NASCAR Rule #17 (8.8.1): Pitting before pit road is open: “The pit entry light at the commitment line will be illuminated red signaling pit road is closed.” When not followed despite not having a green light, the car gets the penalty to “Restart at the tail end of the field.”

Back in 2023, Ryan Blaney’s consistency, with over 14 top-10s and thousands of laps led, became the benchmark for Team Penske’s success. In contrast, this year’s campaign has been marred by DNFs and inconsistent finishes. Not to mention, Blaney’s pit issues have returned as well. Unfortunately, the bad luck continued in Roger Penske’s home turf at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

Entering the IMS, Blaney had a strong performance to clinch the Stage 2 victory. However, entering the Brickyard 400 weekend, he was at the 9th position in rankings. While the #12 was looking to continue his momentum before playoffs, he got himself into a sticky situation. A clip posted by NASCAR’s official X page showed Blaney’s car entering his pit. That’s when the commentators also stated, “There’s just one problem with this.” While the pitting at #21 saw him get the usual checks done, the caption and the following commentary proved the issue.

The tweeted caption read, “PENALTY: Ryan Blaney pitted while pit road was closed. He will restart at the tail end of the longest line.” In the race’s pivotal moment, Blaney faced the costly penalty of entering the pit road while the red light was still on. See for yourself:

By the time the final stage rolled around, Blaney had climbed to 4th on the board, still fighting to regain lost ground after the penalty. His team had to press hard under green-flag conditions. Additionally, they had to consume time and track position that could’ve been used to manage lapped traffic or look for a stage win.

Meanwhile, Logano sat in 6th, nearby but not in a position to carry Team Penske if Blaney couldn’t recover enough. As the playoff picture tightens, Blaney’s crew will need to regroup quickly and eliminate such errors if they hope to stay championship-relevant through the final stretch of the season.

Overall, it had been a bad day for the Team Penske camp. Austin Cindric, who held the charge and set the pace early in the race, suffered a flat tire and lost his lead. Then came Joey Logano and his team.

They made a bold pit strategy that allowed him to leapfrog the Hendrick Motorsports Chevys to the lead. With just 25 laps to go, it looked like Paul Wolfe’s gamble paid off, but just like Cindric, the No. 22 Ford Mustang’s tire failed, and once again, a Penske driver had to forfeit the race lead due to tire issues. Still, Logano’s stance on his racing career keeps Blaney wondering.

Ryan Blaney opens up about career longevity

Driver perseverance is a defining theme in NASCAR today. Just like veterans Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano show no signs of slowing down. Hamlin, in particular, continues to lead with four wins at Dover this season at age 44, defying the norms of athletic decline. Logano, 35, has also said he is “not stepping away anytime soon,” citing his continued love for the sport. These milestones have inevitably prompted younger drivers to assess their own long-term paths.

In an interview with Fornstretch, Blaney praised Hamlin’s resilience, saying he watches him every weekend “to gauge his speed,” calling him “one of the greats.” Yet when asked if he sees himself racing into his 40s like Hamlin, Blaney responded honestly: “I don’t know.” He added, “If I get around, you know, my 40s and I have to ask myself questions like… do you still love it? That’s the one thing. Are you still giving a hundred percent of your effort towards it?”

He emphasized that staying competitive isn’t just about age, but about passion and effort: “If you can’t give your best, then it would be time to think about not doing it anymore.” While the Penske star isn’t making any concrete plans yet, he acknowledged, “I’ve got a decent amount of years before I even start thinking about that, and it’s already competitive.” 

For Blaney, admiration for Hamlin doesn’t automatically translate into replicating his career arc, but it is a personal decision driven by love for racing, not just for legacy. In the meantime, he will continue to look for a better position in the final stretch of the season.