Most NASCAR fans who open a social media app following the Cup Series season finale at Phoenix Raceway can expect two things — graphics or video highlights of Joey Logano’s title and negative comments.
The majority of those negative comments stem from fans upset over Logano winning his third Cup Series championship due to them believing he wasn’t deserving.
Afterall, from a statistical standpoint, it wasn’t Logano and his No. 22 Team Penske group’s best year.
The pairing lacked speed and consistency throughout the regular season. With only eight top-10 finishes and one victory due to fuel mileage at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, perhaps Logano wasn’t in title form.
However, Logano struck first in the Round of 16 with a victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
The Round of 8 initially saw Logano eliminated from playoff contention until Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman was disqualified from the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway ROVAL after post-race inspection, which allowed Logano’s title chase to continue.
A week later, Logano used strategy to his advantage as he outlasted a hard-charging Christopher Bell to win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and secure the first spot in the title race.
Logano went from down and out to the only driver on cruise control until the finale within a two-race span.
With two weeks to prepare for Phoenix, Logano was in prime position.
Thus, after out-qualifying his Championship 4 counterparts in Ryan Blaney, William Byron and Tyler Reddick, Logano went on to lead more than the three drivers combined (107 laps led) en route to a third Cup Series championship.
How did Logano flip the switch from having a mediocre regular season to being the champion?
“I’m going to sound like a broken record, but it’s people,” Logano began. “I also just think that we thrive under pressure. I put myself in high-pressure moments, and part of the reason why I came up here yesterday and started talking crap a little bit is that it puts more pressure on me, and it seems like that helps. It’s not comfortable, but it seems like as a driver, personally, I’m better that way.
“I think as a team we thrive under those situations. That’s why we have a lot of playoff wins in comparison to the regular season percentage-wise.
“I think that’s a big piece of it. We got the attitude that we’re never out of it, and I think that’s what’s kept us going and shows in the playoffs so much is plenty of seasons, and this season in particular, midway through it, we could have called it a rebuilding year, but that would have been the loser thing to say,” Logano continued.
“We kept grinding and figuring it out and getting a little bit better and a little bit better and got the All-Star win, which was great, and then able to lock ourselves in the playoffs, and then winning the most important races. We said it so many times that winning Vegas, the first race in the Round of 8, that’s what it’s about. That gives you the opportunity to focus in.”
It was his third title in seven years, cementing his legacy as one of only 10 drivers to win three or more championships in Cup Series history.
He also became the fifth driver in series history to earn three Cup Series championships under the age of 35 (Richard Petty, David Pearson, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson).
Some may call it luck that Logano reached the Championship 4. Regardless, there’s no denying Logano and his team’s ability to rise to the occasion when the opportunity presented itself.
The current NASCAR Playoff format rewards drivers for winning in both the regular season and the playoffs.
The No. 22 Team Penske group executed the 10-race postseason to perfection with wins in three different rounds, including the most important one on Sunday.
In response to the social media negativity, Logano kept it simple.
“I’ve got nothing to say to them,” Logano laughed. “I’ve got a pretty sweet trophy right now. I’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.”