NASCAR Cup Series driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is going through a rather tumultuous 2025 season. The Hyak Motorsports driver, following a string of rough weekends that began in Nashville, is now looking for redemption as the action heads to Pocono Raceway.
Amid internal changes in the team, the 37-year-old recently struck a more optimistic tone. In a radio exclusive, Stenhouse Jr. expressed renewed confidence in his No. 47 Chevrolet, citing a bright spot in an otherwise rough stretch.
‘Got a Good Handle’ – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Finds Positives in His Car
The two-time Xfinity Series champion’s struggles began at Nashville as an “over-aggressive” Carson Hocevar spun him out, resulting in a bottom-last finish. Although the driver was hell-bent on bettering his position in the playoff bubble, eyeing a solid finish at Michigan, trouble found him again. Eventually, he finished 20th.
Contact with Carson Hocevar sent Ricky Stenhouse Jr. into the wall Sunday at Nashville. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/8F0UZPtnY4
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) June 2, 2025
As we get to the 17th race of the calendar at the 2.5-mile tri-oval, Stenhouse seems to have found light at the end of the tunnel. Speaking recently on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, he was asked about his car’s performance heading into the tripleheader weekend.
The host posed a question to Stenhouse Jr.: “The way the car makes downforce, is it the independent rear suspension? Is there something else about this car that works well for you at Pocono?”
“I don’t know. I think we just got a better handle on exactly, you know, tying all three corners together,” Stenhouse Jr. responded. “You know, obviously every corner is quite a bit different. I feel like we got a good handle on how to at least tie them together somewhat and, you know, the shifting with this car, you know, makes things quite a bit different as well.”
As of now, Stenhouse Jr. is ranked 21st with 312 points, 61 points below the playoff cutoff line. Despite four career Cup wins, including a Daytona 500 victory in 2023, the 37-year-old hasn’t led a single lap this season.
He currently has two top-10s and one top-5 finish, finishing in an average of 19th place. His best bet to secure a playoff berth will be on the drafting tracks.
While the numbers might not just reflect it yet, Stenhouse Jr.’s renewed confidence and deeper understanding of his car’s dynamics at the “Tricky Triangle” signal a potential turning point. With time running out before the playoffs, every lap matters.
If he can build on the bright spots and capitalize on his strengths at drafting tracks like Pocono, then a late-season surge isn’t an impossibility.