“I’m OK with whatever they do, just tell me the rules, and then we gotta go figure out a way to win,” Joey Logano said last year when asked about the 10-race Chase format being adopted for the 2026 season. Fast forward to Darlington NASCAR race, and that confidence is being put to the test. With mounting struggles, radio frustration, and a car that simply isn’t responding, Logano now finds himself in a spot where “figuring it out” isn’t coming easy. It now raises questions about whether the format might haunt him sooner than expected.

Joey Logano’s struggles early at Darlington NASCAR race

“I got no front turn, I got no rear grip. Just junk, got no nothing here. Still can’t even go down the damn straightaway straight.”

That was Joey Logano on the radio, as it didn’t take long for frustration to spill over during the Darlington NASCAR race. The No. 22 Team Penske Ford looked out of sorts from the very beginning of the Goodyear 400 weekend, and things only got worse once the race got underway.

After qualifying a disappointing 29th, Logano never really found his footing in the NASCAR race. By Lap 34, he was already down a lap, running 34th and fighting a car that simply refused to cooperate. Then came another blunt update over the radio: “I don’t understand how it can be this fcking far off. I mean, the balance now is somewhat drivable, but it’s freaking slow as sh-t.”

For a driver known for maximizing tough situations, this wasn’t just a handling issue but a complete lack of pace. And it continues a worrying trend in 2026.

After opening the season with a strong third-place finish at Daytona International Speedway, Joey Logano’s results have been inconsistent at best. Finishes of 18th at Atlanta, 15th at COTA, 31st at Phoenix, and 15th at Las Vegas have left him sitting 11th in the standings. The Team Penske star is already 120 points behind the leader.

For a three-time champion, that’s not just a slow start but a major red flag right at the start of the season.

If there’s any silver lining, it’s that the season is still young. But performances like the Darlington NASCAR race only add pressure, especially in a format where momentum can disappear just as quickly as it builds.

Logano’s loyalty faces its toughest test yet

“It’s the will to win, but more or less just how much you hate losing is what always kind of like fired me up,” Joey Logano said. “I’ve driven for Roger for so long that like, once you drive for a team for a long period of time, that it becomes part of your family. You know them really well, you know their personal stories, and the win now isn’t as much about me.”

That bond with Team Penske has defined Logano’s career. Since joining the team in September 2012 and replacing AJ Allmendinger, he has grown into one of its cornerstones, delivering 69 wins across NASCAR’s top three series and capturing three Cup Series championships in 2018, 2022, and 2024.

For over a decade, success wasn’t just expected from Logano. Instead, it was considered routine. Backed by long-time partners like Shell and Pennzoil, Logano became the face of Penske’s modern era. Even with rising stars like Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric sharing the garage, Logano consistently held his ground, often setting the standard within the organization.

But that’s what makes the current struggles hit differently.

When you’ve built your identity around winning (and tied it so closely to a team that feels like family), every off weekend feels heavier. Darlington wasn’t just another bad race; it was a rare glimpse of disconnect between driver and machine, something Penske and Logano have historically avoided.

And maybe that’s the real tension here. It’s not just about speed or setup but about expectations. Because for Joey Logano, losing isn’t just frustrating. It’s personal.