Few teams know a racetrack better than Team Penske knows Phoenix Raceway. Over the past few years, Penske, led by Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, has come to dominate Phoenix. This was further solidified by a metaphor the #22 driver used on Saturday to describe his team’s relationship with Phoenix after adding further to that legacy.

Joey Logano on Team Penske’s internal view of Phoenix

On Saturday, Joey Logano won the pole for Sunday’s Cup race at Phoenix. Following Logano, it was his teammate Austin Cindric in second and Ryan Blaney in fifth. What makes it even more special is that Team Penske’s IndyCar outfit also had three drivers start the race from within the top 5.

Phoenix is also the place where Logano won two of his championships at Phoenix (2022, 2024), while Blaney won his maiden one (2023). The #22 driver has five top 5s and four wins at the track, while the #12 has nine top 5s and one win.

Given the current showing as well as their history of winning and performing at Phoenix, Joey Logano was asked a question in a media availability session about Penske and Phoenix. The reporter wondered if Phoenix is a special track for the team and whether there is a specific internal vibe heading into the fixture.

“I mean, it’s been special, obviously, the last few years because of the championship race, and we’ve had some success out here racing for championships. So it’s been a special place for that reason. The cars have been fast here. I mean, I wouldn’t call it a home track. But it’s definitely one of the tracks that we consider, like, close to home, maybe a vacation home, if you will,” Logano described.

Yes, Logano did describe the track as a “vacation home,” a remark that caught many off guard since drivers rarely use such terms for a racetrack. The analogy reflected just how comfortable Team Penske feels at Phoenix Raceway, especially considering the team’s strong run of success there in recent years.

He also remarked that his team owner has some dealerships in the area as well as a museum, which is ‘really, really cool.’ The museum in question is called the Penske Racing Museum. It holds a collection of cars, trophies, and racing memorabilia from across 50-plus years of Penske’s racing history.

According to Logano, Phoenix is a venue the Team Penske crew always enjoys returning to.

Logano feels proud of his association with Penske

In Joey Logano’s illustrious career so far in NASCAR, few figures have had as big an influence as Roger Penske. Logano joined Penske’s team in 2013 and, since then, has gone on to win three championships and 35 races.

Ahead of this Sunday’s Cup race at Phoenix, Logano opened up on what Penske has meant for him personally and professionally. The 3x Cup champion claimed that the people he wants to be around are those who strive to do things right, in a professional, competitive way, to win.

“No matter what it is—business, racing, you name it—he’s going to want to be the best at it. And you can imagine as a competitor, no matter what your position is on a team, you want to be with the best,” Logano described.

He claimed that one can’t soar like an eagle if they work with turkeys. To Logano, Roger Penske is like an eagle, one he wants to fly with. He expressed his gratitude at being able to drive for him, calling it something he’s ‘really proud’ of.