Richard Petty & Co. Sold on Roger Penske’s Championship Edge After JGR New Hampshire Fallout

“It’s the pressure of the playoffs, I think that may be the biggest thing.” Joey Logano said these words a little less than a year ago, just after stamping his third championship title. It marked Roger Penske’s third title in 2024, after his team dominated in the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Series and the FIA World Endurance Championship. Considering the incredible pace that Team Penske showed in the 2025 NASCAR Cup playoffs Round of 12 opener, Penske’s charm seems to be working again, as Richard Petty and Co. believe.

The Mobil 1 301 took place with much pomp for Roger Penske on Sunday. Joey Logano started on the pole and led a race-high 147 laps, and his teammate, Ryan Blaney, led 116 laps en route to the victory. What made this domination stand out was Penske’s rival team, Joe Gibbs Racing.

Richard Petty’s colleague takes his pick

Joe Gibbs’ team was on fire after the postseason started. Three of his drivers swept the Round of 16 races. “They’re ridiculously fast,” Joey Logano could not help saying about JGR drivers. Entering New Hampshire, they had an advantage. In the three-race Next Gen car era, Toyota has swept all the races at the track, won all six stages, and led 83% of the laps. But JGR flipped this dazzling outlook as the Magic Mile race started. On lap 111, Denny Hamlin and Ty Gibbs tussled over track position, sparking controversy. The best Toyota finisher was Christopher Bell in 6th, followed by Chase Briscoe and Hamlin in 10th and 12th. Gibbs registered a DNF.

So these incidents got Richard Petty and Co. thinking about the 2025 championship run. Despite JGR’s dominating storyline in the Round of 16, Team Penske is once again resurging. What is more, Penske’s brilliance at New Hampshire paints a bright picture for another 1-mile track, Phoenix Raceway – or this year’s championship venue. Hence, Petty’s former crew chief, Dale Inman, took his pick. He said, “I’m gonna give it to Penske. ‘Cause the last race and the determining factor is, of the Final 4, who has got the best finish at Phoenix. And the Fords was the dominant cars yesterday. I think the two tracks are somewhat alike.”

Aside from the contrast between Team Penske and JGR, Richard Petty shed light on the Chevrolets as well. Hendrick Motorsports stumbled through a disastrous Round of 16, with Darlington witnessing a 40-second pit stop and strategy mishaps. Yet HMS drivers resurged in New Hampshire, with three of them clinching top ten finishes. So Petty made note of this quiet resurgence: “That’s gonna be a toss-up. The Chevrolets have not really dominated anything. But they’ve been right there on the verge.” Eventually, however, the unpredictable nature of the playoffs will take over. Petty continued, “It’s gonna come down to who gets the breaks and who doesn’t get the breaks.”

Evidently, the championship conversation is narrowing down with every weekend. While Penske’s brilliance fascinated Richard Petty’s colleague, a deeper connection to New Hampshire motivated Joey Logano.

Hailing his roots in an epic manner

Joey Logano had been preparing for the Loudon magic for months. In late July, Goodyear conducted a tire test at the 1.058-mile oval featuring three drivers – Logano, Christopher Bell, and Ross Chastain. While the latter two could not capitalize on this opportunity, Logano made sure. Even Ryan Blaney’s crew chief, Jonathan Hassler, acknowledged Logano’s contribution to the victory. Besides teamwork fueling his drive, a deeper connection to New Hampshire also motivated Logano. Magic Mile is his hometown track, where he has plenty of memories dating back to his younger days.

So the roar of the New England crowd pushed Joey Logano harder to execute a spectacular race. After clinching his 4th-place finish, Logano ecstatically hailed his supporters on social media. He wrote, “Leading the field to the Green, Finishing 2nd in Stage 1, Winning Stage 2, and crossing the Finish Line 4th, making it 3 Top-5’s in a row, made this specific race weekend at @NHMS even more meaningful. The New England #22 fans were AMAZING all weekend long. Trust me, I could hear you!”

Joey Logano also acknowledged his hardworking No. 22 Ford team, which has clinched three championships since 2018. He urged them to work harder for the next race: “And, shoutout to my No. 22 crew who built a great car and to the Over The Wall guys, as we executed all day on Pit Road. Let’s keep the positive momentum rolling and get after it at @kansasspeedway.”

Clearly, the mood within Team Penske’s fold has suddenly turned vibrant. Let’s wait and see how far their sparkle continues, and if JGR can turn the tables again.