“I’m sick of people talking crap”: Joey Logano pushes back against NASCAR championship format critics

While NASCAR examines whether it can switch to an alternative playoff system for the 2026 season, Cup Series driver Joey Logano revealed to The Athletic that he is a member of a committee formed for the purpose. That being said, the Penske icon seemed frustrated with the fans dissing the current playoff system all the time.

Joey Logano is the reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion. Last year, he bagged his third title, marking the third consecutive championship victory for Team Penske.

Logano said in a statement that had there been a different playoff format, he may have won four championships instead of three. On that note, the Mustang maestro told Jeff Gluck of The Athletic,

“I wish people knew that, because I’m sick of people talking crap about our championships.”

Joey Logano made the playoffs this year through his regular-season win at Texas back in May. His teammates, Austin Cindric and Ryan Blaney, also a former Cup champion, are in the mix as well.

Logano’s crew chief, Paul Wolfe, thinks that there are pretty solid chances for Team Penske to make it through the elimination rounds. In a team meeting, he said,

“There’s a pretty realistic pathway to make it to Phoenix (for the championship race) if we all just execute and do our part.”

“There’s no reason we shouldn’t be the favorite going into it. Up to this point in the season, nothing looks any different than it did in those two years we won with this car,” he added.

Next up for the driver is the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. It is the first race of the 2025 playoffs and is scheduled for Sunday, August 31. Fans can watch the race on the USA Network (6 pm ET onwards) or listen to live radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

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“Shame on you”- Joey Logano calls out fellow Cup Series drivers for playoff failures

Joey Logano pulled no punches, slamming his fellow Cup Series contenders who failed to make the Championship 4 despite entering the playoffs with a healthy points lead in the regular season. Instead of complaining about the current playoff system, the Middletown, Connecticut, native thinks they should just perform better.

Last year, Logano had the worst average regular-season finish as a champion in the series’ 76 years of running. So he shamed any driver who fails to make the Championship 4, and that too, with a head start.

“If you scored a bunch of points during a regular season and you didn’t make it to the Championship 4, then shame on you,” Logano said in a statement (via The Athletic). “You had a head start, and you still couldn’t do it."

Logano, who has won two of the last three Cup Series Championships, also opposed the criticism of the current playoff format.

“But don’t say it’s not legit. You could have gone out there and won to get in. You didn’t. Just because it didn’t work for you, it doesn’t mean change the rules,” he added.

Currently, Joey Logano sits 12th in the championship standings, just one point above the cutoff line. Austin Cindric ranks 10th on that list, while Ryan Blaney is inside the top five.