Third-time Cup Series champion Joey Logano and driver of the No. 22 Mustang Dark Horse for Penske was candid when he sat down with “Third Hour Today” hosts Al Roker, Shenielle Jones, Dylan Dreyer, and Craig Melvin for a Q and A about clinching his third cup win at Phoenix Raceway last weekend. Jones welcomed Logano, congratulating him on being the third driver in NASCAR history to win three Cup Series titles and his “furious finish” against fellow Penske teammate Ryan Blaney, who came in second.
When asked about the moment, he realized he would add another win to his 2018 and 2022 victories to become a 3-time cup series champion. He called it “insane” because he wasn’t sure he could hold off Blaney, who had a lap average of 129. 514 mph. to his 131.166. Joey Logano led 107 laps during the race, but he fought to keep hold of his teammate until he saw open space at the end of the last lap, speeding past him for the win.
‘Roger Penske Needs to Win This!’
For Joey Logano, the win was historic not only for himself but for team owner Roger Penske, who won the most titles in a single year for the Indianapolis 500, The World Endurance Championship (WEC), IMSA Weathertech, and the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Title which Logano was proud to add to that list. When asked by the Third Hour Today cast about going head-to-head with teammate Ryan Blaney, including the first time two drivers on the same team finished in 1st and second, he responded, “Racing your teammate in the championship is kind of an awkward thing, but we knew either way that Roger Penske needs to win this.” However, many are slamming Logano’s win.
After a mediocre run during the 2024 season that only secured four wins, including the Cup Series Title at Phoenix, Joey Logano has faced criticism about the legitimacy of his win as the traditional points system would’ve put him in 12th place. Still, he hasn’t let this bother him. He mentioned in a post-race interview that he loved the playoffs, and it was a chance for him to redeem himself, and for people to think he didn’t earn the title fairly was “B*******” and who could argue with that after he delivered what was asked of him.
What It Meant For Joey Logano To Deliver
During the interview with the “Third Hour Today Show,” Joey Logano was asked by host Shenielle Jones what it meant to deliver Roger Penske the win. His response was perfect, “It’s so special!” “Each championship is special in its own way!” He describes making it across the finish line for the win as pure joy, raw emotion, and feeling teams and drivers alike can only dream of experiencing, and an equally humbling moment when the family watches the vehicle go from 0 to 170 mph for 312 laps in the grandstands. At the tail end of the interview, he credited the entire team at Penske, including crew members, for helping pull off Sunday’s controversial win.
As the interview wrapped up, Shenielle Jones caught Joey Logano off guard when she asked him whether he was a fan of NASCAR’s current playoff points system or the previous one. He stated that the current system wasn’t new and had been around 11 years and that NASCAR had the right idea when they introduced it because it gave fans the thrill of watching drivers perform under pressure. The older system was based on whoever collected the most points and lacked flair, but diehard fans have continued stirring the pot. Even with the controversy swirling, Logano managed to mark NASCAR history with the win he celebrated with his wife Brittany and their three children.
Final Thoughts
Joey Logano’s Q and A with the Third Hour Today Show cast gave fans a front-row seat to the moments leading up to crossing the finish line to reach the checkered flag and answered hard-pressed questions regarding the playoff points system and why he’s still being criticized for the cup series title he so rightfully earned and how it felt to deliver the title. Logano couldn’t have been prouder to bring home the title for Team Penske, who had also recently won championship titles in IMSA Weathertech and IndyCar. It meant a lot to him to tack on an additional win to Penske’s 2024 list of accomplishments, and Ryan Blaney contributed to it, leaving the team at 1 and 2.
