Ryan Blaney and the No. 12 team are still working through a stretch of pit road struggles that has shaped a large part of their 2026 season so far. Heading into Sunday’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Team Penske has made another adjustment to the over-the-wall group, continuing a series of changes aimed at tightening up execution during stops. The latest move brings Justin Fox into the No. 12 pit crew from Front Row Motorsports, where he will take over rear tire duties starting this weekend.
It follows an earlier change this season, when Penske reshuffled the crew after issues at the beginning of the year continued to surface during race stops. Through the first portion of the season, the No. 12 team has consistently lost track position on pit road. Stops that should have held position or gained ground have instead turned into situations where Blaney is sent back into traffic, forcing the team to race from behind more often than they would like.
It’s been one of the more frustrating parts of the year for a team that has otherwise shown solid speed. Blaney and crew chief Jonathan Hassler have both been open about the situation, not hiding that execution on pit road has not matched the car’s pace. In several races, the No. 12 Ford has been fast enough to run inside the top group, only for pit cycles to undo the track position they worked to build.
That contrast between speed and execution has defined a lot of their season so far. Earlier in the year, Penske already made one notable change to the pit crew when Graham Stoddard was brought in to handle jackman duties after a planned shuffle with Wood Brothers Racing never fully came together. That move was the first sign the organization was willing to actively address the problem midseason.
Now, another change arrives just before one of the longest races on the schedule. The decision also carries added weight, given that the group being replaced had been part of the No. 12 operation for multiple seasons, including the 2023 championship run. But with the season still developing, Penske appears to be more focused on correcting performance than on maintaining continuity.
Even with the issues on pit road, Blaney has managed to stay in the championship conversation. A win earlier this season at Phoenix helped keep the No. 12 team in the mix, and he currently sits fourth in the standings heading into Charlotte. The results have shown enough strength to keep them competitive, but the weekly execution has made the path more difficult than it should be. The speed hasn’t been the problem.
At different points this season, the No. 12 car has shown it can run at the front, especially on long runs where Blaney settles into a strong rhythm. The difference has been what happens during stops, where lost spots on pit road have repeatedly changed the direction of races. Charlotte adds another layer to that challenge.
The Coca-Cola 600 is one of the most demanding events on the calendar, where long runs, strategy calls, and late cautions can swing the outcome quickly. In that kind of environment, pit road mistakes tend to stand out even more. With another adjustment now in place, Penske hopes the No. 12 team can finally stabilize its execution and turn race-day speed into results that match its on-track performance.
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