Ryan Blaney’s 2025 Season Shows Promise, Despite Pit Road Setbacks — Dale Earnhardt Jr. Weighs In

Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney remains a force to be reckoned with in NASCAR’s Next-Gen era, and while 2025 hasn’t yet delivered a win, signs point to a breakthrough just around the corner. Blaney, who captured the 2023 Cup Series championship through consistent top-10 finishes rather than flashy wins, is once again demonstrating elite speed on the track — but pit road errors are holding him back.

Through the first nine races of the 2025 season, Blaney has secured four top-10 finishes, three of which were in the top five — all potential victories derailed by costly pit-stop mistakes. These recurring issues have not gone unnoticed, especially by NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr., who recently shared his thoughts on the No. 12 team’s performance on his Dale Jr. Download podcast.

“Blaney running this well, this early in the season is a great sign,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “If I were betting on NASCAR, I’d put money on him winning before the end of the regular season.”

Despite a slow start mirroring the previous three Cup campaigns, Earnhardt Jr. believes Blaney and his team have what it takes to clinch a victory — as long as they address one glaring weakness: pit road execution.

While analyzing Team Penske’s overall performance, Earnhardt Jr. emphasized that their cars are already well-balanced and fast — meaning major overhauls aren’t necessary. However, he did suggest some adjustments to the pit crew could be the missing piece to turning top finishes into wins.

“We’ve got speed — the cars are fast,” Earnhardt Jr. explained. “Let’s not change anything there. But maybe we need to do something different on pit road. Move some people around, try to find the right balance.”

Blaney, who continues to show strength on the track, is being let down by his crew’s inconsistencies during pit stops. Unlike some of his teammates, Blaney’s team hasn’t been able to convert solid positions into checkered flags — a trend Earnhardt Jr. says must be corrected if they want to capitalize on their early-season pace.

Pit Road Problems: A Critical Issue

In his podcast, Earnhardt Jr. underscored the crucial role pit stops play in winning races, noting that consistent errors during pit road entries or tire changes are not just frustrating — they’re detrimental.

“Pit road is such a critical part of success,” he said. “If you’re seeing issues there consistently, it’s definitely something that needs to be addressed — and that requires some tough conversations.”

Despite the hiccups, Earnhardt Jr. isn’t hitting the panic button. He believes the No. 12 Ford team’s speed and racecraft offer reason for optimism, suggesting that once pit stop issues are resolved, Blaney will be back in victory lane.

“They’ve got the speed — they’re leading laps. That should give them the confidence moving forward,” he added. “They just need to clean up pit stops, and the wins will come.”

Team Penske Still the Team to Watch

Team Penske has dominated the Next-Gen era, with all championships under its belt since the new car was introduced. Though none of its drivers — Blaney, Joey Logano, or Austin Cindric — have won in 2025 so far, the team remains the benchmark.

As the regular season progresses, fans and analysts alike are eager to see who among Penske’s trio will secure the first win of the year. With strong performances across the board, the answer may simply come down to which team tightens up its execution first — and Blaney might be the favorite if the pit crew delivers.

Whether it’s Blaney breaking through, Logano bouncing back, or Cindric surprising the field, one thing is certain: Team Penske is still the team to beat in 2025.