Joey Logano made history in NASCAR’s Championship 4 decider, joining nine other drivers who have won three or more Cup Series titles.
His average finish of 17.1 was underwhelming to some fans and reflected poorly upon the current playoff format which has been in place since 2014, although was altered in 2017.
He performed when it mattered though, and deserves credit for beating Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney in a straight shootout.
His poise and calmness behind the wheel was representative of a champion and showed exactly why he is heralded as one of the best in the business.
Paul Wolfe claims ‘nobody better’ than Joey Logano
Logano was on the edge of NASCAR playoff elimination in 2024, scraping his way through and beating the likes of Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell to a spot in the Championship 4.
Larson led the most laps of any driver and claimed the most wins this season, and couldn’t even find a way to compete for the title right at the end.
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It means that Logano will need to watch over his shoulder in 2025, as he bids to claim a third crown in four seasons.
Speaking as he crossed the line in Phoenix, his crew chief – Paul Wolfe was delighted with his performance and made a strong statement toward the new champion.
“Nobody better, nobody,” he said as Logano beat Blaney to the finish by a margin of just 0.330 seconds.
Why Wolfe’s Logano claims are technically true
Looking at the Championship 4 era, it is true that Logano is the most successful driver of anyone in the NASCAR Cup Series.
The 2009 Rookie of the Year is among four drivers to have achieved 25 or more wins before the age of 30 – marking his greatness further.
Now 34, his decision to join Team Penske in 2013 will go down as one of the best of his career – maintaining a streak of 11 consecutive seasons with a victory since.
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He’s a master of the current format, and if it remains unchanged, will be in contention for yet more silverware in 2025.
His rivals will be more fired up than ever to beat him though, especially those who failed to make it to the last race with a shot at the title.