Blaney Holds Off Reddick, Completes Team Penske Sweep at Phoenix

Ryan Blaney Wins in Phoenix and Completes the Perfect Weekend for Team Penske

In an exciting race at Phoenix Raceway, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney took the victory in the Cup series, thwarting Tyler Reddick’s attempts to secure his fourth consecutive win in the NASCAR season. Blaney, who started as the favorite after his victory in the previous season’s final at the one-mile oval, overcame several tire problems that caused him to lose positions. He managed to recover and, after overtaking Ty Gibbs, took the lead with ten laps to go, securing his eighteenth career victory.

“It was pure perseverance. We made some mistakes that we learned from and improved upon, having to come back several times. It’s great to win, especially after a day like this. I can’t thank the team enough for keeping their heads up and doing what they do,” said Blaney.

Ryan Blaney

The victory came on a weekend of celebration for Team Penske, which commemorated its 60th anniversary in competition. The “double desert” event in Phoenix combined IndyCar and NASCAR, with David Malukas winning the pole in IndyCar for Penske and Josef Newgarden taking the victory on Saturday. Joey Logano took the pole for the Cup race and Blaney completed the perfect weekend for the team.

“I am very proud of everyone at Team Penske. We swept the weekend, with Newgarden winning yesterday and us today. I can’t wait to see Roger,” commented Blaney.

Ryan Blaney

This triumph marked Ford’s first victory of the season, while Reddick, competing with a Toyota owned by Michael Jordan for 23XI Racing, set a record by winning the first three races of the season. Christopher Bell finished in second place with a Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, followed by Kyle Larson in a Chevrolet from Hendrick Motorsports. Ty Gibbs finished in fourth place. Denny Hamlin, who lost the championship on this track last November, finished fifth, solidifying the presence of three JGR drivers in the top five. Bell dominated the race similarly to how Hamlin did in November, but lost due to a wrong pit stop strategy.

“You win some, you lose some. This one hurts, but on the positive side, I’m very proud of our whole team. It’s something to build on. It was a day we needed,” Bell said.

Christopher Bell

Bubba Wallace (23XI) finished sixth, William Byron (Hendrick) seventh, and Reddick eighth. Toyota drivers occupied six of the top ten positions. The race was affected by a record 12 yellow flags, most caused by tire failures.

Ty Gibbs: Focused on the Track

Ty Gibbs, after avoiding commenting on his team’s lawsuit against his former competition director, focused on his performance on the track, achieving his second consecutive fourth place.

“I am very happy with my team. All the guys, I am with the right ones. That makes the difference. That’s why we are running well. That shows,” said Gibbs.

Ty Gibbs

Gibbs, in his fourth full season in the Cup, still hasn’t achieved a victory in 127 races. In 2024, he obtained his best result in the Cup standings, finishing in 15th place.

Anthony Alfredo: Premature Debut

A multiple crash, caused by contact between Joey Logano and Ross Chastain, ruined Anthony Alfredo’s season debut, with less than 100 laps remaining. Alfredo, called by Hendrick Motorsports to replace Alex Bowman, who was suffering from vertigo, had his big opportunity. However, the accident prevented him from demonstrating his worth, finishing in 33rd position in his first race with the team. The next Cup Series race will be held at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway.