NASCAR Cup Series driver Ryan Blaney (12) before NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500 Qualifying at Martinsville Speedway. Greg Atkins-Imagn Images

Team Penske shut out of NASCAR's Championship 4 for first time in Next-Gen era

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated Oct 26, 2025 7:16 PM ET

The fourth year of NASCAR's Next-Gen car will be the first year that Team Penske does not win the NASCAR Cup Series championship.

With a pair of titles from Joey Logano in 2022 and 2024 and one from Ryan Blaney in 2023, Penske had won the last three NASCAR Cup Series championships, the first three in the Next-Gen era. But Sunday's cut-off race at Martinsville ensured that their streak will carry on no longer. It's also the first year that Ford as a whole will be shut out of the Championship 4 in the Next-Gen era.

Both Logano, who finished eighth, and Blaney, who finished second, were eliminated from the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs on Sunday after entering Sunday's race in a must-win position.

Penske's reign is over — for now

Instead, the Championship 4 is made up of two drivers from arguably NASCAR's two best teams — Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. Kyle Larson and William Byron will represent HMS at Phoenix on Nov. 2, with Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin carrying the torch for JGR.

For the first time in the Next Gen era, Team Penske will not win the championship#NASCAR #Xfinity500
— Dalton Hopkins (@PitLaneCPT) October 26, 2025

While Penske failed to make the Championship 4 this year, it would not be surprising if one or two Penske Fords are battling for the 2026 championship.

While the 2026 postseason format is not yet known, Logano has a knack for showing up in big-time moments, while Blaney has become one of the all-around best drivers in the sport in recent years.

Samuel Stubbs

Hailing from the same neck of the woods as NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin, Samuel has been covering NASCAR for Yardbarker since February 2024. He has been a member of the National Motorsports Press Association (NMPA) since October of 2024. When he’s not writing about racing, Samuel covers Arkansas Razorback basketball for Yardbarker

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