“It seems to be how I’ve figured out how to go fast here,” Kyle Larson had once revealed in 2023 about cracking the Homestead code. Running the wall isn’t for the faint of heart, and Larson has got it figured out. During the Homestead race in 2022, Larson posted a dominant victory, leading 199 laps on the way to his first win at the track. So why does Larson dominate this track while others struggle? 2024 Cup Series Champion Joey Logano has a theory explaining Larson’s dominance.
Joey Logano himself is no slouch at Homestead. The Team Penske #22 posted a streak of five consecutive top-6 finishes at the track from 2015 to 2019, including a lone win in 2018, en route to his first Cup Series Championship. However, since 2020, Logano has managed just one top-15 finish at Homestead, an abysmal record for a three-time champion. So what changed?
Joey Logano hails Kyle Larson’s wall play
Speaking to the media ahead of the race at Phoenix Raceway this Sunday, Logano was asked about the art of riding close to the wall on tracks like Homestead and Darlington, and he let out an honest confession. Logano said, “You should ask Kyle Larson. He’s really, really, really good at it. Reddick’s got really good at it, Blaney’s decent at it, too. It’s not comfortable. I can tell you that much right now. You’re on the ragged edge, and you’re literally an inch off the wall.” Logano knows Larson’s on another level. That skill was on display last year at Darlington, where Larson started deep in the field at 18th. But he powered his No. 5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 up to a solid finish, cutting through the pack like it was nothing.
However, while Logano gave credit to Kyle Larson and others’ ability, he did reveal the major difference between his dominance and the current era of dominance. The Next-Gen Car. NASCAR teamed up with Technique Chassis in May 2022 to tweak the Next Gen car’s rear-end chassis. They cut some bars, thinned out tubing, and added “triggers” to boost crush zones. The 2023 update absorbs rear-impact energy better, shielding drivers while keeping the oil tank and fuel cell safe.
Logano feels the Next Gen car’s tougher design lets drivers survive small mistakes. He added, “You can make a mistake now, as long as it’s small enough. You can just kind of smush it up against the wall every now and then. Life’s okay, as long as you don’t hit it that hard.” That’s been a game-changer for Larson, who’s not just fast but consistent now. The numbers back it up. Kyle Larson has led 296 laps in the three Next-Gen races at Homestead Miami so far. In Darlington 2024, Larson led an astonishing 263 laps, winning both stages, but could only finish the race in fourth place. However, let’s not ignore the other drivers Logano praised, such as Tyler Reddick.
Homestead, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Kyle Larson (5) races during the Dixie Vodka 400 Homestead-Miami Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports
Last October, Toyota drivers like Tyler Reddick led the charge at Homestead. The 23XI Racing driver made a double overtake on Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney on the last lap to secure his spot in the Championship Four. How did he do it? By taking the high liner and staying close to the wall. Tyler Reddick said after the race, “I just knew I needed to get even with him on his right side door, and he raced me clean, and I appreciate it. I’m just really, really excited having a shot at the championship.” However, he was confident in his ability to win this race, as he had previously talked about his prowess at Homestead.
In October 2023, Reddick told NASCAR.com. “I could kind of run the fence, but certainly when I was a rookie in the Xfinity Series and you would get that one or two tests, I think I got to test there and it was a big deal. It made me a lot better as a driver. Especially with the composite body coming in, I just got to go up there and wear the wall out and get a good read on what it can handle and what it can’t.”
While Larson and Reddick normally dominate the conversation at tracks where staying close to the wall is imperative, let’s not forget where the Cup Series is headed this week. Phoenix Raceway would bring back fresh and happy memories for Joey Logano as he marks his return to the track where he clinched the 2024 Cup Series Championship. However, he’s not focusing on his prior successes one bit.
Logano stays in the present
Joey Logano heads back to Phoenix Raceway on March 9, 2025, for the NASCAR Cup Series’ fourth race. The Team Penske driver has three wins here, including the 2022 title, and 15 top-10s in 31 starts since 2009. Talk about pure dominance, ”sliced bread’ really loves slicing up the competition at Phoenix. Last November, he edged teammate Ryan Blaney by 0.330 seconds to snag his third championship. However, Logano said ahead of this week’s race, “It’s in the past. You’ve got to keep moving forward.”
Last year’s Phoenix finale showed Logano’s grit. Early in the final stage, he hit the wall and got stuck in neutral, dropping to fifth. A pit stop cycled him to fourth, and when a caution waved on lap 311, he stayed out while others pitted. Logano held off a hard-charging Ryan Blaney to the checkered flag as Team Penske got a 1-2 finish to secure their third consecutive championship.
He’ll start in the front row beside pole-sitter William Byron for the 312-mile race. However, this time around, he will be facing new challenges like Goodyear’s option tires—six primary sets and two faster-wearing alternates. Teams hope this shakes up the pack racing that’s dominated here lately. “One of the reasons it was a lot of fun to watch was because you had different people running different races and different agendas,” Trackhouse Racing’s Daniel Suárez said. “It just creates more opportunities and more tools to do different things.”
Blaney, who’s finished top-10 in his last nine Phoenix races, will be a threat again after coming so close in 2024. Meanwhile, Christopher Bell aims to be the first Next Gen driver to win three straight, starting 11th. Joey Logano’s not resting on last year’s glory, and he’s here to fight for another checkered flag. Who do you think will take the checkered at Phoenix this year? Let us know in the comments!
The post Joey Logano Lets Out Major Inferiority to Kyle Larson, Blames NASCAR’s Controversial Brainchild for It appeared first on EssentiallySports.