting a water bottle in toast, reflected on the bigger picture: “Playoffs aren’t about one race; they’re about the grind, the belief. Roger’s right – we can breathe easier. But we’re not done pushing.”

In a sport where dynasties rise and fall on hairpin turns, Team Penske’s lighter lungs signal not relief, but resolve. With Blaney at the helm, the Captain’s vision endures: precision, passion, and the unyielding drive to conquer. The desert air may be thin, but for this squad, it’s oxygen enough to chase immortality.