BLOG: Things that Make You Say ‘Hmmmm’

Today’s news that the Wood Brothers have hired Ryan Blaney to be their driver for 2015 is not a bombshell. It’s an obvious choice, given the young man’s deal with Penske Racing and Ford.

What is a little bit of a ‘what?’ moment is the technical alliance with Team Penske.

Most of the Ford teams have an alliance with Roush Fenway Racing, or did. They all use Roush Yates engines, for instance, but the cars themselves came from RFR. Not any longer, it seems.

The technical alliance is important because it gives the Woods, as deserving of top-notch equipment as anyone ever has been, a competitive advantage. Penske’s Fords have won five races this year, three with Brad Keselowski and two with Joey Logano. Roush has won twice with Carl Edwards.

Penske cars have been fast all year long. There was a time when a Penske car not starting first or second was a major upset.

With the sort of…stuff that has been going on with RFR this year—Edwards leaving at season’s end, sponsors moving and changing, personnel leaving—it seems clear that Team Penske is the new Ford flagship in NASCAR, even though there’s just two of them. 

Well, with the addition of the Wood Brothers, it’s tied, three and three. This will bear watching, beginning at Daytona in 2015.