600 miles, 400 laps, and a split-second decision that could make or break your race. For Joey Logano, the 2025 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway was a heart-pounding chess game, where every move sparked drama. Last week, he missed his title defence at the All-Star race by a whisker, but in this race, he had to go back with a top 20 finish. Caught between holding his ground and yielding to faster cars, the Connecticut-born NASCAR legend faced a mental turmoil that left rivals fuming and fans on edge. But what exactly went wrong?
Everyone knows that the Coca-Cola 600 is NASCAR’s ultimate proving ground. Logano faced a moment that defined the race’s intensity—a nerve-wracking battle to stay on the lead lap while faster cars, driven by the likes of William Byron and Denny Hamlin, closed in. His decision—stick to his racing line or move over—stirred tension, especially as the race saw 33 lead changes among 11 drivers and eight cautions for 52 laps. His raw, unfiltered reflections reveal the gut-wrenching mental tug-of-war that makes the 600 a race like no other.
Joey Logano denies any wrongdoing with his mental process for races
Joey Logano’s journey to NASCAR stardom began at age six, tearing up quarter-midget tracks in Connecticut. That early grit, honed in his home state, has carried him through a career marked by resilience and a never-say-die attitude. But the Coca-Cola 600, known for its grueling length and unpredictable chaos, demands more than just speed. And that got the better of Logano.
On an interview with SiriusXM, Logano laid bare his mental struggle: “Well, you’re put in a spot, and it’s a horrible spot. If you’re down one lap, you’re like, I’ll do the heck with it. You just get out of the way. When you’re fighting for the lead lap, you’re like, OK, and how fast are they catching you? So I just thought, you know, if I just run my line, the same line I’ve been running for the last 30 laps, I’m not going to move around. They were running the wall up top in one and two. I thought about going up there to make speed, and I’m like, I’m just going to be giving them dirty air. I’m just going to run the second lane. If they catch me, they catch me. If not, then I’m just going to keep running my lane. If they get underneath me, I’m going to let them go. They’ve got to get underneath me, though.” Logano’s words paint a vivid picture of the mental tightrope he walked. The Coca-Cola 600’s relentless pace amplifies every decision.
Moving to the top line risked giving rivals like Byron and Hamlin turbulent “dirty air,” slowing them down but keeping Logano in the fight. Yielding, however, meant going a lap down, a death sentence for his race. Around lap 356, he pitted alongside Kyle Busch, part of a flurry of strategic stops as teams juggled tire wear and fuel. By lap 372, with 27 laps to go, Byron led with a dominant 262 laps at the front, while Chastain, who started dead last in 40th, had charged to third, and Hamlin held second. As Logano explained, a caution flag could bring a pit stop, fresh tires, and a chance to gain five or six positions.
Even the “lucky dog” rule, which returns the first lapped car to the lead lap, would leave him restarting at the back with little hope of climbing the field. Sliced Bread added, “You’re just gonna be where you’re at. So you’re like, ‘I was wondering what to do too. I’m sitting there like I’m just gonna try to run as fast as I can, get out of here.’ And I was kind of able to get away, then they kind of caught me back up. And it’s just like, ‘well, I’m just here at this point.’ So yeah, kind of good. You’re just in a spot. It’s hard. It’s hard to know what to do in those positions, to be honest with you.”
William Byron, who swept all three stages—a feat not seen since Kyle Larson in 2021—was vocal about Logano’s tactics. “What I didn’t like is he just kept moving around in three and four, and I didn’t know what he was doing,” the Hendrick Motorsports driver said. The No. 22 driver’s decision to hold his ground rippled through the field, turning his battle into a pivotal moment in the race’s chaotic narrative.
For the Team Penske driver, it was about staying in the game, a mindset rooted in his Connecticut upbringing. His choice to hold the second lane, running the same line he’d carved out for 30 laps, kept him in contention for a potential caution-fueled comeback. But it came at a cost. The race was a chaotic spectacle, with Logano’s battle just one piece of a wild, unpredictable night.
Logano’s grit didn’t land him on the podium, but it showcased the mental fortitude that defines a champion. Yet, in that grueling 600-mile war, No.22 Penske driver proved why he’s a NASCAR legend, battling not just the track but the weight of every choice. His team may need to borrow some of this optimism to steer through a scandal they’ve suddenly found themselves in.
Joey Logano wants his team to move on
As a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, Logano is right in the thick of the fallout from Penske’s IndyCar push-to-pass scandal, which sent shockwaves through the racing world. The violation at the St. Petersburg IndyCar race earlier this year was a gut punch—Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin were disqualified, stripped of their results, and the penalties didn’t stop there. Key Penske executives, including managing director Ron Ruzewski, team president Tim Cindric, engineer Luke Mason, and data analyst Robbie Atkinson, were handed indefinite suspensions, shaking the organization to its core. Logano knows this isn’t just an IndyCar issue—it’s a blow to the entire Penske brand.
The scandal’s personal for Logano, who’s been with Penske for over a decade, driving their No. 22 Ford to championships in 2018, 2022, and 2024. “I’ll just race him the same way. That’s all it is. I mean, this race was for a million dollars, you know, I get it. But we race each other every week. We’re like elephants, we don’t forget anything,” he admitted, raw and honest. He’s not shying away from the reality: trust needs rebuilding, and it’s a team effort. His loyalty to Penske, a team that’s been a powerhouse in both IndyCar and NASCAR, with 19 Indy 500 wins and a storied NASCAR legacy. The scandal stings because it’s not just a misstep—it’s a hit to a legacy Logano’s proud to be part of.
Even with this weighing on him, Logano’s keeping his focus on the road ahead, literally and figuratively. He’s cautiously optimistic about NASCAR’s big move to Mexico City in 2025, the first Cup Series points race there since 1958. The Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, a 2.2-mile, 17-turn road course at 7,000 feet of elevation, is no joke. He’s studying, strategizing, and ready to adapt, knowing this race could open doors for NASCAR’s global reach.
The IndyCar scandal casts a long shadow, but Joey Logano’s determination to push through gives his team some ray of hope. He’s not just racing for wins—he’s racing to restore pride in the Penske name.
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