The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs are just over a month away, and Team Penske has all three of its drivers in contention for the championship. Ryan Blaney, the current series champion, is leading the way for the team, followed by Austin Cindric and Joey Logano. As the 2024 postseason approaches, Travis Geisler, the competition director for Team Penske, is assessing the playoff point standings to evaluate the team’s performance.
Blaney, with two victories and 12 playoff points, holds the highest position among the Team Penske drivers, currently sitting in fifth place on the playoff grid. Cindric, who will be making his second playoff appearance in three seasons, has seven playoff points and one victory, placing him at seventh on the grid. Logano, with six playoff points and one victory, is currently in ninth place.
Geisler expressed confidence in the speed and performance of Blaney’s No. 12 team, stating that their execution is catching up to their speed. He believes that with a few different outcomes in previous races, Blaney could have had even more wins under his belt. Despite that, Geisler feels that the team is on track to perform well in the playoffs.
Blaney has been in excellent form leading up to the Olympic break, securing two victories in six races and narrowly missing out on a third win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He has climbed to fifth place in the championship standings, which is crucial for earning bonus points in the reseeding process. Blaney’s consistent performance has made him the standout driver for Ford and Team Penske throughout the season.
Geisler acknowledged that Logano’s team, particularly the No. 22, needs to find more speed to be competitive in the playoffs. While they excel in execution and attention to detail, having only one win going into the playoffs may not be enough. Geisler emphasized the importance of accumulating bonus points to have a chance at reaching the final four. He expressed the team’s ongoing search for more speed.
Logano and his team faced a challenging path to secure their spot in the postseason, finally clinching it at Nashville Superspeedway in June. Compared to their championship-winning 2022 campaign, Logano’s team has struggled to replicate their success in 2023, with only one win and an early exit from the playoffs. They continue to grapple with finding the right balance and speed for their Ford Mustang.
As for Cindric’s team, Geisler highlighted the need for overall consistency. While they have shown strong performances, such as at Gateway, they have also had inconsistent results. Geisler emphasized the importance of smoothing out the ups and downs to improve their overall performance.
Geisler acknowledged that each team is facing different challenges, but they are all working together to prepare for race weekends. He expressed the desire to close the gap between their weak and strong tracks, ensuring that all teams perform at their best.
With four races remaining in the regular season, the Team Penske drivers have the opportunity to accumulate more playoff points. A victory in any of these races will earn them five playoff points, and a stage win will earn them one playoff point. Team Penske aims to make history by becoming the first organization since Hendrick Motorsports to win three consecutive Cup Series championships.
