Former NASCAR Driver Reveals Reason Behind Team Penske's Staggering Success

17 hours ago 13

Former NASCAR driver Rick Mast has shed light on the reasons behind Team Penske's extraordinary success in the racing world. With the introduction of the Next-Gen cars in 2022, NASCAR aimed to make the sport more competitive and less costly for the teams, and while these goals were generally met, Team Penske has emerged as a leader.

Their recent string of victories in the drivers' championships highlights their position, with Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney securing the top spots in the past few seasons.

Back in 2022, NASCAR rolled out the Next-Gen cars to shake things up. These cars were designed to be not only cheaper but also safer and more relevant to everyday cars. With lots of parts being the same for everyone and big safety changes like moving drivers closer to the car's center, teams had their hands full adapting to these changes. The idea was that everyone would have a fairer shot from a level playing field.

Team Penske, owned by the acclaimed Roger Penske, has a long history of dominance in motorsports. Their success spans various racing series, and in NASCAR specifically, they've shown remarkable performances over the years.

Since the start of the 2010s, the team has been a frequent name on the winners' list, recently winning the Cup Series championships three times with the Next-Gen car. Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney have been at the forefront of these victories.

Adding his thoughts on this success, former NASCAR driver Rick Mast explained (below):

"We race all year, everybody knows the rules. We know what the playoff rules are all through the season. And it all gears towards the last four, the last few races. Penske, at the end of these deals, their cars turn and they hook up the gas. They're just dominant cars, you know, at the last few races of the championship, it's the way it is now."

Mast further probed into whether Penske's pattern of winning is intentional or just emerging due to racing conditions.

"Is that by chance? Is that something they work towards? Is that what they're geared toward? I think Joey personally, I think as a driver, I think he steps it up a level. And I think the team probably understands maybe that it does. So, the team has to step it up a little."