Penske makes major change, swapping entire pit crews for Austin Cindric and Ryan Blaney

Team Penske is making significant changes to the pit crews for drivers Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric as they prepare for the 2026 Chase for the NASCAR Cup championship. Blaney, the 2023 champion, is the No. 2 seed in the reset standings, while Cindric is the No. 15 seed.

Blaney's pit crew has faced challenges throughout the year, including issues on pit road and a lower ranking among teams. The No. 12 pit crew that has pitted Blaney has been ranked 32nd among the 35 full-time teams. In contrast, Cindric's new pit crew, which will now service Blaney, has ranked tenth among all teams.

The new pit crew for Blaney consists of Jourdan Osinskie as the jackman, Andrew Lackey as the fuelman, Justin Armwood as the front tire changer, Geoffrey Wall as the rear tire changer, and Jesse Mills as the tire carrier. The new pit crew for Cindric includes Graham Stoddard as the jackman, Chris Conklin as the fuelman, Keiston France as the front tire changer, Justin Fox as the rear tire changer, and Trevor Aspey as the tire carrier.

Penske has made several adjustments to the Blaney pit crew this year, starting with a change in the jackman after the team lost nearly 100 positions on pit road in the first two months of the season. They also replaced the rear tire changer shortly after. No changes have been announced for the No. 22 Team Penske Ford driven by Joey Logano, who enters the Chase as the No. 9 seed in his pursuit of his fourth NASCAR Cup title.