Team Penske confirmed it swapped the pit crews of drivers Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric ahead of the final 10 races of the Chase for the Championship. The move follows a mathematical calculation aimed at optimizing performance for both programs.
Blaney enters the finale as the No. 2 seed, trailing regular-season champion Denny Hamlin by 25 points. Cindric, the No. 15 seed, sits 95 points behind Hamlin. The reassignment reflects the team’s focus on closing those gaps with strategic resource shifts.
Drivers and crew members from both programs have largely accepted the decision, framing it as a necessary adjustment to improve their championship chances.
