Joey Logano walked into Martinsville Speedway this weekend with the identical mindset that’s carried him by means of three NASCAR Cup Collection titles – confidence, conviction, and no room for doubt. The 35-year-old rejected the concept that dominance has an expiry date, recalling the feats of seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson.
With solely two Championship 4 spots left, each Group Penske drivers are in must-win conditions. However earlier than Sunday’s Xfinity 500, Logano stated he nonetheless believes he can win each single race. When requested about whether or not he ever tells himself, “You may’t win yearly”, Logano replied within the pre-race press convention:
“You may. I imply, that’s truthfully that’s what I’d inform my youngsters. Yeah, you’ll be able to win each sport. You may win each race. You have got the chance to win all of them… Jimmie Johnson received 5 in a row. So, I assume you’ll be able to, proper?” (12:29 onwards)
Group Penske has dominated the fashionable period of NASCAR. Since 2022, Logano and the No. 22 group and Blaney and his No. 12 group delivered back-to-back-to-back Cup Collection titles, with Logano profitable in 2022 and 2024, and Blaney claiming his first in 2023.
However this 12 months, the Penske camp has confronted its hardest take a look at but. Each drivers enter Martinsville exterior the cutline, with Logano 38 factors adrift and Ryan Blaney 47 factors down. With simply two spots open for Phoenix, each want a win on Sunday to have a good shot at holding the group’s four-year title streak alive.
Johnson’s 5 consecutive titles from 2006 to 2010 stand as one of many sport’s most dominant streaks. Joey Logano, in the meantime, sits among the many few drivers with three or extra titles. However he made it clear he has no intention of easing up.
“Simply since you’ve received three prior to now doesn’t imply you’re all set and you may simply coast in the remainder of your profession,” he added. “I don’t need to do this. I don’t need to do this to my group both, or my followers, or my sponsors, to Roger (Penske). Like, I can win all of them. That’s no less than higher be my perspective. Like I do know that’s by no means occurred earlier than, that somebody’s received 36 races, however I promise you I attempt to win 36 of them.” (13:02 onwards)
Martinsville, nevertheless, hasn’t been form to him these days. Regardless of a stellar 12-race streak of top-10 finishes on the Virginia quick observe, the fourth-longest in observe historical past, Joey Logano hasn’t received on the quick observe since 2018.
Joey Logano prepared for a short-track combat at Martinsville
Joey Logano enters Martinsville with 12 consecutive top-10s, which has usually made the distinction late within the playoffs. However the margin for error is gone for each him and teammate Ryan Blaney. Beneath the cutline, they be part of William Byron (-36) and Chase Elliott (-62) because the 4 drivers who should win to safe one of many remaining two Championship 4 spots.
Logano regarded stable in Saturday’s follow, putting inside the highest 10 as groups tailored to the brand new left-side Goodyear tires. Then got here qualifying, the place William Byron’s 19.286s lap edged Ty Gibbs by two-thousandths of a second for pole positions. Logano wasn’t far behind together with his 19.322s run, securing him a second row spot, simply forward of Denny Hamlin and behind Kyle Larson, who begins third.
Observe place at Martinsville means every thing. Beginning close to the entrance provides Logano the benefit he wants in a race anticipated to characteristic heavy site visitors, worn tires, and frequent restarts. In distinction, his teammate Blaney faces a steeper climb from thirty first, whereas Elliott begins eighth and Byron leads the sphere.
alt=”Anurup Chakraborty” top=”72″ width=”72″>
Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar
