There aren’t many industries where an individual is able to experience a complete reset, where the slate is wiped clean and every number goes back to zero.
This is where racing is the exception, according to two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano.
Logano, who won his second title in 2022, is in desperate need of a reset for the upcoming season, as he attempts to put last year’s 12th-place points finish behind him.
“Honestly, we didn’t have the speed in our race car last year that we needed,” Logano admitted. “Racing from first to 10th, versus 10th to 15th to 20th, is a lot different for a driver. And I made a lot of mistakes back in the pack more than I should have.”
Last year, the No. 22 Team Penske driver became the first reigning champion to be eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
Not only that, but in 36 races, he only visited victory lane once.
“Some of that is just gonna be part of Next Gen racing, because all the cars are so equally paired and so close that, you know, you can win one week and run 25th the next,” Logano said.
That became evident over the course of the season, as 15 different drivers won at least one race and no single racer dominated the year — if anyone, William Byron and his series-leading six victories could be in the conversation.
To further complicate the road to success, Ford struggled to perfect their package on intermediate tracks and drivers such as Logano complained about lacking downforce.
Despite Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney earning the championship at year’s end — and Ford sweeping the Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series titles — Ford finished third in the manufacturer standings with only eight wins.
Meanwhile, Chevrolet collected 18 wins and Toyota amassed 10.
Logano is hoping that the launch of the Mustang Dark Horse and its new body style, which namely features a sleeker nose, will solve a few of their problems.
“A lot of testing and development has gone into that to make sure it’s good,” Logano said. “Obviously it hasn’t been on the race track yet, so there’s a lot of good data, but it has to translate.”
After spending 16 years in the Cup Series, Logano knows enough to understand that there’s potential to either flop or flourish, no matter what the predictions are.
“I’m cautiously optimistic about it. But all signals so far are pointing in the right direction, so I’m looking forward to that,” Logano said.
The Dark Horse will make its competition debut at the upcoming Busch Light Clash at the Coliseum, a non-points Cup Series race, on Feb. 4 at L.A. Memorial Coliseum.