Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano is making headlines again. He is set to achieve a historic milestone this Sunday at Dover Motor Speedway. At 35, he’ll become NASCAR’s youngest driver to reach 600 Cup Series starts. This impressive feat surpasses Richard Petty, who set the previous record in 1973. Logano will be nearly six months younger than Petty was at his 600th start, despite averaging five fewer races per season. This makes him only the second driver aged 35 or under to reach this mark. However, not only this, there is one more reason why Logano is being discussed on social media platforms. What’s that? The way he turned a not-so-great regular season into a strong playoff run to win the championship, just as he did in 2024.
The Penske driver stands among an elite group. He’s one of just ten drivers to claim three Cup Series championships. His first title came in 2018. Then, in 2022, he entered rare territory by becoming a multi-time champion. Last year, his No. 22 team secured its third title in seven seasons, cementing Logano’s legendary status in NASCAR.
From mid-pack to champion: The Joey Logano playoff enigma
Joey Logano’s 2024 win surprised a lot of people. He won the championship, but his regular season wasn’t great. His average finish was 17.1 — the lowest ever for a NASCAR champion. One big win early in the season changed everything for him. It was a wild race that went into five overtimes. That win got him into the playoffs. It shows how one key win can matter more than being consistent all year.
But his path sparked a huge debate. Critics argued his championship exposed flaws in NASCAR’s playoff format. After Logano’s 2024 championship, he famously addressed playoff criticism. “I’ve got a pretty sweet trophy right now. I’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.”
Logano consistently defends NASCAR’s playoff format. He argues that, like in other major sports, true victory comes from flawless execution under playoff pressure, not just regular-season consistency. “The only reason why they don’t say this about other sports is because they didn’t change the playoff system.” He elaborated, stating, “It might help you. It’s the same way in NASCAR; the way we have the rules now is that you set yourself up much better.”
Logano’s 2025 campaign: A familiar pattern?
Joey Logano’s 2025 season is unfolding. People see similarities to his 2024 championship. He has one win so far, a big victory at the Würth 400 at Texas in early May. This win secured his playoff spot early. However, his overall consistent performance is still a topic of conversation. As of mid-July (after 23 races), he has 5 top-5 finishes and 8 top-10 finishes.
This familiar pattern has many fans on social media buzzing, with a sense of déjà vu. A Reddit user observed that Joey Logano frequently wins championships despite inconsistent regular-season performance, often running outside the top 10. The post quickly sparked a flurry of fan reactions and debate.
A fan suggested, Logano’s team masterfully uses the ‘win-and-you re-in’ rule. Secure one victory early, then pivot their focus entirely on excelling in the high-stakes final ten races. “That’s what this team does. They win a race, lock their spot in the playoffs, and then shift their focus to the last 10 races. That’s why they’ve won 2 of the last 3 championships .”
One fan noted Joey Logano’s up-and-down 2024 season. “Even during his championship last year, 10th-20th is where he mostly ran and should have been eliminated in the RO12. Bowman’s DQ is what saved him there. Otherwise, he won the right races at the right time to win the Cup.” The fan picked up key wins, and the specific incident where Alex Bowman‘s disqualification saved him happened in Logano’s 2022 title year. Still, the comment points out Logano’s knack for mastering the playoff system.
Nov 6, 2022; Avondale, Arizona, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) celebrates with his crew after winning the Cup championship at Phoenix Raceway. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
Another comment pinpoints Joey Logano’s strength with the Next Gen car, noting his excellence on flat 1-mile ovals and superspeedways where he consistently contends for wins. “The flat 1-mile ovals and super speedways are where the 22 team tends to shine and contend for wins. Other than that, they are pretty average everywhere else, it seems. They’ve struggled on the intermediates and road courses with the Next Gen car. Oddly enough, the 12 seems to be very strong at most intermediate tracks, though.” The fan observed Logano’s performance as merely ‘average’ on intermediates and road courses, contrasting it with teammate Ryan Blaney’s strong runs on intermediate tracks.
Fans also see Joey Logano’s strategy mirroring Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus’s past approach. “Chad Knaus said once they felt like they were going to make the chase, they switched to running R&D setups in the summer to try new things to get better. That is why the 48 always “struggled” in the summer. Then went on to win races at the end of the year.”
A fan criticized NASCAR’s playoff system, stating it can make season-long excellence seem less important. “It’s going to bother me when he backs into his fourth championship, and people start talking about him as some kind of equal to Jeff Gordon just based on championship count.”
Such criticism has even been voiced in the past. After Joey Logano won his 2024 championship, some big names in NASCAR spoke up about the playoff system. Jeff Gordon, a four-time champion from the old points era, just said, “Don’t get me started,” hinting at his strong feelings. Denny Hamlin, who still wants his first championship title, called the format a “crazy scenario” and a “wild ride.” Their comments highlighted the long-running debate about whether NASCAR’s current playoff style truly fits a sport traditionally focused on consistent, season-long performance.
After going through the winning pattern, do you think Logano could win again like last season, or do other names come to mind as more likely champions?
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