NASCAR: What will Team Penske’s 2021 driver lineup look like?

By Asher Fair | Mar 8, 2020

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - SEPTEMBER 08: Ryan Blaney, driver of the #12 Wabash National Ford, Brad Keselowski, driver of the #2 Discount Tire Ford, and Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, pose for a photo with the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series trophy to start the playoffs following the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on September 08, 2019 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /

Team Penske recently confirmed Ryan Blaney for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, but they still have a pending free agent. What will their 2021 lineup look like?

Of the 33 drivers who competed full-time in the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season, 27 are back for the 2020 season. Of those 27 drivers, four switched teams, meaning that nearly one-third of the 2020 is different than it was in 2019, and that’s without mentioning the one full-time entry that was cut and the four additional full-time entries.

One team not directly — the key word being directly — affected by all of this driver movement was Team Penske. Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano are all set for their third consecutive season as teammates in 2020 behind the wheels of the #2 Ford, #12 Ford and #22 Ford, respectively.

However, this lineup is one that could look different in 2021. Or, it could look the exact same.

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Two of these three drivers were set to compete under contracts that are slated to expires after the 2020 season. Keselowski signed a three-year contract extension in July of 2017, and shortly thereafter, then Wood Brothers Racing driver Blaney was confirmed as their third driver on a multi-year deal.

Entering the season, the only driver under contract with Roger Penske’s team through more than the upcoming season is Logano, who signed a long-term deal with the team back in February of 2017 to continue driving the #22 Ford through at least the 2023 season. The team recently confirmed Blaney for at least the 2022 season on another multi-year contract extension.

What will the three-car Ford team’s lineup look like in 2021?

Well, for starters, Logano and already been set to return, and while Blaney wasn’t officially confirmed by the team and there were rumors that he could end up at Hendrick Motorsports, he had steadily become a weekly threat and nearly qualified for the 2019 Championship 4. It never seemed like he was ready to move on, having been with the organization since 2013 when he made his Xfinity Series debut.

As for Keselowski, the 2012 champion is still having success. He has won at least three races in each of the last four seasons. With that being said, he, too has been linked to Hendrick Motorsports as possible replacement for retiring seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson.

Johnson announced in November that the 2020 season will be his 19th and final season as a full-time driver in the sport and that it will mark his fourth and final quest to become the sport’s first eight-time champion.

Keselowski to Hendrick Motorsports rumors have particularly heated up recently amid some early-season frustration, but it’s still all speculation at this point. However, the confirmation of Blaney will surely put a bigger emphasis on these rumors.

What happens if he leaves?

One possible option for the team should Keselowski depart is Matt DiBenedetto, which is the reason for the above emphasis on the word “directly”.

Wood Brothers Racing have had a technical alliance with Team Penske since the 2015 season, and DiBenedetto drives the #21 Ford for the team.

Paul Menard made the surprise announcement, arguably the most surprising announcement of the entire Silly Season that saw so many drivers on the move, that he would retire after the 2019 season last September, and he told the team to replace him with DiBenedetto, who had lost his ride with Leavine Family Racing.

So DiBenedetto is now effectively in the Team Penske organization now, something that was not the case prior to this past Silly Season.

Could he be promoted to replace Keselowski?

Team Penske also have Austin Cindric, son of team president Tim Cindric, competing in the Xfinity Series, and he was victorious for the first time, with back-to-back victories, no less in the 2019 season.

He is one of the highest finishers in the 2019 championship standings who returned to the series in 2020, so could a championship or championship-caliber season prompt a promotion? He sits in third place in the standings following three races.

Bottom line, the most likely scenario is still that Team Penske’s driver lineup will not change ahead of the 2021 season. But if it does and Keselowski leaves, they will have no shortage of good options for the #2 Ford.

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When the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season rolls around, which three drivers will be driving the three Team Penske Fords? Will the team retain the same driver lineup for the fourth consecutive season, or will the organization need to replace Brad Keselowski?

There is certainly a lot of time between now and then, but with so many big-name drivers set to hit the free agent market after the 2020 season, it’s best to start considering the possibilities early, especially this year.

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