2024 NASCAR New Year's Resolutions: Team Penske, Wood Brothers Racing

For the second straight season, Team Penske came away with a NASCAR Cup Series championship, this time with Ryan Blaney. The group of Blaney, Joey Logano, Austin Cindric, and Harrison Burton with Wood Brothers have resolutions for 2024.

What does an organization that has won back-to-back championships have to change? Well, just a few minor things, really. Looking at the 2023 season outside of the playoffs – things weren’t always great for Penske.

Logano had struggles, as did Cindric. Then there is Burton, who is still a work in progress as a driver. He’s got at least another year at Wood Brothers. So, what can Team Penske do differently in 2024?

Team Penske/Wood Brothers Resolutions:
– Stay consistent through the year
– Avoid playoff disasters
– Be honest about the future of the 2 and 21 cars
– Use the Dark Horse to your advantage
– Get two drivers to the Round of 8
– Make the Championship 4 again

The things that Team Penske proved in 2023, they are really good at these playoff tracks. Especially the Round of 8. Still, consistency is key to improving in 2024. Issues on pit road, small mistakes, and you end up with Logano out of the Round of 12 without much of a fight.

For Cindric and Burton, this is a make-or-break season. If improvement doesn’t happen there, Team Penske and Wood Brothers might have to get honest about the future of those cars. And for everyone, this new Mustang Dark Horse should be a gift, if they can get the setup locked down.

Team Penske, Wood Brothers Driver Resolutions

Of course, we have resolutions for each driver. They are going to have to get the job done on the track themselves. For Blaney and Logano, it’s a little more simple. But when it comes to the younger drivers in this group, not so much.

Ryan Blaney Resolutions:
– Start the year stronger
– Close races with more aggression
– Don’t forget what made you successful
– Make the Championship 4

A return to Phoenix for the championship makes all the other problems go away. However, in a perfect world, I’d like to see Blaney start stronger this season. He needs to have that same aggression he had in the playoffs in the last six weeks of the year.

Harrison Burton Resolutions:
– Five top-10s or more
– Top 25 in the points standing
– Show consistency and improvement
– Don’t get bogged down in the muck

For Burton, this is a big season. Rumors swirled at one point in 2023 that Wood Brothers was thinking of a different direction. Score more top-10s, show improvement, and show that you want to be in the Cup Series.

Austin Cindric Resolutions:
– Prove you earned your seat
– Show you aren’t a one-hit wonder
– Top-10 on 3/5 road course races
– 3-5 top-5 finishes

I don’t think Cindric has to win in 2024. However, he has to score more top-5s than he did in 2023 (one). In 2022, he had a handful of top-5s and the Daytona 500 win. Put your superspeedway skills on display and show your road course prowess, and it will be a good season.

Joey Logano Resolutions:
– Win 3+ races
– Start strong, avoid a slump
– Convert those P2, P3s into wins
– Make the Championship 4

Plain and simple, Logano needs to get back to his winning ways. He took the W at Atlanta in March. However, he came up just short on multiple occasions. P2 three times. P3 two times. So, convert some of those into wins.

When the season is over in 2024, Team Penske and the Wood Brothers could be making tough decisions. But that doesn’t mean they can’t have success with their two Cup Series champions.