“We can’t back down” -Joey Logano shares his thoughts after becoming first NASCAR defending champion to be eliminated in playoffs Round of 16

Reigning champion Joey Logano faced a bitter elimination from the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs during a tumultuous race in Bristol.

The Team Penske driver, who clinched the Cup Series title in 2022, encountered a devastating race during the third playoff event of the season, resulting in a disheartening Did Not Finish (DNF) verdict.

Joey Logano's untimely exit etched his name into the NASCAR history books, marking him as the inaugural defending champion to be ousted from the playoffs in the initial round.

At the age of 33, Logano's disappointment was palpable as he conveyed his sentiments to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. However, the Team Penske driver still looks forward to salvaging what remains from the season.

With Logano's untimely exit, the sole remaining hope for Team Penske is Ryan Blaney, who pilots the #12 car. Undeterred by the setback, Logano emphasized the team's unwavering determination to regroup and emerge even stronger in the coming seasons.

"Now we try to get better for next year. At this point, you know we can't back down by no means. We're fired up. I'm ticked. We're gonna make some big things happen and try to get better by the end of the year. We got seven races to figure it out and seven races to help the 12 try to win the championship," Logano asserted.

Joey Logano recalls the Darlington incident

Despite qualifying strongly for the playoffs, the Team Penske driver's innaugral Round of 16 race in Darlington got off to a rocky start. He recalled,

"It's just a bummer, you know. We weren't super fast in Darlington. I got into the wall, cost ourselves 8 or 10 points right there."

"That's probably the difference maker right? When you look at how much we were out by," Logano lamented, reflecting on the series of setbacks that led to his elimination.

The subsequent races in Kansas and the prior week added to Joey Logano's woes, with the Team Penske driver struggling to secure stage points and facing a persistent lack of speed in his car. Expressing his disappointment, Logano said,

"Sucks. It hurts. It's frustrating but it is what it is."

As Logano and Team Penske look to rebound from this unexpected turn of events, they are committed to channeling their frustration and disappointment into a renewed sense of purpose.