60 wins. That’s no easy feat, but Denny Hamlin has finally done it. The Joe Gibbs Racing veteran has tied with Kevin Harvick’s record, ranking 10th on the all-time wins list. And now, he has the chance to dethrone Joey Logano to win the all-elusive championship at Phoenix Raceway in just a few weeks. But while the reigning champ’s crown is under threat, could the No. 22 Team Penske driver manage to break Hamlin’s Cup Series wins record?

Time will tell. If his current form is anything to go by, that number seems like a distant dream. But as it turns out, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is willing to put his money on the three-time champ, despite noting that his performances need to improve to reach that milestone

Dale Earnhardt Jr. backs Logano despite inconsistent performances

Speaking on the Dale Jr. Download, Junior strongly estimates that Logano has the potential to climb the ranks in wins. He asked, “Will we ever see any other driver get to 60 wins? I think Kyle Larson could do it. Maybe Joey (Logano)”. The veteran racer went on to say, “Joey needs to run better. Joey needs to run be better during the regular season.” Sharing a more realistic outlook considering the reigning champ’s form, Dale Jr. then said, “Joey might get to 45. He’s 13 away from 50. He’ll get to 50 easy. I think Joey lands around 55 wins in his career.” 

Looks like Dale Earnhardt Jr. is totally rallying behind Logano and rightly so. Remember when Joey Logano first won his NASCAR Cup Series? It was at New Hampshire Motor Speedway when the young driver absolutely dominated the 2009 Lennox Industrial Tools 301. That win made him the youngest Cup Series winner in history at 19 years, one month, and four days old.

Fast forward to today, the 35-year-old may have claimed 37 wins, but those wins have also given him 3 championships. Winning when it counts seems to be the strategy Logano applies. However, his most recent triumph came at the Texas Motor Speedway in May, his lone win until now. However, the Team Penske driver still has a long way to go.

Logano has only managed to score one win. The Penske driver’s stats have taken a hit. Having faced three DNFs with an average finish of 15.879, the 35-year-old is nowhere close to the 55-win mark set by Dale Jr., and that seems to be a pattern for the No. 22. But this year’s playoff season looks a bit dim for the driver.

Logano’s season last year was a tale of extremes. A sluggish, almost forgettable regular season followed by a masterclass during the playoffs. For most of the year, the three-time champion looked off his game, as he finished in the late teens across the season, with his worst performance of 17.9 before his Las Vegas win.

However, Logano dominated when it mattered the most. Out of his four total wins last year, three of them came during the 10-race playoff stretch. His timing in winning when it mattered most allowed him to overcome what had been a lackluster regular season and ultimately secured his 3rd Cup championship. If Logano does want his fourth title, the 35-year-old will have to win at Talladega or Martinsville. But it doesn’t come without its own challenges.

With two Penske drivers in the mix, it is going to be difficult for the team moving forward, with Blaney trailing Logano in the last spot below the cutline. However, Dale Junior seems to have a strategy planned out for the two Cup champion drivers. But the main question that looms as of now is: What are Logano’s chances of winning at Talladega?

Can Joey Logano make ground at Talladega Superspeedway?

Amid Logano’s “s—w these people” mentality while defending the playoff format, the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion faces an uphill battle as he is currently on the outside of the playoff standings, looking in. Logano’s No. 22 Team finished sixth in Las Vegas last weekend, earning 34 points. However, he remains 24 points behind the cut line, with a mountain to climb if he wants to make it to Phoenix.

Talladega could be a key track for Joey to gain those points, although it’s known for its unpredictability. Still, the 35-year-old is a proven superspeedway contender and has been racing there since 2009. With three wins at the ‘Dega’, and his ability to secure clutch results, Logano won’t be underestimated by his rivals, irrespective of the circumstances.

That being said, Logano’s most recent victory at Talladega came over seven years ago in April 2018. In the past 10 races at the track, the No. 22 has been caught up in four accidents, securing just one top 10 finish. Despite his less-than-ideal Talladega results, Logano’s confidence and playoff performance make him a contender no one should count out.

His last top 10 finish at Talladega came in the fall of 2021 when he placed third. A post-race disqualification earlier this spring skewed the number a bit, but even without it, the three-time Cup champion hasn’t cracked the top five since then, with his best showing being a 19th-place finish in the spring of 2024. It’s fair to say that the No. 22 driver will have to fire all jets to propel him to the finale at Phoenix.