Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Mustang Dark Horse for Team Penske, secured his third cup series win at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday to close out the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. The accomplishment was huge for Logano, considering he started in second behind 21-year veteran Martin Truex Jr., known for his swiftness on the track and 34 career wins. During Sunday’s race, Logano led 107 of 312 laps on the short-track oval, battling with a top contender and fellow teammate Ryan Blaney, who came in second, and William Byron in third. He outpaced them for the win and ended the 2024 season with a title.
Closing the season with a bang is exactly how Joey Logano hoped it would end up, adding to previous victories in 2018 and 2022 to become a 36-time career winner. The win was quite a comeback after his No. 22 failed inspection twice, and he lost a pit crew member and car chief shortly before the race. It also marked a great day in NASCAR history for Logano and Team Penske with a 1st and 2nd finish for two of its drivers. Logano is categorized in a league alongside elite racers with three or more cup wins, like the late Dale Earnhardt Sr., Richard Petty, and Jimmie Johnson, but fans have much to say about it.
What the Win Means For Joey Logano
For Joey Logano, the win at Phoenix is a dream come true, but it’s not just about winning. It’s about the feeling being in the NASCAR playoffs gives him and what he achieved with Team Penske this year. Adding a fifth cup series to their repertoire was one of his most significant accomplishments as a driver since NASCAR introduced the elimination playoffs in 2014. The elimination playoffs signify the end of the regular Cup Series season. Drivers with wins are guaranteed a running sport, with the remaining 16 being drivers who scored the most points.
Points are not carried over from the regular cup series, so everyone starts with a clean slate, and Logano took advantage of this. During the regular 36-race cup series season, Joey Logano only pulled a single win, leaving many questioning the authenticity of Sunday’s playoff win. The 34-year-old Team Penske driver didn’t mind speaking his piece regarding the speculation of the authenticity of the win and mentioned that it was wrong and that everyone is aware of the rules.
“For someone to say this isn’t real, that’s a bunch of bulls—.” In my opinion, that’s wrong,” Logano said. “This is something that everyone knows the rules when the season starts. We figured out how to do it the best and figured out how to win. It’s what our team has been able to do for the last three years. So, I don’t like people talking that way. You know what I mean?” Joey Logano said of his third cup win.
Why There’s Controversy Around the Win
Fans are questioning Sunday’s stats because they don’t believe the numbers add up, and that’s why Joey Logano’s win has become a highly controversial issue under traditional NASCAR playoff rules. The win would’ve never happened, and no one would be discussing it. According to how points were tallied, traditionally, Logano would’ve come in 12th according to his average race finish of 17.1, thirteen top tens and seven top fives, and the pattern of running in 15th.
Joey Logano mentioned that no matter what happens, there will be some degree of judgment and those who think it should’ve gone differently, but he remains confident, knowing he did what Team Penske hired him to do, and that’s to win. The fact that Joey Logano was able to redeem himself when it looked bleak from the beginning is incredible. He ran the chance of being beaten out by fellow teammate Ryan Blaney, who became NASCAR’s 2023 cup series champion last year in Phoenix, who he was able to fend off for the latter half of the race in just over 0.330 seconds.
Final Thoughts
Joey Logano’s controversial yet impressive win at the season closer of the Cup Series playoffs has become a part of the NASCAR franchise’s rich history, ranking him up there with some of NASCAR greats, including the only other sitting driver to accomplish a handful of Cup Series Kyle Busch. Sunday at Phoenix Raceway was a toss-up with contenders like Ryan Blaney, currently ranked at No. 2, and Tyler Reddick at No.4. Ryan Blaney was eager to clinch another cup playoff title, but on Sunday, he was just ready for the race to be over calling it a “heck of a battle” after fighting and failing to pass Logano on the track for the win.
