Joey Logano has discovered a option to tune out months of negativity.
Critics? Naysayers? Anybody who thinks his third Cup Collection championship was a fluke?
“I can’t hear it as a result of my trophies, they sort of, like, echo round me,” Logano quipped throughout a Zoom name with media Wednesday.
Logano gained his third title in November, sparking debate about whether or not NASCAR’s present playoff format is the easiest way to find out the collection’ worthiest champion. Few might make a robust case for that being Logano in 2024.
He gained 4 races, had 13 top-10 finishes and barely had the automobile to beat over 37 occasions.
He obtained enormous breaks alongside the way in which, too. He used what amounted to a Hail Mary to win in Nashville — stretching his empty gas tank via 5 overtimes — simply to qualify for the postseason. After which he was truly eradicated from playoff competition within the second spherical solely to be reinstated when Alex Bowman’s automobile failed a postrace inspection.
Whereas opponents have since known as for NASCAR to tweak its playoff format, with some wanting to maneuver the finale to a unique monitor yearly as a substitute of conserving it at Phoenix Raceway, Logano — not surprisingly — believes the setup is simply tremendous.
“The playoff system could be very entertaining,” he stated, including that groups usually get scorching in different sports activities and win all of it. “It takes lots to get via the ten races to win the championship. … When the playoffs begin, a whole lot of instances you see groups that fireplace up.
“And we’ve been a kind of groups, fortunately, and it’s labored out for us thrice. However I don’t assume meaning it’s a must to change the playoff system.”
NASCAR stated earlier this week that no tweaks can be made to the championship format in 2025. As a substitute, officers plan to check it for one more yr earlier than making any choices. That gained’t cease drivers from stumping for a makeover.
“I feel it deserves a search for certain and possibly a change down the street,” Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron stated. “I simply don’t know what that change is. I really feel like we’ve simply gotten into such a routine of going to the identical racetrack for the ultimate race, and having comparable tracks that lead as much as it has gotten a bit of bit predictable. However you could possibly say in all probability the identical factor in different sports activities, with the (Kansas Metropolis) Chiefs internet hosting the AFC championship yearly.
“It’s simply sort of the character of sports activities, in all probability; it will get a bit of bit repetitive. However it’d be good to see the ultimate race to maneuver round.”
Workforce Penske has gained the final three Cup Collection titles, with Logano sandwiching championships round teammate Ryan Blaney. All of these got here in Phoenix, the place the finale landed in 2020 after practically 20 years at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
NASCAR has made wholesale modifications to its schedule lately, together with transferring the season-opening Conflict and the all-star race.
The Conflict bounced from Daytona Worldwide Speedway to the Los Angeles Coliseum and is now headed to historic Bowman Grey Stadium in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for Sunday’s exhibition.
The all-star race went from North Carolina to Tennessee to Texas earlier than touchdown again in North Carolina.
Nobody can be shocked to see the finale find yourself with comparable motion.
“Now we have some tracks that could possibly be superior for the championship, like Vegas and Homestead and even Charlotte,” Byron stated. “Simply being open to all of the totally different concepts would in all probability be cool and produce some buzz and likewise simply sort of even the competitors out.”
With no modifications in sight for now, the 34-year-old Logano can deal with a fourth championship. He is one among six drivers with three Cup titles and wishes one other to affix Jeff Gordon (4), Dale Earnhardt (7), Jimmie Johnson (7) and Richard Petty (7) as the one guys with no less than 4.
“In all probability not till I’m achieved racing will I be content material with what I’ve as a result of I’m not achieved but,” Logano stated. “I obtained a whole lot of years forward of me to win extra championships and races.
“As nice as it’s, the primary 20 minutes is wonderful since you’re celebrating along with your group and your loved ones. After which day by day (after) it turns into rather less thrilling and extra ideas of, ‘We obtained to do it once more.’”
One other one certainly would do lots to drown out these detractors.
___
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
Copyright 2025 The Related Press. All rights reserved. This materials will not be revealed, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed with out permission.