HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano is getting a head start on competing in the Championship 4 for the NASCAR Cup Series Nov. 11 at Phoenix Raceway.
Logaon, who drove his Team Penske Ford to victory last week at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and secured a spot in the final round, told the media on Friday at Homestead-Miami Speedway that the team was already focusing on the finale at the one-mile track in the Arizona desert.
“We went over Vegas for a little bit, just like we typically would after any race,” Logano said of the weekly team meeting. “An overview of Miami, of just the details of things that we’re looking for here, and then we started talking about Phoenix and pretty much just stayed there the rest of the time.
“Not that this race doesn’t matter to us, but the fact that we earned an advantage by being able to focus onto Phoenix before anybody else, we need to take advantage of that opportunity. That’s a big opportunity to have. So as much as we want to run well here and I think we will. We need to have all our focus on Phoenix right now.”
It is the sixth time Logano has qualified for the Championship 4 and he won the title in 2018 and 2022. He feels being already locked in makes his team the favorite to win the championship.
“Absolutely. I don’t see why we wouldn’t,” he said. “I always feel like we can win the race no matter what. And we figured it out a way last week, even when we weren’t the fastest car. We were the best team that figured out how to win that race. That’s where I feel like we have such an advantage over the other teams, is that we’re very well-rounded.
“I think that gives us a lot of opportunities to capitalize when no one expects it. And now you’re going to give us more time to focus on one track. So we need it. So at that point, yeah, I feel like we definitely have the advantage over everybody.”
Logano said he believes there is an advantage for drivers who have already won the championship.
“There’s no doubt after you’ve done something once, you’re gonna be better the second time, right?” Logano said. “We talked a minute ago about what the week is like leading into it, and all the other things you have to do, all the distractions, all the stress that’s there. It’s a hard week, there’s no doubt. I laugh all the time because so many drivers, in all three series, a lot of their answer is, we just treat it as another race, it’s just another race. BS, it’s not another race.
“Not even close, it’s the championship, it’s the biggest race you’ll ever be a part of,” Logano continued. “It’s bigger than that. Everyone tries to minimize it so they can sleep better at night. It’s not about that. And I think for some drivers and teams, they love that pressure and I think there’s some that just hate it and it affects them in a negative way. It probably depends on who you are, but I know going through things more than once definitely helps you know how to prepare for what’s coming your way.”