NASCAR: After Locking Up Logano and Keselowski, the Captain Pursues Blaney

Team Penske’s current two-driver lineup including Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski will now likely remain the same for years to come. But it doesn’t mean the Captain won’t be looking to add a third driver.

For Team Penske so far this season in the NASCAR world, they have accomplished their mission in terms of their long-term goals. The team extended Joey Logano’s contract through the 2023 season earlier this year, and they just signed Brad Keselowski to a multiyear extension as well.

But the entire mission may not end there for the current two-car Ford team. Team owner Roger Penske has expressed interest in a third car for next season for the first time since 2010, and he has talked about currently Wood Brothers Racing driver Ryan Blaney as the driver he wants in the seat.

More from NASCAR

The Captain stated that the move could definitely happen as early as next year just last month, also stating that he would ultimately have to wait to see where Blaney ends up following the conclusion of this season.

"“I think we’ve got to look at that at the end of the year. I think [Blaney]’s made a lot of progress. Hopefully that’ll happen sooner rather than later.”"

Wood Brothers Racing has a technical alliance with Team Penske, so this move would not be too surprising. And since Penske made this statement at the beginning of June, Blaney won his first career Cup Series race at Pocono. So you can bet that Penske will be going all-in to get Blaney to be his third driver next season and for many seasons down the road.

If you also watch IndyCar, you know how the Captain operates. He saw Josef Newgarden, he liked Josef Newgarden, and he replaced two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Juan Pablo Montoya with Josef Newgarden. When the Captain wants something done, he wants it done right. And it would appear that he wants Blaney.

After Blaney earned his first career victory at Pocono, he claimed “I like where I’m at.” But what do you expect him to say? He was obviously excited by his first career victory and grateful for the team effort that helped him earn it. Is he supposed to say “I want to go to Team Penske” right after winning Wood Brothers Racing their first race in over six years even if that’s the way he feels?

Obviously the answer to that question is no. But will the answer be no if Penske offers him a seat in one of his Fords next season? The answer to that question is likely no as well. Penske has been, is and will continue to pursue Blaney, and Blaney would be smart to embrace it to help the Captain complete this long-term mission. It’s a win-win for both parties.

Next: NASCAR Silly Season Driver Lineup

Do you think Ryan Blaney will end up with Team Penske next season? Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to follow me on Instagram as well as Beyond the Flag on both Instagram and Twitter. Also, don’t forget to follow along with Beyond the Flag for the latest news, opinions, and analysis stemming from a number of different motorsports series. You don’t want to miss any of it.

Home/NASCAR