It’s official. NASCAR is moving towards a tweaked playoff format. After the turbulent waves of criticism crashed on Joey Logano’s 2024 championship, the sport is yielding. Logano’s third title registered the worst average finish of 17.1. His teammate, Ryan Blaney, had set the earlier record – fetching an average finish of 14.1 en route to the 2023 Cup Series championship. Nevertheless, Team Penske looks as committed as ever.

Although Austin Cindric was eliminated after the Round of 12, both his teammates slipped through. Ryan Blaney won in New Hampshire, and Joey Logano clinched the last Round of 8 playoff berth. They are yet again hoisting the flag of opportunity for Team Penske – and that is all that matters to Logano.

Joey Logano does not care either way

Since 2022, Hendrick Motorsports may have reigned in terms of race trophies, fetching 39 so far. Yet the stellar Cup Series team could not clinch the one trophy that mattered – the Bill France Cup. That prize has gone into the coffers of Team Penske for the past three years, courtesy of Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney. And Logano has wiggled his way through somehow. In 2024, Alex Bowman’s technical disqualification threw Logano a lifeline after he was eliminated from the Round of 8. This year as well, Logano marginally beat Ross Chastain in Charlotte after the latter tangled with Denny Hamlin.

Hence, Joey Logano aims for the championship no matter how hard the situation is. And he intends to apply the same philosophy to NASCAR’s changed playoff format. He said in a recent interview, “I’ll tell you, I am as simple-minded as it comes when it comes to what the goal is. It’s always to win the championship. It doesn’t matter what you did last year. Doesn’t matter how many you have. The goal is still the same, and you have to do whatever it takes to get there. Until I am done driving race cars, that is forever going to be the goal. No matter the format, no matter anything else, the goal is always to win that, because that is the biggest prize, period.” 

Joey Logano has clinched three Cup Series titles – in 2018, 2022, and 2024. His record is the highest in the elimination-style playoff era. Yet Logano hardly cares about that number, as he wants it to go higher. Logano continued, “Hands down, the championship is what it’s all about. It’s what you’re measured by at the end of your career. How many championships do you have in any sport. How many rings do you got, right? That’s what they always ask. And for me, one, two, three — I just want four or five, you know? Like, I don’t care.”

Joey Logano made it into the Round of 8 just on a single point, spelling immense risk in losing his spot. Despite the unpredictability of his own fortunes, Logano recently bashed critics of the current format. “The playoffs create drama,” declared Logano in a post-race media scrum at the Charlotte Roval. “It creates storylines. It creates awesome moments like that. I don’t understand what people don’t like about it. I really don’t get it.”

This bold defiance of the playoff criticism is typical of Joey Logano, who always stands out. Yet his different view recently elicited frustration from a NASCAR veteran.

Ignoring the glaring evidence

NASCAR’s previous format prioritized merit. Unlike the current system, the older formats did not allow single wins to translate into postseason berths. Plus, in the absence of playoffs, the legendary racers could fully showcase their skills without the fear of elimination. The importance of merit is missing presently, evidence of which was available just last weekend. Shane van Gisbergen extended his road course trophy streak to five and is one race away from tying Jeff Gordon’s record. The Kiwi speedster’s glory, however, came after he was eliminated from the Round of 16.

Joey Logano strongly restated his support for the playoffs in his response to SVG’s win. He said, “If you don’t have cutoff races and things like that, what are you even talking about today? How Shane waxed everyone’s butt? That’s what you want? I’m just saying, this playoff format is wicked.”

And that irked Dale Earnhardt Jr., who fervently supports a return to NASCAR’s older 36-race format. Dale Jr. bluntly said, “The more Joey Logano gets out of his car and talks about the playoffs, the more I don’t like the playoffs. The more he talks about and I know he’s defending it, and he and I know he believes what he believes, and I’m good with that for him, but the more he tells me why I should like the playoffs, the less I like him.” Other veterans like Richard Petty, Brad Keselowski, and even Ryan Blaney are rooting for a format change.

What we know for sure is that Joey Logano has an unflinching ambition. Even if his unpopular opinion about the playoffs does not gain followers, we know that Logano will still target the title.