Imagine winning a NASCAR Cup Series title, only to be called ‘lucky’ in the end. Joey Logano faces that pain firsthand, and he’s done with it. All three of his Cup titles have come under the much-criticized playoff format. The format is a thing of the past, but Logano’s caliber is still questioned in the present. And Logano won’t take it anymore, as he plans to “shut the haters up” heading into 2026.

Joey Logano is eyeing another title win

“All of the championships are special, but just to shut the haters up would be great,” Logano told the media. “I’m just sick of hearing it all, so that’s all I need to hear, and if we can get this one, that would definitely mean a little bit more.”

Although the Chase is said to benefit a bunch of different drivers, Joey Logano hasn’t really been the center of those conversations. But still, he is eyeing the title this year. But as he says, it’s not just to add another number to his toll, but to prove how competitive he can be behind the wheel.

There is a lot for Logano to focus on with regard to the upcoming season. Because the sport will now focus more on consistent performances than single race wins, the Team Penske driver could look forward to a stronger season. But there have been some strong accusations against him. And it’s not just from the fans. 

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“Joey’s been somewhat fortunate,” Denny Hamlin once said. “He’s pretty clutch. I don’t want to say it’s luck, but Joey finds himself in some good spots,” added Connor Zilisch.

It wouldn’t be completely wrong to assume this. Racing at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2024, Logano was dropped out of the playoffs on points. However, Alex Bowman’s elimination from the race kept him in.

While fans and the garage do accuse him of being rather lucky, Joey Logano’s confidence in his claims is a warning bell for all. And while he wants to change that narrative, it will be a new ground for him with the crew.

“I think if you look at us like we usually were able to come up with something by the end of the race and you finish well, that’s kind of the old-school way of doing it,” he admitted.

As he won his titles in the playoff format, trying to attempt something of similar intensity in the first season with the new Chase format does seem a bit challenging. But Logano has his ways to cope.

Logano reflects on racing in the Chase format

“Honestly, I’m OK with whatever they tell us because the rules are the same for everybody, just like they were before,” Logano said, reacting to the return of the Chase format to NASCAR.

Understandably, there will be some drivers who perform better under this format. Jimmie Johnson remains the biggest example, who won multiple championships under the Chase format previously. However, Joey Logano now feels that it wouldn’t be very difficult to gain some grip under this format as well.

“Everyone started with the same set of rules. We all knew what we had to do to try to win a championship. Now, we have a different set of rules with all of us starting at zero again, and we have to change the way that we go win the championship,” he added.

The drivers will have to focus more on consistent performance this year. While Logano has proven that he can do that, the #22 crew was sometimes more dependent on last-moment victories.

As Logano now prepares to face his haters, will his crew manage to adapt well to the new format?