Phoenix Raceway (Avondale, Ariz.) — The bosses are always happy with a victory, but Ryan Blaney certainly thrilled the Team Penske brass with his victory Sunday in the NASCAR Cup Series race.
Blaney didn’t just pick up the first Penske victory of the NASCAR season, but he also made it an INDYCAR-Cup sweep for the organization, which is the only one with both a NASCAR and INDYCAR operation under one roof in North Carolina. Blaney watched Saturday’s INDYCAR race in a suite with team owner Roger Penske.
“Anytime you can win for Roger, it means the world, but those INDYCAR guys put a lot of pressure on us,” Blaney, driver of the No. 12 car, said in his broadcast interview.
Ryan Blaney celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Straight Talk Wireless 500.
[DESERT DOUBLE: 4 Takeaways From Josef Newgarden’s INDYCAR Win]
Together with his buddy Josef Newgarden, the winner of the INDYCAR race the day earlier than within the opener of the Desert Double, carrying a Ryan Blaney t-shirt, Blaney triumphed on the 1-mile observe the place he had received the season finale in November.
Listed below are my takeaways from Sunday’s Cup race:
1: Blaney Exhibits Perseverance
The 2023 Cup champion, Blaney overcame two dangerous pit stops the place he had unfastened wheels. He rallied a two-tire cease that helped with observe place and was capable of maintain off Christopher Bell.
“I’m pleased with the entire group for sticking with all of it day and funky to win right here once more, only a handful of months later,” Blaney mentioned.
Not solely did Blaney full the INDYCAR-Cup sweep of wins within the races, Penske driver David Malukas received the pole for the INDYCAR race and Blaney teammate Joey Logano received the pole for the Cup race.
2: Gibbs Displaying Promise Amid Criticism
Ty Gibbs earned his second consecutive fourth-place end. The 2022 O’Reilly Collection champion seeks his first Cup win as he competes in his fourth full season.
Gibbs, the grandson of Joe Gibbs, has been the topic of criticism and questioning of his dedication in paperwork which are a part of Joe Gibbs Racing’s lawsuit towards former competitors director Chris Gabehart, who indicated that Gibbs will get preferential therapy.
Ty Gibbs earned his second consecutive fourth-place end
Gibbs instructed me the day earlier than the race: “I definitely work as arduous as anyone else it doesn’t matter what anyone says and might say. … I’ll let my efficiency on observe deal with it and we’ll go from there.”
Gibbs doubled down after the race in speaking to me and different reporters: “It was nice. I’m lastly working with people who consider in me and are supportive and are actually loyal. It makes a distinction, and I believe that is what it is displaying. And I’ve an incredible bunch of fellows which are on my crew.”
3. Bell Comes Up Brief … Once more
For the third consecutive week, Bell was working amid the leaders late within the race. And for the third consecutive week, Bell got here up empty.
Bell completed second behind Blaney, who famous that he most likely couldn’t have held off Bell (who had 4 contemporary tires) for for much longer. Final yr presently, Bell was profitable his third consecutive race. To date in 2026, he seeks his first win as Tyler Reddick has captured every of the primary three races.
Christopher Bell fell simply wanting his first 2026 victory.
“You win some, you lose some,” Bell mentioned in his FS1 interview after the race. “This one stings, however on the constructive facet I am actually pleased with our complete crew. … Simply bummed every time they get away like that.”
4. Workforce Hendrick Nonetheless Scratching Head
Kyle Larson completed third however he additionally didn’t really feel it was a possible race-winning day for him and Hendrick Motorsports, which historically has struggled at Phoenix.
William Byron was seventh. Chase Elliott was concerned in a wreck and completed twenty third and Anthony Alfredo was knocked out of a race in an accident. Alfredo was subbing for Alex Bowman (vertigo).
It was the primary oval with the extra horsepower (from 670 horsepower to 750 horsepower), which will probably be for all tracks underneath 1.3 miles in size.
Chase Elliott completed a disappointing twenty third at Phoenix.
“It’s regarding, however we’re at all times actually dangerous right here at Phoenix, no less than me,” Larson instructed me and different reporters after the race. “William has had his moments of being fairly sturdy, however I really feel like the remainder of us three, have at all times been actually dangerous.
“We simply had been worse at the moment — perhaps a mixture of us needing to be taught the [new Chevrolet] physique a little bit bit extra after which the horsepower or no matter.”
4 ½: What’s Subsequent
The Cup Collection and INDYCAR head in numerous instructions as NASCAR heads to Las Vegas and INDYCAR goes to Arlington (Texas) for races subsequent weekend.
Chase Briscoe, who was in championship rivalry via the season finale final yr, would be the championship-caliber driver seeking to get out of a gap probably the most as a wreck at Phoenix now leaves him thirty third within the standings, 53 factors behind the present playoff cutoff.
“Realistically, you perhaps get two mulligans on the yr,” Briscoe instructed me and different reporters after exiting the medical middle. “And we have used three now within the first 4 weeks.”
