Amidst the fervent competition of the 16th-place playoff shenanigans, certain drivers have found themselves relegated to the background. Understandable, given the grid’s 40+ contenders, it’s an entirely different scenario when the reigning champion himself is ensnared in this obscurity. Even more puzzling, the champ’s presence in headlines has been for the wrong reasons. Take Exhibit A:  the glaring case of the #22 Pennzoil team’s distressing déjà vu episode at Indy. 

Shedding light on this ongoing saga, the Dirty Mo Live podcast tackled this issue posing the audacious question, “What is wrong with Joey?”

2022 replay for Joey Logano?

With two championships under his belt, Joey Logano‘s name is etched among the waiting Hall-of-Famers. However, in this season, it appears he’s waiting too—at least it seems so, going by the dimming track action. 2023 witnessed Logano securing a playoff spot with his Atlanta win, seemingly biding his time for the playoffs to commence. This sentiment resonated during the podcast discussion.

“I think there’s another gear that Joey has, and we saw it last year when he went into the playoffs. He may not have had it this season so far, but you’re going to see a lot of him, I think, in the playoffs.” 

A déjà vu of 2022 emerges, as Logano clinched a singular victory at Darlington, secured a playoff berth, and then summoned his true potential post-playoffs. A page from his strategy reveals the mantra: save the finest performance for the very last race – Phoenix, the season finale – to emerge as champion.

The answer to the enigma of “What’s wrong with Joey?” can be summarized as, “So maybe, It’s like, just get to the place, get me to Daytona, give me the playoffs, and then, he’s gonna be one of the greatest NASCAR drivers ever by the time he’s done.” One recurring refrain echoes: “It’s a Ford problem.” 

“What the Heck Is Up”- Racing Fandom Joins NASCAR Insider in Calling Out Joey Logano’s Toxic Trait

Piloting the Ford Mustang for Team Penske, Logano’s subpar performance isn’t just a result of his skills but also traces back to the machinery. This storyline takes us on a journey back to the beginning of the season when the NASCAR realm was dominated by Chevrolet’s prowess.

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The initial four races saw Chevy drivers basking in victory, until the Atlanta race, where we saw a defending champion masterclass. Qualifying pole position, Logano raced to the victory lane, edging out fellow Ford driver Brad Keselowski on the final lap by a mere 0.193-second margin.

But currently, the buzz around Ford revolves around the resurgence of RFK Racing. Back-to-back triumphs at Richmond and Michigan ovals rekindled memories of their dominance in the early 2000s, a feat attributed to driver Chris Buescher. Yet, the addition of co-owner Brad Keselowski in 2022 is equally hailed as a driving force behind the team’s comeback. Interestingly, it was Team Penske that previously dethroned RFK Racing as a Ford powerhouse.

Addressing a similar “Ford Problem” back in June, Logano discussed the need for his #22 Ford team to maximize its package to deal with the on-track inconsistencies. “We didn’t maximize as well as we needed to. I think that’s the bottom line. There’s no other way around it. Um, you know, so we’re, uh, you know, constantly looking for improvements and how we can make our cars better, just like everybody else’s, but we’re starting a little bit behind.”

As we eagerly anticipate the champion’s resurgence, it’s evident that a few hurdles are hindering his bounce back. Currently positioned 13th in the regular season standings with a solitary victory, the door to the playoffs round of the 16th stands ajar. The unfolding of the season remains uncertain—will it mirror the trajectory of 2022 or take a fresh course? Nevertheless, the formula for triumph echoes Logano’s own words: “Car setup perspective, a pit road perspective, strategy, restarts—if we nail all those, we can win. If we miss one of those, we can’t win.”

Watch This Story: Joey Logano Warns Denny Hamlin To Watch Out, Reviving Kyle Busch’s “Respect’ Argument