The incumbent champion of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series, Joey Logano, is primed and ready to embark on his journey through the playoffs. Despite his current standing in the lower echelon of the top 16, it appears that he remains resolute and unperturbed by external perceptions regarding himself and his team.
During a recent tête-à-tête with the media in anticipation of the playoffs beginning, Joey Logano inadvertently divulged certain internal strategies of his team while robustly refuting his detractors with an audacious declaration.
“Underdog” Joey Logano let slip some of his team’s internal playoff strategies
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Notably, Logano is the sole driver of Team Penske, which qualified for this season’s playoffs with a modest tally of 2008 points. In light of the impending elimination of four out of sixteen drivers in the forthcoming trio of races, Logano is unquestionably poised to summon his utmost prowess.
Despite his laurels as the 2022 and 2018 NASCAR Cup Series champions, it is apparent that the No. 22 Ford driver has not fully garnered the recognition commensurate with his accomplishments. He finds himself frequently labeled an ‘underdog.’
During a recent engagement with the media, Logano firmly addressed this perception while deftly dispelling naysayers. He emphasized, “There have been plenty of times that the #22 team has made it to the championship fours and had a chance to win the championship. And years that we may be the underdog, and I feel okay about that. Because on paper I may look like an underdog, but there are a lot of times internally you’re the favorite.”
Joey Logano knows that he is a playoff underdog in the views of many. He says they have everything they need to get through the first two rounds and then they’ll have to win. pic.twitter.com/QB8ABUyy3A
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) September 1, 2023
Moreover, in a resolute assertion, conferring his team’s blueprint for securing a spot in the top four, Logano elucidated, “We got to survive long enough throughout the first six weeks to get to the second round, get to the round-8 (top-8), and at that point yeah, we have to win.”
Buoyantly, he further added, “But until then, this race team has everything we need to get through those rounds for sure.”
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Logano also articulated the necessity for his team to reclaim their winning form as a pivotal component of advancing to the subsequent playoff stages.
With just one victory so far, Logano’s desire to win is what has kept him in NASCAR so far
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It might be perplexing to see that the reigning champion of the 2022 Cup Series has only claimed victory once in the 2023 regular season of 26 races. Nonetheless, the resonance of Logano’s racing legacy reverberates through his commendable finishes, which encompass eight top-5 placements and an impressive tally of thirteen top-10 finishes.
These feats have conspired to position him on the 12th rung of the playoff standings ladder. However, it is prudent to acknowledge that sustaining this trajectory in the upcoming playoff rounds might necessitate a distinct approach.
In a candid dialogue with Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports, Logano forthrightly articulated his innermost motivation, affirming, “The drive to want to win so bad is what keeps me going. That’s what keeps you fighting and looking for more. The only fun part, to me, about racing is winning. And so we have to get back to our winning ways that we know how to do.”
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Some drivers relish the challenge of trying to go fast and finding speed. Joey Logano does not. He explains: pic.twitter.com/3r8DoELzYs
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 31, 2023
Furthermore, the prevailing consensus regarding his status as an ‘underdog’ holds little sway over Logano. Time and again, the No. 22 Ford Mustang driver has risen to the occasion, solidifying his standing as a formidable competitor.
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Should Joey Logano perpetuate the momentum witnessed in his recent ten races while avoiding any accidents and wrecks, the Penske driver might be able to secure his third Cup Series championship trophy.