"The pressure of playoffs": Joey Logano details what makes Roger Penske and co. so successful in winning titles

Joey Logano touched upon Team Penske's recent success and what makes the team stand out. Roger Penske's team has been the most successful NASCAR Cup Series team in the last few years, and Logano unraveled the secret behind it — handling the pressure of the playoffs.

Logano claimed the recently concluded Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix as he held off his teammate Ryan Blaney and Hendrick Motorsports' William Byron. With this, the #22 driver clinched his second championship in three years.

On the other hand, Blaney, who was the defending champion prior to the final race, finished as the runner-up. This meant that two Team Penske drivers finished atop the 44-car field, and claimed a third straight owners' championship title.

What's more astonishing is that Team Penske has three charters and all three drivers claimed a victory this season, and two of them qualified for the Championship 4, and ended up as the top two in the drivers' standings.

Speaking about how Penske's team has managed to pull off some incredible playoff races, Logano revealed that the mindset makes all the difference since there is not much difference in the cars.

"It's not the parts and pieces of the cars, they're all the same, Logano said as per Rubbin is Racing on X. "There's not like you're gaining an advantage there. It's people who put the cars together. It's little details that matter. It's the pressure of the playoffs. I think that's maybe the biggest thing."

Logano and Blaney certainly showcased their mettle during the NASCAR playoffs. The #22 driver qualified in second place on Saturday, claimed the Stage 1 win and ultimately clinched the Championship on Sunday, whereas the #12 driver took Stage 2 victory despite starting from 17th.

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Joey Logano reluctant to entertain criticism following his Cup Series victory at Phoenix

NASCAR Cup Series driver Joey Logano (22) leads teammate Ryan Blaney (12) during the NASCAR Cup Series Championship race at Phoenix Raceway. (Credit: Imagn Images)

Following Joey Logano's victory in the 2024 Cup Series Championship at Phoenix, he received some criticism for having a not-so-strong regular season. However, the three-time Cup Series winner was quick to brush it off.

Here's what he said:

"Why do we need to change that? It makes no sense to me when I hear all of this. But whatever, I got the trophy, and I don’t really care.”

According to statistics, Joey Logano had the worst average finish of any Cup Series champion in 76 years. He had an average finish of 17.1 position, 10th fastest, 22nd best restarter, and 31st most efficient passer. Interestingly, Blaney had the second-worst Cup Series champion statistics with an average finish of 14.1 after he claimed the title in 2023.