Joey Logano rolls off from the fourth position for Sunday night’s Quaker State 400. (Photo: Trish McCormack | The Podium Finish)
HAMPTON, Ga. – Like the lyrics from Bosch: Legacy’s theme songs, when it comes to Joey Logano’s thoughts with Atlanta Motor Speedway, “Oh, my, my, times are changing.”
Prior to Atlanta’s refit, completed ahead of the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season, Logano struggled at the rough, intermediate track. From 2019 to 2021, Logano’s best result was a 10th in the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic delayed spring race.
However, Logano has been on a tear since the 1.54-mile speedway transitioned from a traditional intermediate track to a mini-superspeedway. As a result, the two-time and reigning Cup champion’s results at the 63-year-old track have improved substantially.
Despite a 26th place result in last year’s Quaker State 400 due to exceeding the Damaged Vehicle Policy repair time, Logano won the most recent Atlanta race and a ninth in March 2022.
All in all, Logano has five superspeedway wins which includes the 2015 Daytona 500 and three Talladega victories in 2015, 2016 and 2018. In fact, this brand of stock car racing seems to suit the Middletown, Connecticut native’s driving style.
Then again, the typically optimistic racer downplayed this reality after his victory this past March. In a way, he sounded more like a lottery ticket player than the bold, confident driver who thrives on tracks that are like taking a chance on the Powerball.
“I don’t think anyone feels comfortable when you line up for a superspeedway ’cause honestly, I mean, I feel like half the races I finish is what it feels like,” Logano said. “When you’re strapped in, kind of feel like you got a 50/50 chance of seeing the checkered flag. It’s not the most comforting feeling at all.”
Logano is one of the top superspeedway racers in the NASCAR Cup Series. (Photo: Kevin Ritchie | The Podium Finish)
No driver is immune to the unpredictability prevalent with superspeedway style races. Compared to traditional ovals, where a driver and their team make all the difference with setup and collaborative feedback, Atlanta brings out the soulless individual in the car.
Regardless if a driver works with their teammate or fellow OEM ally, all bets are off toward the end of Stages 1 and 2 and race. Sometimes, it might mean leaving a friend or mentor out to dry to take the checkered flag.
Earlier this year, Logano seemed like he would settle for a runner-up result with his former Team Penske teammate, Brad Keselowski of RFK Racing, leading the field on the final lap. As Keselowski took the field into Turns 1 and 2, Logano snookered his fellow superspeedway rival with a brilliant, high lane pass in Turn 2.
Like a steaming locomotive, Logano’s No. 22 Ford Mustang chugged past Keselowski as if the latter was standing still.
Surprisingly, heading into Sunday night’s race, Logano is still seeking his second win of the year. Starting from the fourth position, the 33-year-old racer recognizes how how Round 19 may play out differently than the track’s first three races since its refit.
Particularly, with the race moving from afternoon to evening conditions and the asphalt starting to wear out, it may be a different Atlanta for Logano and his competitors.
“It’s gonna keep changing. It’s evolved a lot just as the teams have gotten better from the first couple races to the last race, and I’m sure it will evolve again one more time. It’s turning more and more into a superspeedway it seems like, although it will probably be warm. We’ll see.”
