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Joey Logano Slams Destractors Over NASCAR Playoff Format Criticism, Demands One Change

Neha Dwivedi
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Feb 19, 2024; Daytona Beach, Florida, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) walks to the drivers meeting before the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Peter Casey-Imagn Images

The latest from the NASCAR world comes with the formation of a playoff committee comprising past and present NASCAR luminaries like Christopher Bell, designed to refine the NASCAR playoff/championship format.

However, the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series champion, Joey Logano, has voiced strong support for the existing playoff structure, contending that the current competition framework for vying for the championship is fundamentally sound.

Despite his take on the matter, he acknowledged one aspect he might consider tweaking. During a media session ahead of Sunday’s first road course race of the season at COTA, the Team Penske racer was queried about his perspective on potential changes in the NASCAR format.

Logano expressed a dual viewpoint, stating, “On one hand, I’d say give me the format we’re going to do it. We’ll figure out how to win then. But on the other hand, I look at it as just a race fan and I think it’s pretty freaking good what we got.”

Logano elaborated on the prevailing sentiment surrounding the current NASCAR playoff format, noting that criticism arose when a less-favored driver like himself won the championship. He drew parallels between NASCAR and major league sports like the NFL and NBA, where excelling in the regular season confers advantages, yet success is not assured in the playoffs.

Logano, candid about Team Penske’s success with three championships in the last three years, acknowledged that his view might be seen as partial. Yet, he maintained that the current format delivers the quintessential thrill fans expect from the racing series.

Changes Joey Logano wants to see in the playoff format

On potential changes, Logano suggested, “I don’t think a car outside the top 20-something in points should get locked in by just a win. That doesn’t seem right.” His comment likely referenced Harrison Burton’s unexpected win at last year’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 in Daytona, which catapulted him into the playoffs despite languishing at the lower end of the standings.

Logano asserted that he firmly believes a car languishing around 30th in the points and winning a single race shouldn’t automatically earn a playoff berth.

As the new season has already begun, Logano’s start — finishing P35 at Daytona and P12 at Atlanta — mirrors the early challenges of last year. Yet, with the momentum he built to win last year’s title, it remains to be seen whether he and his team can defend their championship in the current format before upcoming changes tilt the scales against them.

Post Edited By:Rahul Ahluwalia

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi

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Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 2200 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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