To say that Hailie Deegan hasn’t been performing at NASCAR’s Xfinity series would be an understatement. The results are abysmal for a driver of her caliber, as after the seventeen race starts this season, she has 3 DNFs and currently sits at 174 points, ranked 27th! 

Hence, she was snubbed and the team was in search of a better driver to bring some much-needed respite. They reached out to Joey Logano as he has over 30 wins in the Xfinity races- so a bright prospect! Fresh off a win at Nashville, he has the adrenaline and newfound confidence to potentially propel the team to the forefront.

Moreover, this deal was not just a no-brainer for one side of the party as even the Penske driver had much to gain from the partnership. In fact, he revealed to Dale Earnhardt Jr why he took up the taxing task.

Joey Logano’s strategic gamble: NASCAR and Xfinity Series crossover

NASCAR cup drivers have a lot going on their plate. And right from the moment they finish a race, the preparations for the next one start. As such, why would Logano, who already has had such a turbulent season, take up racing at the Xfinity Series? Well, that question bothered even Dale Earnhardt Jr, and he did ask Logano when he came to his show. 

Logano revealed through his words that he had much to gain from the deal. AM Racing wanted a driver with experience to start the race in the hopes of sparking some competitive spirit. And who better than Logano, the man who won 30 races at Xfinity? Joey Logano just wanted to get a hands-on feeling driving at the street course race, because his last bout at the track was quite a challenge, as he recalled.

Addressing this, Logano said on the Dale Earnhardt Jr podcast, “I was looking at it and saying, man, I can get more laps on the Chicago Street course. Can’t be anything bad with that either. So, I felt like that was worth it to me. I went up to their shop, checked their cars out, and was able to go back up and get a seat in there. I feel pretty good about it at this point. It should be fun.”

Logano said he had gotten a call asking if he was free to race the 15 at the NASCAR’s Chicago street course in Hailey Deegan’s place. And right then, after confirming that his schedules and sponsorship duties were clear, he got the go-ahead from his boss at Penske and signed up for it.

Logano said, “Any extra seat time is always a positive for unique tracks such as this one. Driving the NASCAR Xfinity Series cars is a lot of fun, and I‘m looking forward to climbing behind the wheel of the No. 15 AM Racing Ford Mustang with high hopes to wheel it to the front.” So it was a two-way street!

For sure, his week has been eventful. From winning most unpredictably, to now getting a chance to test the waters in Chicago before the race day—seems like lady luck has come to his door. However, while the win sure is sweet for him, some have questioned his victory. Most cannot fathom he could manage to end the race, given the amount of fuel he had. Addressing the same, Logano had some tricks to share.

Joey Logano reveals his fuel-saving tactics at the NASCAR race in Nashville

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Joey Logano, going to the Nashville race, had immense pressure. He was in the playoff bubble, and with not many races remaining, he had to win races or hope for a miracle. And well, he did win, and in the most surprising manner! He finished a race when most of the top contenders were fuel-killed and that raised eyebrows. Some even called for an investigation.

But Joey Logano explained how exactly he managed to finish a race with the amount of fuel he did at the Dale Earnhardt podcast and it does make a lot of sense. According to him just like any other car the first thing to pay attention to is the brake pedal. He said, “The first thing you do is eliminate the brake pedal. The brake pedal is the number one fuel mileage killer.”  

Logano also mentioned he saved plenty of gas during the time they were halted due to the cautions. He said, “You’re coasting, so the more you can coast, the more it helps.” He also mentioned the same thing that Denny Hamlin had mentioned in his podcast: Logano’s vantage point was his position. He reiterated it and said, “The further back you are, the pace is a little bit slower, you’re burning a little less fuel.”

These were the key factors that helped Joey Logano turn a potentially disastrous race into a victory. In fact, Smith and Reddick were right beside him, ready to snatch the win. Logano himself admitted he didn’t think he could make it. Apparently, his car was at its last leg of fuel and it did sputter a little at turn four and then it stumbled from there to the start-finish line.

Seems like he just had the perfect amount of strategy and luck—something even he wouldn’t deny!

It remains to see how he will perform at NASCAR’s Xfinity race given that he hasn’t been in an Xfinity car since 2019, so definitely been a hot minute. Let us know your thoughts.