Joey Logano, the reigning NASCAR Cup champion, is seeking to rebound in his quest for another playoff title run despite inconsistent finishes over recent races. The driver secured a playoff position with his victory at Texas in early May and now looks to improve his results as the season advances, including his upcoming effort at Iowa Speedway this Sunday.
Current Performance and Team Assessment Highlight Potential for Improvement
Since achieving a fourth-place finish at Nashville in early June, Logano has struggled to break into the top-ten, managing only one top-10 finish in his last eight events. However, crew chief Paul Wolfe remains confident in the team’s progress and ability to contend for the championship once again. Wolfe explained that with the current trajectory and strategies in place, the No. 22 car has a clear path through the playoff rounds and a strong chance to reach the finale in Phoenix.
When I sat down with Joey a couple of weeks ago and just kind of laid out the playoff rounds and what tracks are where, obviously it’s a little different again this year, I told him I feel pretty good, there’s a pretty clear path,
Wolfe told NBC Sports ahead of last weekend’s race at Indianapolis.
… There’s no reason if we do our jobs that we can’t be in Phoenix again.
—Paul Wolfe, Team Penske Crew Chief
Logano’s Track Record in Playoffs Bolsters Team Confidence
Historically, Logano has demonstrated strong performances in playoff races, winning 15 of his 37 career Cup victories during the postseason, which accounts for over 40 percent of his total wins. Last year, after securing just one win in the regular season, Logano captured three playoff race victories en route to securing his third Cup title. This history strengthens the team’s belief that a second consecutive championship is attainable despite recent challenges.
Recent Race Performances Show Signs of Progress
Although Logano’s results at Dover and Indianapolis in the last two weeks—finishing 14th and 32nd respectively—were below expectations, both outings indicated positive momentum. Logano highlighted improvements relative to previous years, noting better competitiveness and car speed on difficult tracks.
Dover has notoriously been our worst racetrack, and we were pretty good there,
he said on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
Like we weren’t great, we weren’t going to go up there and win the race, but we can run the top six to 10. That’s way better than last year.
—Joey Logano, NASCAR Driver
In Indy, we had better speed than we had last year and we were positioned to win that race if we can just keep air in the tire.
—Joey Logano, NASCAR Driver
Logano’s recent race at Indianapolis was impacted when a right rear tire went flat 25 laps before the scheduled finish, compounding a pit stop strategy that had placed him as the lead car following his final pit stop. His race ended prematurely due to being caught in a crash during an overtime restart.
Team Momentum Builds Despite On-Track Difficulties
Logano remains optimistic about the direction of his No. 22 team within Team Penske, believing competitive potential is close at hand. He cited teammate Austin Cindric’s performance at Indianapolis as evidence of the team’s strong pace, despite also suffering a tire issue.
There is some momentum behind the 22 right now, behind Team Penske, that there’s some good things going,
Logano stated on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
I mean, if I look at Indy alone, (teammate Austin Cindric) was probably the best car, probably the car that could have won the race. Had a flat tire, too. Then we were next in line. I feel like that’s a good thing. We’re not that far off.
—Joey Logano, NASCAR Driver
Tire Testing and Strategic Preparation Boost Team Confidence
Crew chief Paul Wolfe emphasized the positive results from a recent Goodyear tire test at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, a track that will host the first race of the second playoff round in September. The test was a critical element of the team’s plan to build momentum and sharpen their car setups ahead of the playoffs.
I feel confident in where we’re at,
Wolfe remarked prior to the Indianapolis race.
We had a great two days up in New Hampshire, which was encouraging. I think the driver probably has some pretty good confidence after the test as well.
—Paul Wolfe, Team Penske Crew Chief
This test was part of a calculated strategy by Wolfe to improve their strengths instead of focusing purely on weaker tracks. While other Ford teams divided testing responsibilities among their drivers—Ryan Blaney tested tires at Charlotte and Austin Cindric at Iowa—Logano’s team opted for New Hampshire, a track recognized as a strong suit for Logano and valuable preparation for the Phoenix finale.
As we looked at the testing schedule in the offseason, all the Ford teams divvy them up and then we divvy them up amongst our company,
Wolfe explained.
So we’re like where do we want to go, what’s going to be most productive for us? There’s different theories and approaches. Do you go test at the track that is your weaker track, or do you go somewhere that is your strength and really make it better and know that you have a legit chance to win that race?
—Paul Wolfe, Team Penske Crew Chief
That was kind of the approach I took, was, hey, we know (New Hampshire) is a really good track for us, it is a short track, obviously, Phoenix, the final race, is a short track, let’s take that one and make that one even a step better than what we’ve been and that was our approach.
—Paul Wolfe, Team Penske Crew Chief
Wolfe admitted he initially had to persuade Logano, who was concerned about not being strong on intermediate tracks, that prioritizing New Hampshire would be the best move. Wolfe cited Blaney as their fastest driver on high-speed tracks, thus delegating those tests to him to maximize team-wide benefits.
Joey, at first, when we discussed it, (he was saying) we’re not very good on intermediates, should we take the Charlotte test?
Wolfe recalled.
I said let (Blaney) have that, he’s typically our fastest car on the high-speed tracks. Maybe they can learn something there that helps us all.
—Paul Wolfe, Team Penske Crew Chief
I feel like if we’re going to go somewhere and really dial in a setup, Joey’s going to do it as good or better than any one of our drivers in our company. I feel like we’ve shown that over the years.
When we go to Phoenix for these championship races, us and (Blaney) are running the same setup because it works and we’ve developed it throughout the year and testing and that’s kind of what we did (at New Hampshire) and we feel good about it.
—Paul Wolfe, Team Penske Crew Chief
Looking Ahead to the Playoff Push
As the playoff schedule intensifies, Logano and Team Penske will rely on their strategic planning and testing groundwork to elevate their performance in the critical final stretch of the season. While recent results have been mixed, the combination of Logano’s playoff experience, the team’s tactical approach, and promising car development indicate they remain strong contenders aiming for another championship in Phoenix.
