Team Penske has made a major NASCAR pit crew change just before the 2026 Chase begins. The team swapped the entire over-the-wall pit crews of Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 Ford and Austin Cindric’s No. 2 Ford ahead of Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.
The move puts Cindric’s faster regular-season pit crew on Blaney’s playoff car. Blaney enters the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs as the No. 2 seed, 25 points behind Denny Hamlin, while Cindric starts 15th, 95 points behind the series leader.
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The change came two days after the NASCAR playoff field was set. Team Penske confirmed the swap through a team spokesperson on Tuesday. Crew chiefs Jonathan Hassler and Cindric’s regular leadership group remain with their respective cars.
NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs Bring Major Penske Pit Crew Change
The NASCAR Cup Series playoffs have pushed Team Penske to make a significant change. According to NASCAR Insights, Blaney’s regular-season pit crew ranked 32nd among 35 full-time teams. Cindric’s crew ranked 10th.
Blaney lost a net 129 positions on pit road during 26 regular-season races. Penske has now moved Cindric’s five-man crew to the No. 12 Ford as Blaney begins the NASCAR Chase.
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Blaney will have jackman Jourdan Osinskie, fueler Andrew Lackey, front tire changer Justin Armwood, rear changer Geoffrey Wall and tire carrier Jesse Mills.
Cindric will receive jackman Graham Stoddard, fueler Chris Conklin, front changer Keiston France, rear changer Justin Fox and tire carrier Trevor Apsey.
Ryan Blaney Gets Faster Pit Crew for NASCAR Chase
The NASCAR pit crew swap gives Blaney several familiar faces. Lackey previously worked with Blaney in the Truck Series through 2019. Mills also spent time with the No. 12 team in the 2010s.
Osinskie served as Blaney’s jackman during his 2023 championship campaign before moving to Cindric’s team this year.
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“A few of them I have a decent amount of experience with throughout my years, and then a couple of them it’s nice to get to learn new guys.”
He added that the change gives Penske “the best chance to win the championship.”
Cindric said he understood the decision even though he was not consulted before the NASCAR pit crew change.
“I completely understand the team’s perspective for why that is and obviously the opportunity for us moving forward,” Cindric said.
Darlington Raceway Will Test the NASCAR Pit Crew Swap
The NASCAR Chase begins at Darlington Raceway, where fast pit stops can have a major impact. The track’s abrasive surface and long green-flag runs can make lost positions on pit road difficult to recover.
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This is also the second major pit crew adjustment for Blaney in 2026. Penske made earlier changes in April after the No. 12 lost nearly 100 positions on pit road during the first two months of the season.
Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500 will provide the first race test of the new NASCAR pit crew lineup. Penske has not confirmed whether the crews will remain in their new positions through the entire Chase.
For Blaney, the change comes with the NASCAR championship on the line. Team Penske has moved its faster pit crew to its higher-seeded playoff car, making the Southern 500 the first test of whether the change can improve the No. 12 team’s pit-road performance.
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