RICHMOND, Va. — The mantra that Team Penske has lived by for many years is ‘Penske Perfect,’ embodying the craftiness and detail that team owner Roger Penske and the organization puts into every facet of its operations.
That dedication to dotting all its i’s and crossing its t’s is a propelling force that has led the team to three consecutive titles. And after the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway (Aug. 16), there is as much merit as ever this season that it could make it four in a row.
Penske’s best-finishing driver may have been somewhat of a surprise, as Ryan Blaney led the charge with a third-place finish.
Blaney, whose previous best finish at the Virginia short track was seventh, methodically worked his forward from a 20th-place starting spot, eventually taking the lead from Austin Dillon during a green-flag pit stop cycle and pacing the field for 39 laps.
However, Blaney’s car fell off as the run went on, allowing Dillon to reinforce a fierce battle before driving away for the win. Alex Bowman was able to get by Blaney in the closing laps as the No. 12’s grip faded.
“We had a chance to win it there,” Blaney said post-race. “We were really good on the first run of the final stage.”
The tire compound presented an intriguing storyline throughout the night, but bit Blaney as the laps wound down.
“I was trying to be super conservative and mindful of what the tires do, and I just fell off a cliff. It really surprised me, I thought I was being super conservative most of the night. Overall, good night at this place. I’ve struggled a lot here and have been working really hard to get better here. A real good showing for all of Team Penske.”
Two-time Richmond winner Joey Logano followed Blaney in fourth after a late-race charge to the top five. The run was a far cry from Logano’s finish a year ago when he got turned by Austin Dillon on the final lap while leading.
Austin Cindric completed the trifecta with one of his best runs of the season with a fifth-place run. The 26-year-old held a favorable view of the tire compound and fall-off throughout the night.
“I love these tires, I don’t know what everybody’s talking about,” Cindric said. “That’s what we have been asking for as an industry. You had to manage for sure, but I just feel like our guys gave us a really great car […] We could go back-and-forth on balance and be okay, and were really good in the first two phases of a run, but we never hit that cliff.”
The showing stands as Penske’s first triple top five since New Hampshire Motor Speedway in 2021, showing the gains the team has made on short tracks as a whole.
With all three Penske drivers locked into the playoffs, there is no indication that the organization is slowing down in its late-season surge history, and that could prove to be the secret sauce to title number six.
Entering his fifth year with Frontstretch, Luken Glover is the author of The Underdog House, shedding light on the motivation and performance of NASCAR's dark horse teams as they strive to fight to the top. Additionally, Glover reports for the site at various events, and he contributes in the video editing department.
A 2023 graduate of the University of the Cumberlands, Glover is a middle school math and PE teacher, as well as a basketball coach. He is passionate about serving in his church, playing/coaching a wide variety of sports, and researching motorsports history.