Toyota’s ongoing engine issues have repeatedly disrupted their drivers’ chances at winning races and championships. Last year, Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 team fell victim to these problems when his Toyota Camry’s engine failed at Sonoma. Later, the team reused the Bristol-winning engine without NASCAR’s approval, resulting in a $100,000 fine for his crew chief and the loss of 10 playoff points. Christopher Bell also experienced engine troubles at Gateway, highlighting a concerning pattern for Toyota’s camp.
Now, Ryan Blaney seems to be facing a similar struggle in the 2025 season. The defending Cup Series champion suffered his second engine failure in three races at Homestead, raising questions about Ford’s reliability. This latest setback marks an unfortunate milestone—Blaney’s first time recording three consecutive DNFs in his Cup career. After an engine failure at Phoenix and a crash in Las Vegas, his No. 12 Ford suffered another blow while running third alongside Bubba Wallace and Kyle Larson. Coming off Turn 4, his car suddenly erupted in smoke despite showing strong pace throughout the day.
Blaney described the incident with visible frustration, stating, “Nothing. I didn’t have any warning. It just laid over when I got back to wide open down the front and that was all she wrote.” Despite the disappointment, he remained hopeful, emphasizing that his team continues to bring fast cars.
The timing of these failures is drawing comparisons to Toyota’s troubles last season, which disrupted Hamlin and Bell’s championship pursuits. Fans have taken notice, with some even speculating foul play. One fan remarked, “Dominant cars suspiciously blowing up in an era where engine failures rarely happen, Hmmmmmm.” Another humorously compared the explosive nature of Blaney’s engine failure to a SpaceX rocket launch. Dashcam footage from the No. 24 car captured the massive cloud of smoke, resembling a scene from the Cars movie as drivers navigated through the chaos.
Engine failures are rare in NASCAR’s current era, making Blaney’s back-to-back issues all the more puzzling. Some fans joked that divine intervention was at play, with one posting, “NASCAR tried to fix the win for him and god took over!” However, others remain optimistic about Blaney’s chances at Martinsville, a track where he has shown dominance in the past.
As Team Penske works to resolve these reliability concerns, the pressure mounts to keep their title defense on track.
