Joey Logano gave it his best in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville, falling short with a shot to compete for his fourth NASCAR Cup Series championship. (Photo: Sydney Redden | The Podium Finish)
RIDGEWAY, Va. — Joey Logano’s bid for a fourth NASCAR Cup Series championship came to an abrupt halt Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, where the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Mustang finished eighth in the Xfinity 500.
The result left the three-time Cup champion on the outside looking in for the Championship 4, ending a streak of Team Penske representation in the season finale that had stretched three years and included two of Logano’s own titles.
“I just got out of the car. I have no idea,” Logano said when asked what he could have done better down the stretch. “There will be plenty, obviously, looking back at it and things we’ve got to do better. Ultimately, we just have to be faster. That’s the biggest thing.”
The race unfolded as a tactical chess match in the waning laps, and Logano acknowledged a key decision may have cost him a stronger finish.
“We pitted in the middle of the second stage there coming to the end when everyone was flipping and all that stuff to the end of the second stage and, I don’t know, I feel like I lost control when the Hendrick cars pulled the okie dokie in front of me and I chose the inside lane, which put me third and that’s what let the 12 get up there and then you just kind of get stuck in dirty air,” he observed. “I’m kind of kicking myself on that decision, but, outside of that, we just weren’t fast enough. That’s the bottom line. We weren’t good enough to drive back through either way, but I thought I would have had a chance if maybe I could have made that better earlier in the race.”
The eighth-place result was enough to demonstrate that Logano and Team Penske still possess the skill and consistency that have marked their past championship runs, but not enough to secure a Championship 4 berth in the season-deciding NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway. In the last three years, a Team Penske Ford has always been in the finale, a streak Logano said he feels keenly.
“Bummed. I don’t know if there’s another word for it. I’m just bummed that one of us didn’t make it,” he said. “Everyone works hard enough to deserve to be there. We just couldn’t get the job done today, or really the last three races. That’s what it comes down to. The four there deserve to be there. That’s how I always look at it and this year we didn’t deserve to be there.”
The Martinsville race featured a series of cautions and strategic pit calls that forced drivers to balance tire wear with track position. Logano opted for a standard two-tire stop, which he said was the only realistic choice under the circumstances.
Joey Logano did not mince words about the limited options to capitalize for a Championship 4 spot in the Xfinity 500 at Martinsville. (Photo: Sydney Redden | The Podium Finish)
“We would have got killed if we stayed out. That many laps on your tires there’s no chance,” he remarked. “We’re the team to do things, but that wouldn’t even make sense. You could almost argue two tires there. It would have been close, but we were almost too far back and couldn’t close up enough to even get to the lead.
“You’ve got to have the lead if you put two tires on and your only hope at that point is everyone wrecks each other and it becomes a demolition derby behind you. That’s the only hope, but we were just too far back. We just couldn’t close the gap and, like I said, just wasn’t good enough.”
Tire degradation late in the race also played a role, according to Logano.
“Yeah, I don’t know. It seemed like right at the end of that run, the top five cars started tanking, but it just kind of seems like the tires would fall off and then they’d kind of maintain for a while, and then they’d run out of rubber and they would fall off huge,” he observed. “They’d tank and by the time we passed a couple cars and you use up a lot of tire to pass cars, and then everyone is the same speed and then they started tanking right at the end, and then the caution came out. You’ve got to do something different. You can’t do the same.”
Throughout the 500 laps on the paperclip-shaped half-mile, Logano’s team displayed the kind of precision and decision-making that has long been associated with Team Penske, but a combination of circumstances, timing, tire wear, and split-second choices, ultimately prevented a championship run.
Despite the setback, Logano reflected on the season with characteristic clarity.
“It’s a bummer. There’s no Ford. There’s no Team Penske car in the Championship 4,” Logano lamented. “We weren’t good enough. That’s all there is to it. It’s not from a lack of effort. We just weren’t good enough.”
His candid assessment underscored both the competitiveness of the Cup Series and the razor-thin margins that determine who advances to the finale. In a sport defined by split-second decisions and tire management, even elite drivers can fall short, as Logano experienced at Martinsville.
The race began with Logano navigating through the pack, a delicate dance of aggression and patience. The middle stage pit call, he admitted, was pivotal. The choice to take the inside lane put him in third behind the Hendrick cars, leaving him in what he described as “dirty air,” a condition that limits aerodynamic efficiency and hampers overtaking. In retrospect, he believes a different approach might have given him a shot at a higher finish.
Throughout the season, Logano has been a consistent presence near the top, but this race highlighted the relentless nature of championship contention. Every decision, from pit strategy to lane selection, carries significant consequences. The Xfinity 500 at Martinsville is a race where mistakes can compound quickly, and in this case, they were enough to derail Logano’s title aspirations.
Team Penske, which has celebrated multiple championships in recent years, will now watch the Championship 4 unfold without one of its cars on the track. The absence of a Penske Ford in the finale is a notable departure from recent history, and Logano’s disappointment was palpable. His acknowledgment of the hard work of his crew and the deserving nature of the drivers who did make the finale highlighted his professionalism even in defeat.
Logano’s reflections also emphasized the importance of speed in the current Cup Series landscape. While strategy and skill remain crucial, raw pace remains a decisive factor.
“Ultimately, we just have to be faster. That’s the biggest thing,” he said, succinctly summing up the challenge.
As Logano looks toward the off-season, the lessons from Martinsville will likely inform both his preparation and approach for next year. In a series where championships are often decided by a handful of points, understanding the nuances of tire wear, pit timing, and race-day conditions is essential.
Sunday’s race, while disappointing for Logano, showcased the resilience and determination that have defined his career. Even as he failed to reach the Championship 4, his ability to analyze mistakes, acknowledge limits, and respect the competition reflected the mindset of a seasoned veteran.
“The four there deserve to be there. That’s how I always look at it and this year we didn’t deserve to be there,” Logano said, a testament to his candid self-assessment.
As the season moves to Phoenix, attention will shift to the four drivers battling for the title. For Logano, it’s a moment to regroup, analyze, and prepare for the next campaign. His absence from the finale does not diminish his accomplishments, but it underscores the fierce competition and the unforgiving nature of NASCAR’s playoff system.
Despite the setback, Logano remains a formidable presence in the Cup Series. His three championships and continued competitiveness are reminders that, while one race may end a season, the drive and talent of a champion endure beyond a single weekend.
Joey Logano knows his Team Penske efforts must improve to compete for another championship. (Photo: Sydney Redden | The Podium Finish)
In the end, Martinsville was a microcosm of the sport itself: precise, demanding, and unforgiving. Logano’s performance, while not enough to secure a shot at a fourth championship, demonstrated both his skill and the narrow margins that separate victory from disappointment.
As the season closes, the conversation will inevitably include what could have been, but Logano’s approach is straightforward: acknowledge the shortcomings, respect the winners, and prepare to return stronger.
“Bummed. I don’t know if there’s another word for it. I’m just bummed that one of us didn’t make it,” he said, reflecting the sentiment of a champion who fell just short but remains committed to the pursuit.
The Martinsville Xfinity 500 may not have ended in triumph for Logano, but it reinforced the essence of racing: speed, strategy, and split-second choices define outcomes. For a driver with his experience, the challenge is not only to compete but to learn from moments like this, ensuring that the next opportunity to chase glory is met with preparation and resolve.
Logano and Team Penske will now turn their attention to the off-season, analyzing the last three races and strategizing for next year’s championship run. While the immediate disappointment is clear, the long-term perspective for a three-time champion is never about dwelling on a single loss but preparing to return to contention with the same intensity that has fueled his career.
