Roger Penske’s Insider Shrugs Apart Joey Logano’s Playoff Woes With Daring Warning to Total NASCAR Storage

A curler coaster of feelings. That’s what Joey Logano went by after an action-packed elimination race on the 2024 Financial institution of America ROVAL 400. The Group Penske driver fell wanting a playoff spot after Tyler Reddick charged by with more energizing tires throughout the closing laps, ending 4 factors forward when the checkered flag was waved. Simply when the No. 22 driver thought all hope was misplaced, Alex Bowman’s disqualification, immediately revived Logano’s championship ambitions, giving him a shot at his third Cup Sequence title.

Regardless of a topsy-turvy postseason marketing campaign, Group Penske finds itself in acquainted territory on the Spherical of 8. Logano could also be all-time low within the playoff standings, however a distinguished particular person inside the crew believes that he has what it takes to show his fortunes round within the remaining 4 races of the season.

Joey Logano’s crew chief is optimistic about his possibilities

Joey Logano has been there and achieved that. The 34-year-old’s first Championship 4 look got here in 2018 after a dramatic victory at Martinsville propelled him into the title race, the place he outperformed Martin Truex Jr to raise the title at Homestead-Miami. 4 years later in 2022, he was again in competition for the silverware, with a victory at Las Vegas’ Spherical of 8 playoff race serving to him advance to Phoenix, the place he beat Ross Chastain for the crown. Despite the fact that his 2024 marketing campaign has been considerably of an ‘off’ 12 months by his requirements, the Group Penske driver could have loads of confidence going into the enterprise finish of the season.

Expressing his optimism about Joey Logano’s possibilities within the upcoming races, the No. 22 driver’s crew chief Paul Wolfe advised SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, “I really feel like our vehicles at this level of the season, we variety have gotten some pace again, relative to our competitors. That units us up properly going into Martinsville. The short-track stuff has in all probability been our energy all 12 months. We glance to proceed that at Martinsville. We may simply get by Vegas, then Homestead, with some actually good races.”

Highlighting Group Penske’s information within the Spherical of 8 throughout the Subsequent-Gen period, Paul Wolfe went on to say, “We’re optimistic. I really feel like we’re as robust at this level within the season as we’ve been within the earlier two the place Penske’s have been in a position to win the Championship, so I feel our likelihood is pretty much as good as anyone.”

Despite the fact that Joey Logano has secured two victories at Nashville and Atlanta, the 34-year-old will know that the continued season has been his weakest Cup Series marketing campaign in recent times. As issues stand, the Connecticut native has the bottom common end amongst all of the Spherical of Eight drivers and is on the backside of the standings amongst playoff-eligible drivers.

Nonetheless, his No. 22 Ford Mustang has proven vital enchancment throughout qualifying within the playoffs, making it to the pole spherical in 5 out of the final six races. Having the ability to replicate that tempo within the upcoming races shall be vital for Logano to safe stage factors, which may make all of the distinction in making it to Phoenix Raceway later this 12 months.

With Team Penske having received back-to-back championships because the Subsequent-Gen vehicles had been launched, Joey Logano shall be in a bullish temper heading to the 2024 South Level 400. As issues stand, he’s 40 factors behind chief Kyle Larson within the driver standings, however simply 11 factors beneath the elimination cutline. A single victory at Las Vegas, Homestead-Miami, or Martinsville could possibly be all it takes for the 34-year-old to have one other shot on the championship. Will the racing driver benefit from getting a second-shot title? Time will inform.

Joey Logano is taking it one race at a time

Whereas luck has performed an enormous position in Joey Logano making it to the Spherical of Eight, the Group Penske driver positioned himself properly to make the most of the chance when it got here by. Alex Bowman’s misfortune was Logano’s achieve on the Charlotte Roval, because the No. 22 Ford Mustang driver made it to the third playoff spherical after securing 18 stage factors on the 2024 Financial institution of America ROVAL 400.

The 34-year-old getting a second life isn’t simply a possibility for redemption, however it would additionally ship a warning signal to the remainder of the contenders that the stakes have gotten even larger within the upcoming races.

Regardless of his struggles, Joey Logano was all the time assured about making a deep playoff run. Sharing his expectations for the upcoming races, the Connecticut native stated, “The stats could not appear to be it. It might appear to be we’re underdogs from the outset wanting in, however internally we really feel very assured in our race crew that we will make a run at this factor and get ourselves into the Championship 4. We’ve seen it up to now the place you get in there and something can occur at Phoenix.”

Logano went on to say, “It will probably occur in a short time, so one race at a time. Proper now, the main target is Vegas and we’ll attempt to maximize the day there.”

Ever because the elimination-style postseason format was launched in 2014, Joey Logano has made it to the Championship 4 in all of the years ending with a fair quantity. He has occupied all 4 spots within the closing race of the season in his final 5 appearances, profitable the title in 2018 and 2022. Whereas it appeared just like the streak lastly ended when the checkered flag was waved on the Charlotte Roval, destiny had completely different plans. If there was ever a driver that can’t be dominated out of a title problem, it’s Logano.

All he must do now could be show his doubters improper.