If there are two drivers in the NASCAR garage who carry the torch for traditional oval racing, it’s Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano. Both have long championed the heartland of the sport, staying loyal to the rhythm of left turns. This is also reflected in their road course stats, with average finishes of 16.9 and 14.9, respectively. But with three of the final eight regular-season races set on road or street courses, Logano appears to have his own take on the schedule.
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Speaking during pre-race media rounds, Logano said, “We’ve got to do them, so I’m kind of good either way. I just think in the playoffs you need to have a good mixture of racetracks throughout the 10 weeks, but the other regular season races, I mean, if we’re gonna do them, then I don’t really care. Whatever works best for the schedule, and weather, and fans, and that type of stuff is fine with me.”
Logano’s lone road course win came nearly a decade ago, in August 2015 at Watkins Glen. Starting 16th, he led only a single lap but made it count. With Kevin Harvick running on fumes two corners from the finish, Logano saw daylight, swung to the outside, and slipped past to steal the victory in the Cheez-It 355 race.
Harvick faded to third, while Kyle Busch took second. Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch rounded out the top five, followed by Clint Bowyer, Brad Keselowski, Carl Edwards, Sam Hornish Jr., and Jimmie Johnson.
The next trip to Watkins Glen, set for August 10, is likely to provoke memories. When asked if returning to the site of that win brings extra fuel to the fire, Logano didn’t miss a beat.
He said, “You just gave me one, not that I needed it (laughing). I honestly feel like I have to prove myself every day. I always say that what you did yesterday is yesterday. Tell me what you’re gonna do tomorrow. That’s the important stuff.
“The history books and people’s memories are short. People say, and I say too, you’re only as good as your last race, and it really feels that way a lot of times. I’ve had a great career.”
Still, for all he’s accomplished, Logano knows the job isn’t done. He knows that he has had a lot of great accomplishments, but the 2024 NASCAR Cup Champion believes that he has not hit all the markers that he set. So, he still has plenty to go out there and achieve.
