Joey Logano earns 200 NASCAR race winner Richard Petty’s respect ahead of third Cup title charge

NASCAR driver Joey Logano has earned praise from Richard "The King" Petty for his versatility and skill as a motorsport athlete. Petty is a seven-time NASCAR champion and has 200 race wins to his credit, the highest ever by any driver that has competed in the sport.

Joey Logano, a two-time Cup Series champion, races full-time for Team Penske in the Cup Series. The Connecticut native has secured 67 victories in his NASCAR career, with his most recent win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway during the playoffs. This victory earned him a spot in the Championship 4, keeping him in contention for his third title.

In a recent episode on the Petty Family Racing YouTube channel, Richard Petty and eight-time Cup Series-winning crew chief Dale Inman did a thorough breakdown of the South Point 400 at Las Vegas. Responding to a fan's query about whether Joey Logano deserves a place in the championship 4, The King said via X:

"Yeah, definitely it is. He's a top car about everywhere they go. A lot of times he's maybe not the fastest, but he's always in the top eight or ten, no matter where they run at. Yeah, and you know, this is what, the third race he has won this year? He definitely needs to be in the championship."

Dale Inman supported Petty's views about the #22 being in the Championship 4.

"Yeah, they're (Penske) famous for making stuff happen and getting good finishes and even wins. That's big," Inman added.

According to the unofficial results of the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Joey Logano was initially eliminated from the playoffs. However, after HMS driver Alex Bowman failed a post-race inspection, Logano advanced to the Round of 8.

He capitalized on the opportunity with an outstanding performance in the playoff opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, securing a place in the Championship 4 with his victory.

---

"The job’s far from being over" - Joey Logano proud of major NASCAR feat but remains focused on bigger goal

Joey Logano created history by appearing in the Championship 4 more than any other driver on the grid. The last four times Logano has secured his spot in the season finale is by winning the Round of 8 opener, just as he did on Sunday.

However, in a post-race interview at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the two-time Cup Series champion was asked whether being the driver with the most Championship 4 appearances means something to him. He said (via Cup Scene):

"There’s a lot of pride in making it to the Championship 4. It’s tough, right? A long year, you got to get through a lot of different scenarios, a lot of curve balls that are thrown your way. It’s hard, right? Making it is something to be proud of, there’s no doubt." [13:34]

After expressing his feelings about making it to the championship 4 and not being able to win, the #22 driver said:

"It’s all about maximizing the opportunity that’s ahead of us. As proud as I am that we’ve made it, I also feel like the job’s far from being over because I know what that feeling is if you don’t make it happen." [14:03]