That said, Team Penske arrives at Phoenix Raceway carrying a very specific, high-stakes mindset. The organization has previously captured three consecutive NASCAR Cup Series championships in must-win scenarios in the desert, but this weekend, a victory would merely keep its title hopes alive.
Ryan Blaney leads the charge for Team Penske in the standings in fifth, sitting 85 points behind Kyle Larson. The 2023 Cup Series champion enters the Freeway Insurance 500 backed by three consecutive top-first finishes for the first time in 2026, yet he knows the math leaves zero room for error with just four races left on the calendar.
"You've only got four (races) left and the points that we're out, I think you do kind of have to treat it as a must-win," Blaney explained during a Saturday press conference. He added that failing to take a big chunk of points with the 20 bonus points for winning will make the job exponentially harder going into the next three weeks.
No. 12 crew chief Jonathan Hassler shares his driver's perspective, noting that the team needs to tap into Penske's flat-track prowess to make a significant dent in their deficit. Meanwhile, three-time champion Joey Logano sits one position behind his teammate, trailing the No. 5 team by 92 points after digging out of an early-season hole that saw his No. 22 team languishing 20th in the regular standings during the summer.
"Desperate people do desperate things, and we're at that desperate level," Logano said. The Paul Wolfe-led bunch knows that making up 90-plus points without wishing bad luck on rivals requires visiting Victory Lane, and likely multiple times. Logano candidly admitted that being in this position "sucks" with a wide chuckle, though he acknowledges the team should be proud to still be in the hunt.
Both drivers are realistic about the challenge ahead, noting that Kyle Larson boasts a historic 2.8 average finish through the first six Chase presented by Mobil 1 races. Neither Penske driver is waiting for the No. 5 team to stumble, emphasizing that any ground must be made up through their own speed.
Thankfully, the early signs in the desert look promising. Blaney and Logano swept the front row in qualifying for the 312-lapper at the 1-mile oval, with Blaney earning the pole and Logano set to roll off second.
