Team Penske Insiders Divulge the True Significance of Ryan Blaney’s Championship Milestone

Team Penske has been hitting it out of the park for the past couple of seasons, winning back-to-back championships. 2022 was Joey Logano‘s moment in the sun, but 2023 was all about Ryan Blaney. And it wasn’t just an achievement for Ryan Blaney – rather it was the first championship win for the entire No. 12 car crew, who’ve been with Penske for a solid two decades.

And as they say, success isn’t a one-man show. It’s a team effort, through and through. Team Penske recently shared a heartwarming video featuring the unsung heroes behind the No. 12 car. In it, the crew members opened up about what clinching the 2023 championship meant to them.

The No. 12 team has been eyeing a championship since the early days of the car

Team Penske’s recent video put the spotlight on the backbone of the No. 12 team: the manager, crew chief, spotter, and others. Some have been in the #12 team since the car hit the track in 1998 for the first time. Here’s a slice of their victory stories: Jeffrey Baker, an original crew member from ’98, shared his journey from tire specialist to Team Manager. His reaction to the win? “We finally got there, baby. I can’t believe it. The 12 car finally won the championship. Boom!”

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Then there’s Michael Lott, part of the team since its inception. He was over the moon after winning the championship. He said, “Stoked to finally see them guys win a championship, it means the world, not only that, but have now all three numbers in. It’s awesome, we’re so excited, ready to go do it again next year.” Michael Nelson, who’s been a race engineer and crew chief for the 12-car, chimed in, “We were able to to get the Daytona 500 win a few years back and now to finally get a championship’s a great deal for this company and hopefully many more to come in the future.”

Aron Oakley, who spotted for Ryan Newman in the 12 car back in ’04 and ’05, reflected, “I’ve seen the 12 car win a lot of races. So, it was really cool to see Blaney take the 12 car to the championship this year.” Interestingly, all four were also part of the team when Brad Keselowski drove the No. 12 from 2009-2010, and during Newman’s tenure from 2002-2008. Securing the championship after such a long journey with the team was no small feat. It was a big deal for them. And now Ryan Blaney is all set to conquer 2024 with his crew chief Jonathan Hassler.

Ryan Blaney’s bond with his crew chief has gotten stronger with time

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Blaney and Jonathan Hassler teamed up in 2022 after Blaney’s former crew chief, Todd Gordon, hung up his NASCAR hat. They hit the ground running, nabbing their first win together at the 2022 All-Star Race. The 2023 season was a real game-changer for them, with Blaney clinching the Charlotte Motor Speedway in the regular season and notching two playoff victories at Talladega and Martinsville. The duo then went on to paint a perfect concluding picture when they clinched the Cup Series title.

Reflecting on his bond with Hassler, Blaney shared, “You just get to know the person, you know, you get to know each other better off track and at the racetrack, you know, kind of figuring out each other’s likes and dislikes and you know what. I like behind the wheel. I kind of get the feel of what he likes to change, how he calls a race, so he just build that relationship.”

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He added, “So, the past year and a half has been great, and that bond just gets stronger with time, really, as you learn to kind of communicate with each other a little better. And like I said, nobody, nobody, each other’s little tendencies, and I think that’s a positive thing, and that’s what you have to have in this job.”

Here’s hoping Blaney and Hassler continue to weave their magic and keep their winning streak alive. As for the #12 team, they will surely look to replicate their 2023 season.