‘Frustrated’ Team Penske’s high-ranking official highlights failed execution despite having “really good cars”

The Roger Penske-owned NASCAR team, Team Penske, has become the talk of the town after six done-and-dusted NASCAR Cup Series races for the 2025 season. Having shown exceptional speed and being the top three cars with the most laps led, the three full-time Ford entries have failed to show consistent results.

Following the Straight Talk Wireless 400 race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, the three Penske machines manned by reigning Cup Series champion Joey Logano (#22), Austin Cindric (#2), and Ryan Blaney (#12) are the top three spot holders for the most laps led so far. However, with this impressive result, only a single Penske car has finished inside the top five once.

Reflecting on this strange paradox, Travis Geisler, Team Penske's vice president of competitions, shared his honest take on the current performances by the Ford. In a conversation with NASCAR, he said:

"It’s obviously frustrating to be in a situation where we’ve had really good cars that are capable of winning every week and just haven’t really been able to execute and get it done. But I think the key is the process is working as far as what we’re bringing to the race track. That’s the hardest part of this game, is finding speed. And right now, I think all the teams are doing that. We’ve just got to execute on all the other facets of the game."

Team Penske No. 12 Ford Ryan Blaney at NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 400 - Source: Getty

While the 2023 Cup Series champion Blaney was looking strong at last weekend's race at Homestead-Miami Speedway, an engine failure derailed his hopes of contending for the team's maiden win of the season.

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"It just stinks": Team Penske's star reflects on the unfortunate incident at Homestead-Miami Speedway

NASCAR: Cup Practice and Qualifying - Source: Imagn

Team Penske driver Ryan Blaney had his third straight DNF at the Homestead-Miami Speedway race. After one top-10 and one top-five finish, it has been downhill for the No. 12 Ford driver this season.

Following his premature end to the 2025 season's sixth race, Blaney reflected on unfortunate circumstances that diminished his hopes for a victory lane celebration. He said (via Speedway Digest):

"I didn’t have any warning. It just laid over when I got back to wide-open down the front and that was all she wrote. It just stinks. We had a really fast Dent Wizard Ford Mustang. We led a lot of laps...It was gonna be a heck of a battle the last 60 laps or so, but it just didn’t really work out for us. We’ll continue to keep fighting."

Nevertheless, the Team Penske drivers have shown immense speed in their recent outings and remain among the favorites for another championship run as they proceed to the Cook Out 400 race at Martinsville Speedway on March 30.