Joey Logano Lets Slip Penske’s Biggest “Weakness” Publicly

When the rubber met the road at the NASCAR race at Richmond, Chris Buescher’s third career victory proved to be an absolute bolt from the blue. Fans had their money on the usual suspects, Kyle Busch or Denny Hamlin, to bag the laurels, yet it was Buescher who grabbed the brass ring in the end. The riveting contest saw Denny Hamlin pushing his Toyota to the runner-up position, Kyle Busch driving his Chevrolet to third place, and Joey Logano piloting his Ford Mustang to a less-than-anticipated fourth-place finish. However, it seemed as though Logano had a bee in his bonnet regarding his fourth-place ranking.

Later on, he even spilled some beans, unveiling some behind-the-scenes facts about his team that played their part in his fourth-place finish.

Joey Logano gets candid about the Richmond Raceway saga

The saga of Joey Logano’s voyage and his steed’s performance on the Richmond circuit is one filled with twists and turns. While Chris Buescher heralded a trifecta of victories, by a whisper of 0.549 seconds over Denny Hamlin and punched a ticket to the playoffs for RFK Racing, reigning champion Logano, the harbinger of Ford’s maiden victory this season in Atlanta, was relegated to fourth place. This marked Ford’s first taste of victory since the merry month of May when Ryan Blaney raised the Coca-Cola 600 trophy.

In the aftermath, during a grilling post-race interview where the reporter probed into the alterations in his race car that helped him muscle his way to the front, Logano’s response hinted at a note of disappointment. Upon clinching the fourth spot at Richmond Raceway, Logano confessed to being “a little bit off from the best cars” and indicated that he continues to perceive certain chinks in the Ford’s armor that were merely “masked.”

Moreover, while assessing Ford’s performance at Richmond, Logano unbuttoned Penske’s Biggest “Weakness”, opining, “I think our weaknesses were hidden today by the lack of grip in the racetrack; mechanical grip seems to come in. It’s hard to put the power down as it is. I think just where our weaknesses are were masked.”

Reveling in Buescher’s triumph, he expressed a sense of camaraderie: “I’m glad Chris was able to capitalize on it and a Ford got into Victory Lane. We need to get more of them in there. Nice to see one in Victory Lane right now.”

As reported by autoweek.com, given the new model and changes, it is noteworthy that Ford’s knights have been dealing with a hornet’s nest of problems, as Logano himself stated in May 2023. He admitted, “We didn’t maximize as well as we needed to. We’re constantly looking for improvements and how we can make our cars better just like everybody else’s, but we’re starting a little bit behind. It doesn’t mean we can’t win races. It just means we have to be perfect. We’re lacking downforce.”

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Given that Chris Buescher cinched Ford’s third victory this season, the Richmond track may have shown more camaraderie toward the Mustang. However, it is a far cry from suggesting that Ford can rest on its laurels with the new model.

What was the scorecard for the other Ford drivers on the track?

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The Achilles’ heel for Ford this season has been a scarcity of downforce. But with Richmond Raceway providing a sizzling, slippery battleground in Sunday’s Cook Out 400, the circumstances seemed to roll out the red carpet for them.

Also, on the Richmond racing stage, Ford appeared to keep its ship steady. The leading pack was peppered with several Ford charioteers, including Ryan Preece, who flew the flag at fifth, and Brad Keselowski, who claimed the sixth spot, while Aric Almirola and Kevin Harvick completed the elite circle with eighth- and tenth-place laurels, respectively.

While Richmond may have tipped its hat to Mustang drivers, it is crystal clear that the manufacturer still has several mountains to climb to increase speed and create a more driver-centric experience with a robust rear grip that can work effectively on varied racetracks.

Read More: “It’s a Broken System” – Team Penske Star Driver Joey Logano Slams Down NASCARs Incompetence at Dealing With Problems