During the Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway, Ryan Blaney had a strong start to the race, finishing Stage 1 in fifth place and Stage 2 in P4. Unfortunately, the final result wasn’t as good for the Team Penske driver, as Blaney finished 28th after blowing his engine with 20 laps to go.
Ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series race in Las Vegas, Joey Logano hosted a special episode of his SiriusXM NASCAR radio show, “Behind the Wheel,” where his teammate Blaney appeared as a guest. After covering various topics, the conversation shifted to the Vegas race, and that’s when the two teammates started taking shots at each other.
Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney Hilariously Recall the Phoenix Race
Logano’s co-host, Alex Weaver, started the conversation by saying he wanted to talk to Blaney about the upcoming race. Quick to fire the first shot, Logano quipped, “Are you going to ask him if he’s not going to miss a gear and blow his motor up again this week?”
As Weaver responded with an “Ouch” to a laughing Logano, Blaney wasn’t about to let it slide. He hit back with his own punch line, taking aim at Logano’s costly mistake.
“Dude, just because you went below the yellow line and you cheated last week doesn’t mean you can take shots at me. Come on.”
Last Sunday, @Blaney blew an engine at @phoenixraceway. Penske teammate @joeylogano received a penalty. On Friday, the Team Penske drivers hilariously took shots at each other over their previous weekend's misfortune. pic.twitter.com/FlED9YbB95
— Kyle Dalton (@kdsportswriter) March 15, 2025
In Phoenix, Logano started on the outside of the front row with a car capable of winning. However, a restart violation in Stage 1 — where he crossed the yellow line before the start-finish line — led to a penalty. The pass-through penalty wrecked Logano’s chances of a strong finish, and he ended the day in 13th place.
NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. deemed the penalty ruling “nitpicky” on his “Dale Jr. Download” podcast, but fans were quick to point out the written rule and how it helps NASCAR appear more consistent in its rulings.
Heading into Vegas, Blaney is currently ranked P4 in the drivers’ standings with 136 points and one top-five finish. Meanwhile, Logano sits in P9 with 110 points and no stage wins so far.
Team Penske’s results haven’t been ideal as of yet, but history suggests there’s no need to worry. The Penske drivers started slow in the last two seasons before picking up speed as the year went on. That strategy worked, as Blaney won the championship in 2023, while Logano claimed the title in 2024.