Copyright yardbarker
Expanding on Roger Penske’s approach, Hassler invoked the “80-20 rule in preparation.” The Team Penske veteran noted, “I think we can do 80 or 90 percent of the work we normally do and bank that last 10 to 20 percent and push that time in the weeks ahead and make sure we are ready for those races.” This philosophy allows the team to conserve energy and resources once their base plan is set, pivoting their focus to later rounds where fine-tuned preparation can yield playoff dividends and ensure they’re primed for high-stakes moments. This has helped Team Penske drivers consistently surge during the NASCAR playoffs. For instance, in the 2025 playoffs, Ryan Blaney’s dominance at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Similarly, Joey Logano won the Championship race in Phoenix in 2024, despite his worst average finish of 17.1 in the modern era. As the playoff gauntlet continues, Team Penske’s calculated mix of early execution and targeted late-round innovation exemplifies why they consistently challenge for championships. Their disciplined, methodical approach, grounded in data and experience, allows Penske to adapt, capitalize on situational openings, and stay a step ahead of playoff rivals. Ryan Blaney reveals Roger Penske’s golden rule Ryan Blaney didn’t hold back when explaining why drama like the Denny Hamlin–Ty Gibbs dust-up at New Hampshire never happens at Team Penske. The difference, he says, comes down to Roger Penske’s leadership style. And it’s a sharp contrast to how things are handled at Joe Gibbs Racing. At JGR, Gibbs tends to let his drivers hash things out themselves. Penske, on the other hand, sets the tone from the very top. “I feel like we’ve always had a really great expectation from Roger,” Ryan Blaney said on The Day After podcast with Shannon Spake. “There is never any team orders from Roger. The only thing he ever tells us is don’t wreck each other trying to go for the win.” It’s a simple rule, but one that carries weight. Penske’s drivers are encouraged to race hard, no matter if it’s against a competitor or a teammate. But wrecking each other? That’s off-limits. “That’s the worst thing for the whole organization,” Blaney explained. “If you’re running 1-2 and you take each other out, that’s a big shameful moment.” That mindset has shaped how Roger Penske’s drivers approach battles for position. Blaney pointed out that he and Joey Logano have gone door-to-door for the lead many times, and the same goes for Josh Berry. The racing is intense, but it never crosses into recklessness. “You’re probably not going to lay a bumper to somebody, but you’re going to race him very hard,” Blaney said. It’s no coincidence that Penske has claimed the last three Cup championships – Joey Logano in 2022 and 2024, Blaney in 2023. Clear expectations and mutual respect have created a winning formula. So when the green flag waves at Kansas Speedway, expect Blaney, Logano, Austin Cindric, and Berry to go all out. But never at the expense of taking each other out.
