“Make things happen when it matters”: Joey Logano delivers message across the paddock following title triumph
Joey Logano shared his thoughts on winning the championship at Phoenix Raceway. Logano said he and the team performed in critical moments throughout the season to earn the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship title.
Now a three-time Cup Series champ, Joey Logano is a 34-year-old driver piloting the No. 22 Ford Mustang for Team Penske. He was once eliminated from the playoffs after the Charlotte Round of 12 race but was reinstated into contention following Alex Bowman’s disqualification post-race.
Per PRN on X (formerly Twitter), Logano had nice things to say about the playoff system and his No. 22 team after winning the championship.
“I love the playoffs. What a race. What a Team Penske battle there at the end. This is special. What a team to fight through the day. I got the best team. We are well rounded and can make things happen when it matters," Joey Logano said.
During the Championship 4 race, Logano was consistently racing at the front of the field from a P2 starting position. The Connecticut native finished stage 1 in P1 and stage 2 in P3. In the closing laps, the driver raced teammate Ryan Blaney for the win but he held the lead all the way to the checkered flag.
Blaney also had some words for Logano. He congratulated his teammate for the championship and hoped fans enjoyed their duel on track.
"Worn out. I just couldn't quite get there. I was trying hard to get there. The restart didn't help me. I ran out of time. Congrats to Joey and the No. 22 team," Blaney shared. "Heck of a battle. I hope the fans enjoyed it."
Joey Logano is the 10th driver to win three or more championships in the Cup Series. He is the sixth three-time champ along with NASCAR legends including Lee Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, and Tony Stewart.
Austin Cindric’s sacrifice helped Joey Logano secure the championship at Phoenix
Joey Logano got help from teammate Austin Cindric not on track but in pit road. The jackman from Cindric’s No. 2 team, Patrick Gray, replaced Logano’s jackman, Graham Stoddard, on lap 137 after the latter was reportedly not feeling well.
A jackman is one of the five over-the-wall pit crew members during pit stops. Its role is to carry a 30-pound jack used to lift the car, allowing tire changers to install fresh rubbers.
On lap 237, Gray was seen in the No. 22 pit box. He wore a white Discount tire suit in a sea of pit crews in yellow Shell Pennzoil suits. The replacement had no issues coordinating with the original crew, giving Logano a trouble-free pit stop.
Joey Logano rejoined the field outside the top 10. The 34-year-old driver then took the lead from William Byron on lap 260 after a bold move down the apron. He had held the lead since and won the race ahead of Ryan Blaney by 0.330 seconds.
Meanwhile, Austin Cindric finished in P13 after starting from P11 in the season finale. He kept his position throughout the race, finishing stage 1 and stage 2 in P10 and P13, respectively.
The three Team Penske drivers will stay with the team in 2025. The upcoming season will hail the Mooresville-based outfit the defending champion for three consecutive years.