Joey Logano has built his career on defying convention, driving aggressively, and being a shrewd strategist. The three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion knows exactly how to play the game, and he makes no apologies for it.
While fans either love or hate his approach, there is no denying that Logano has mastered the art of thriving under NASCAR’s ever-evolving playoff system. But for some traditionalists, that success has come into question, sparking a debate over whether his modern championship titles carry the same weight as those won under older formats.
Why Is Joey Logano So Unapologetic About Winning Within NASCAR’s Playoff System?
On the Rubbin’ is Racing podcast, Logano did not shy away from the debate. In fact, he leaned into it with the same confidence that has defined his on-track persona. Calm, direct, and unfiltered, he explained why he does not lose sleep over criticism and why he believes a championship means the same, no matter the system in place.
“You want me to be honest with you? Yeah, I don’t care,” Logano said bluntly. “I don’t care because, you know why? The trophy’s the same size, the check’s the same size, and the stat still says ‘champion.’”
Logano’s argument is simple: everyone plays by the same rulebook. Each driver begins the season with an equal opportunity to win, and it is up to them and their teams to find the best path to the trophy.
“The rules are the rules, right? They were given to everybody. We all started at zero in Daytona, and everybody’s found their way to get this far. How you get to the next level, everyone’s got to strategize and figure out how to do that, and everyone’s in a different points position, like we talked about. So the rules are the rules, and you just have to play them from there,” added Logano.
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While some traditionalists argue that the playoff format rewards short-term surges rather than season-long consistency, Logano sees no difference in what defines a true champion.
The Team Penske driver explained, “To me, a champion’s not any different depending on the format. I know everyone’s going to say, ‘Well, that’s because you won them all this way.’ I know, I hear it all the time. I just don’t look at it that way. If you change the format next year, would it be great to win it? Absolutely. Would it be any less great than winning it this year, though, or more great? No. It’s still the same. It’s still a championship. And I measure athletes off of that. I just do.”
For Logano, winning is winning, and the name etched on the trophy still counts the same, regardless of the format.