Denny Hamlin and Joey Logano have been on the opposite side of the fence when it comes to the playoffs. “For people like myself, William Byron, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Tyler Reddick, I think we’re all for bigger sample sizes. Mediocre people want as small a sample size as possible,” Hamlin said recently. Fans are convinced this ‘mediocre’ jab by him was for drivers like Logano, who benefit from a system where a season of average performance can still turn into a championship with one clutch run.

But now, Joey Logano has pushed back hard on criticism, including that from Denny Hamlin about the playoff format, making it clear he’s okay with whatever rules NASCAR puts in place.

Logano stands his ground

While talking with Steven Tarantino, Joey Logano kept it real about the playoff changes. He said he kind of liked how things were, but he’ll be fine with the new setup too.

“It’s not my job to complain about what we have or what we’re gonna have. My job is to say, ‘Okay, this is the rules. Okay, let’s figure out the strategy to win this thing.'” That’s classic Logano, always more interested in the strategy than the fight.

He’s the kind of guy who adapts fast and makes it look easy. He’s won titles under different playoff styles, like in 2018 and 2022, and he’s always said the key is preparing better than everyone else. Logano thinks too many people waste time complaining about the system instead of beating it. That comes straight from the Penske way of doing things, where you focus on what you can control and leave the rest.

“Everyone’s going to have the same opportunity … it’ll be the same for everybody … and we’ll just try to do it again,” he added. To him, fair isn’t about the format; it’s about everyone starting even.

He’s reached the Championship 4 five times, right up there with guys like Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick, so he knows how to make the playoffs work no matter what. Logano shines in the big spots, like Martinsville and Phoenix, where everything comes down to one mistake or one perfect move.

“A lot of people don’t like the format we have … I’m the minority in saying that I love it because I love the pressure part … it fits the person I am,” Logano admitted. Most drivers hate the one-race finale, but not him. It plays to his strengths, that cool head when the heat turns up.

His 2018 run is still talked about, the way he sent Martin Truex Jr. sliding at Martinsville and then owned Phoenix. Logano says he performs best when the stakes are sky-high, and that’s why he doesn’t sweat changes.

“I love playoff sports. I like seeing people with their back up against the wall. I want to see desperate people doing desperate things,” he wrapped it up.

Logano compares NASCAR playoffs to basketball or football, where one desperate play can flip everything. His aggressive style, from the Kenseth beef in 2015 to all those late-race scraps, fits right in with formats that reward bold calls.

He’s always been the guy who doesn’t back down, and that’s why he’ll take any system NASCAR throws his way. It’s the same grit that’s pushing him off the track, too, where he’s turning a dirt lot into a whole new neighborhood.

Logano’s big Huntersville build

Joey Logano’s off-track wins are stacking up just as fast as his on-track ones. He didn’t grab the 2025 Cup title, but he’s celebrating a huge personal victory this offseason. Back in 2023, Logano jumped into a $255 million mixed-use project called Town 1 in Huntersville, owning a third of the 70.5-acre spot. This week, he broke ground with local officials, kicking off construction on what’s shaping up to be a game-changer for the area.

The site used to be his personal playground. As a young driver in his early 20s, Logano bought it just to ride four-wheelers and hang with friends after work. It was all about fun and blowing off steam. But as life and racing got bigger, he saw a chance to make it something more. Now Town 1 will have apartments, offices, parks, restaurants, townhomes, and shops a full live-work-play spot right off Hambright Road near I-77.

Logano told reporters it’s still about keeping the good times rolling, just in a new way. “This originally was just a place all about fun. And really, we don’t want that to change, right? This is a place where my friends and I would come out after work and ride four-wheelers and have a good time. And now it’s going to be a place where you’ll be able to live, work, play, eat, and have a good time in just a different way.”

He’s turning his old escape into a community hub, and you can hear how much that means to him. His role goes beyond just owning the land. Logano is all in as a partner, helping shape the vision from the ground up. It’s the kind of forward-thinking move that fits the guy who adapts to any playoff format, seeing potential where others see dirt, and building something lasting out of it.