Ex-Penske Tire Changer Calls for Overhaul of No. 12 Pit Crew Amidst Persistent Struggles

Bristol, TN – A former key member of Ryan Blaney’s No. 12 NASCAR Cup Series pit crew has voiced strong concerns regarding the team’s ongoing pit stop performance, asserting that significant changes are necessary to address a persistent deficit in track position. Ryan Flores, who previously served as the tire changer for Blaney’s car, stated on the "Stacking Pennies" podcast that the current over-the-wall crew is suffering from a severe confidence crisis, directly impacting their effectiveness on the track.

The latest instance of pit road struggles came during Sunday’s race at Bristol Motor Speedway. While Blaney ultimately did not factor into the final outcome due to a strategic pit call under a late caution, his pit stops throughout the event continued a troubling trend. Prior to Bristol, Blaney had lost a cumulative 86 spots on pit road across the season. Sunday’s performance, while not directly costing him the win in the immediate aftermath of the pit stop, contributed to a pattern where the No. 12 Ford Mustang consistently lost ground.

Blaney, who was leading the race before the pivotal caution, was faced with a difficult decision by crew chief Jonathan Hassler. The choice was to pit from the lead and concede track position to Ty Gibbs, who elected to stay out, or to stay out himself and risk having the entire field pit and pass him. Hassler opted for the former, a decision that ultimately allowed Gibbs to secure his first career Cup Series victory, holding off Blaney and Kyle Larson.

Despite the pit stop woes, Blaney has demonstrated remarkable resilience, often driving back through the field to contend for victories. His No. 12 car is frequently among the fastest in the series, allowing him to compensate for the time lost on pit road. This consistent performance, even with the pit crew’s shortcomings, highlights the inherent speed of the Penske operation and Blaney’s driving prowess.

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Following the Bristol race, crew chief Jonathan Hassler expressed his continued support for his pit crew members. "I think they did a great job," Hassler told NASCAR.com. "We had a couple mistakes again, but they stuck with it. All of those guys are capable and we’ve stuck with them, and when everything was on the line the most, they followed through. The guys have a lot of potential. They have the ability. We’ve had some bumps in the road, some of which isn’t necessarily those guys or any one person; just kind of getting the whole group and the car and the team kind of in sync."

However, Flores, who was removed from the No. 12 car last season, painted a starkly different picture of the crew’s current state. "Now look, they have zero confidence. They’re gonna have zero confidence," Flores stated on the podcast with co-host Corey Lajoie. "The one thing they did this week – yes, they lost a bunch of spots – but they kept them in the race. Look, it’s gotta get better. We can’t hide from it anymore, we can’t fluff it, it’s gotta get better. You cannot be continually 20th, 25th on speed on the day, especially in the first pit stall."

Flores acknowledged that the pit crew avoided critical errors that could have been more detrimental. "They did everything they had to do to win the race, which at the end of the day, is what it’s about. You didn’t have loose wheels, you didn’t have penalties, you didn’t stick him 30th like a lot of teams did with, we saw a bunch of equipment interference calls, which is when there’s a car parked in front of you, and you roll your right front into their pit stall. We saw a lot of speeding penalties. If you bury yourself in 30th at Bristol, your day is done, you’re a lap down. They didn’t do that to him; they kept him in the top-10."

Despite these mitigating factors, Flores remained adamant that the current situation is unsustainable. "But when you’re pitting from the lead, and you’re going out sixth, there’s got to be something that changes," Flores asserted. "When I got pulled off of that car last year, we were way better than they are right now. At this race last year – this is the race I got replaced in last year – we were sixth overall on the day. … There comes a point where it’s ‘OK, we’ve given you guys enough runway. Something’s got to change.’"

The No. 12 team’s pit crew has been a point of discussion throughout the current season and into the previous one. While Team Penske is renowned for its meticulous attention to detail and high standards across all its racing programs, the struggles of Blaney’s over-the-wall crew have persisted. Previous reports indicated that Penske planned no immediate changes to the crew following the Martinsville race, despite competitive performances. However, Flores’s direct experience and outspoken criticism suggest a growing internal and external pressure for a significant intervention.

The consistency of Blaney’s on-track speed, juxtaposed with the recurring pit stop deficiencies, creates a complex challenge for the No. 12 team. For Blaney to consistently contend for championships, the pit crew’s performance must reach a level commensurate with the car’s speed and the driver’s talent. The coming weeks will likely reveal whether Team Penske will heed Flores’s call for change or continue to rely on Blaney’s ability to overcome pit road setbacks. The margin for error in the highly competitive NASCAR Cup Series is slim, and continued pit stop deficiencies could prove to be the decisive factor in Blaney’s championship aspirations.