Why Joey Logano Is in Pole Position to Grab Playoff Spot Despite Dismal NASCAR Outing

The 2X Cup Series champion, Joey Logano not finding a seat in the playoffs this far into the season is not a prediction many made at 2024’s starting line. Just nine races remain in the regular season and he sits six points below the playoff cutoff line. While this is a situation that can cause jitters to any team, Logano’s crew chief Paul Wolfe still has a strong belief that his driver can get into the playoffs.

Among the reasons behind his confidence is the revival of Ford. Teams that have partnered with the automaker struggled to get the 2024 Mustang Dark Horse to the victory lane in the first several weeks of the season. Time and experience fortunately oozed potential out of the blue oval machine and it has now been aiding drivers, including Logano, to find results.

Red hot.⁰⁰We’re headed to New Hampshire with a fresh look. pic.twitter.com/zXj9zjRl1a

— Team Penske (@Team_Penske) June 17, 2024

Wolfe spoke to the press recently about his feelings about the future. He revealed that he sat down with Logano ahead of the short-track stretch that the Cup Series is on currently and told him that it was their opportunity to garner a victory. However, regret followed with it being their teammates who’ve found the victory lane so far and not them.

He added, “Unfortunately we haven’t been the one in the winner’s circle. It’s been our teammates. Now they’re both you know locked in. But, I still like what’s coming up here. Obviously, this weekend. Richmond is still on the schedule here before the playoffs.” While there are more great opportunities out there for Logano to win, there are also tracks that don’t instill a lot of optimism. 

Paul Wolfe is unsure about the chances of Logano’s victory in certain upcoming tracks

Wolfe continued to talk about how he wasn’t very confident about fighting for the win in certain tracks including Nashville, where Team Penske does not have great results. However, he found comfort in the fact that Nashville is largely similar to Iowa, where he was able to help his driver pull in a sixth-place finish at the Hawkeye State. What worries him further are the high-speed tracks.

He believes that Pocono, Michigan, and Indianapolis are where his team needs to improve the most. Wolfe looks to RFK Racing for inspiration on this front. He concluded, “We’re not in the situation we want to be in with below the cut and where we’ve been at on some of these tracks speed-wise. But, we’re going to continue to work and hopefully, it’s going to put us where we need to be.”