"I think he's not been celebrated": NASCAR veteran makes opinion clear on Joey Logano's clutch performances going unrecognized

Joey Logano became the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series champion after winning the final round of the playoffs. The 34-year-old had a lackluster start to the season but started to perform at a different level in the playoffs. NASCAR veteran Rick Mast has now come out and shared his opinion on Logano’s clutch performances going unrecognized.

Charlie Marlow and Mast appeared on the Kelly Wallace channel in a video uploaded on December 27th. They discussed Logano's 2024 performances and how the Penske driver delivered when it mattered.

Marlow explained how in other sports, fans celebrate the crucial performance of athletes in big games and gave examples of Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady in the playoffs. He then added how a lot of people aren't doing the same for Joey Logano and are criticizing him. Marlow then explained how when everything was on the line, Logano and Team Penske rose to the occasion.

Mast agreed as he said (via the video titled "Why Doesn't Joey Logano Get Credit For Being Clutch?"):

“I agree with you 100%. It was social media. I think we've just set ourselves up to be able to criticize. I just feel that is part of what this is about. No doubt, when the playoffs happened, Logano is there. Right? And we see it. All I can do is repeat what you just said. I mean, I agree 100% with what you said.” (1:12 onwards)

“I think he's not being celebrated for being, for doing what they've done, for pulling off what they pulled off. The celebration should be 100 times more than what's going on. Instead of criticizing the guy, it should be because this is what we do.”

Joey Logano only won a single race in the first 26 races of the 2024 season i.e. the non-playoff races and it was enough for him to qualify. However, he turned up his performances in the playoffs, winning a race each in the Round of 16 and Round of 8. Logan then went on to win the championship race at Phoenix Raceway.

---

Rick Mast explains how Joey Logano and Team Penske optimize their performance in the playoffs

Unlike other racing categories where the championship is decided by crowning the driver who accumulates the most points over a season, NASCAR follows a playoffs system.

The first 26 races are just about making it to the Top 16 (or winning a race to qualify) and then the drivers take part in the playoffs races.

NASCAR: 2024 NASCAR Awards Banquet - Source: Imagn

Rick Mast pointed out how Penske and Joey Logano optimize for the same as he said:

“We race all year, Everybody knows the rules. We know what the playoff rules are all through the season. And it all gears towards the last four, the last few races. Penske, at the end of these deals, their cars turn and they hook up the gas. They're just dominant cars, you know, at the last few races of the championship, it's the way it is now.”

“Is that by chance? Is that something they work towards? Is that what they're geared toward? I think Joey personally, I think as a driver, I think he steps it up a level. And I think the team probably understands maybe that it does. So the team has to step it up a little,” he added.

Joey Logano had a similar story during his 2022 championship winning year where he started the season slow but performed in playoff races to take the Cup home.