Joey Logano wasn’t on many people’s radar as a NASCAR Cup Series championship favorite when the regular season ended in September. Statistically, the numbers didn’t shout “champion-in-waiting.” Logano wrapped up the regular season 15th in the standings, with a victory at Nashville Superspeedway, eight top-10 finishes, and 264 laps led—solid, but not dominant. Yet, after a surprise victory at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the No. 22 team is now locked into the Championship 4, leaving many to wonder: did they overachieve?
“Maybe in your mind,” Logano quipped after his unexpected win. “For us, our goal always is to make it, and we truly believe we can. There have been many years where, by the stats, it doesn’t look too good. But we’ve been able to capitalize when it matters, and in the playoffs, we just turn the wick up.”
Indeed, Logano thrives under postseason pressure. In fact, he made it clear back in September: the playoffs are his time to shine. The reigning champion’s Las Vegas victory marked his second postseason win, with the first coming at Atlanta Motor Speedway, securing him a spot in the Round of 12. Through seven playoff races, Logano has averaged a 14.28 finish, with three top-10s, but his knack for winning at the right time is what keeps him in the title conversation.
If Logano can capture his third championship, he would stand alone as the only active driver with that distinction. Yet, he remains humble, quoting team owner Roger Penske’s advice: “Don’t trip on your own press clippings. Don’t get too over your skis.”
The driver-crew chief relationship between Logano and Paul Wolfe has been key to their success. Since Wolfe joined Logano’s team in 2020, they’ve amassed 12 wins, including the 2022 series championship. Wolfe’s strategic brilliance was on full display in Las Vegas, where he made the call to stretch Logano’s fuel mileage while other top drivers pitted, allowing them to take the victory.
Wolfe, now the winningest active crew chief in the Cup Series with 41 wins, praised Logano’s ability to perform under pressure. “There are certainly drivers that, under pressure, can’t perform,” Wolfe said. “These situations make him perform at another level… and the greatest drivers can do that under pressure.”
Las Vegas was a prime example of Logano’s ability to rise to the occasion. Wolfe emphasized that while the No. 22 car isn’t always the fastest, their strength lies in putting everything together. “The fastest car very seldom wins these races. So, we try to make sure we’ve covered off on everything,” Wolfe explained. “Doing the rest of it at the highest level is what allows us to do things like we did [Sunday].”
With Logano’s win in Las Vegas, he and Wolfe now set their sights on Phoenix Raceway, a track where Logano has triumphed three times, including his 2022 championship win. As they head into the finale, one thing is clear: when the stakes are highest, Joey Logano finds another gear.
