Where There's A Will, Joey Logano Finds A Way (To Advance)

Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

In the chaos of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, survival often matters more than raw speed. And when it comes to surviving by way of clawing, scraping, and strategizing through each elimination round, few do it better than Joey Logano and the No. 22 Team Penske group.

Last Sunday's Bank of America Roval 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway was just the most recent chapter in Logano's ever-growing playbook of NASCAR Cup Series postseason survival. With the pressure on and the points race for the final transfer spot razor-thin, the driver of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang Dark Horse found himself teetering on the edge.

But as Ross Chastain, who found himself needing one point on the final lap of the race, made a desperate last-ditch lunge at Denny Hamlin, triggering a final turn spin for both drivers, Logano was able to scoot past them both on track. In the end, Logano found himself in a position he commonly finds himself in close Playoff point battles: exactly where he needed to be. Logano slipped through the last-lap chaos and advanced once again into the Round of 8 of the Playoffs.

"Such a close finish there. Yeah, knew it was within a point there. I knew we were going to be tied there at the end, and Ross was going to do whatever he had to do to make it happen," Logano explained after collecting a 20th-place finish at the Roval. "Geesh, just wasn't quite fast enough today with our car.

Sure, it's not always pretty, and it's rarely dominant, but Logano and crew chief Paul Wolfe continue to prove that when it matters most, they find a way. Last season, despite an average finish below 17th, hardly the mark of a championship contender, Logano broke into the Playoffs with a win in a chaotic, five-overtime marathon at Nashville Superspeedway. That win was one that many considered a fluke, as Logano was running 15th heading into the first of five overtime finish attempts.

After making it into the tournament, Logano utilized drafting precision at Talladega Superspeedway to work his way into the Round of 12. He would benefit from a post-race disqualification of Alex Bowman at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval to work his way into the Round of 8. And a strategic masterclass by Wolfe at Las Vegas allowed Logano to advance to the Championship 4.

The result? Another Championship 4 appearance and a dominant win at Phoenix Raceway to claim his third career NASCAR Cup Series championship and his second Bill France Cup in the last three seasons.

Still, for all of Logano's postseason grit, the road to a fourth championship might be his toughest yet.

As the Round of 8 begins, the 35-year-old racer enters as the lowest-seeded driver on the Playoff Grid, sitting 24 points below the cutline. With just three races to make up the deficit, the margin for error is nonexistent. And even a good points day in all three races likely won't be enough. Chances are, Logano will need a win to advance.

Fortunately for the Connecticut native, the tracks that comprise the Round of 8 offer him an immense opportunity. First up is Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the site of Sunday's South Point 400. Las Vegas is a place where few have found the same level of success over the years. Including a clutch Playoff victory last fall, Logano has earned four wins, eight top-fives, and 14 top-10 finishes in 24 career starts at the 1.5-mile oval. An incredibly strong resumé.

Then the Series will head to Talladega Superspeedway, a track where chaos has reigned supreme since it joined the circuit in 1969. Logano is a skilled drafting track racer, and Talladega is another track where he has shown brightly over his career. Logano has collected three wins and nine top-five results in 33 starts at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.

Those are two really strong places for Logano to begin his quest to win his way into the Championship 4, but if he is unable to get it done at Las Vegas and Talladega, Martinsville Speedway, another track where Logano has won, will serve as his final chance.

The 0.526-mile paperclip has been a battleground track throughout his career, as he won there in a heated battle with Martin Truex Jr. in 2018, which moved him into the Championship 4, and led to Logano collecting his first career NASCAR Cup Series title. In addition to the 2018 win, Logano has a total of 11 top-fives and 21 top-10s at Martinsville, and can be really dangerous if it comes down to a win at that facility.

So, if you're making the fatal error of counting Logano out, or simply hoping to see him miss the Championship 4, tough luck. History says you should know better going into the following three-race stretch. Time and time again, Logano and crew chief Paul Wolfe have shown they know exactly how to survive and advance when it matters most. Despite entering the Round of 8 as the lowest seed, they've got a perfect schedule of tracks that play right into their hands. Don't be surprised if the No. 22 team once again defies the odds and races its way back to the Championship 4.