He wasn’t even supposed to be there.
That’s the reality of Joey Logano’s 2024 season. If you followed the NASCAR Cup Series last year, you know the script: a driver who spent most of the summer looking like a mid-pack also-ran somehow ended up hoisting the Bill France Cup at Phoenix. It’s the kind of thing that makes purists scream at their televisions and makes the "points matter" crowd lose their minds. But Joey Logano doesn't care. Honestly, he’s probably laughing about it while polishing his third championship ring.
Being the 2024 Cup Series champion isn't about having the best average finish anymore. It hasn’t been for a long time. It’s about being a shark when there’s blood in the water.
The Disqualification That Changed Everything
Let’s be real: Logano was out. Done. He finished the Round of 12 at the Charlotte Roval below the cutline. He had already started the "better luck next year" speeches in his head. Then, the news broke. Alex Bowman’s No. 48 car failed post-race inspection for being too light. Just like that, Bowman was disqualified, and Logano was gifted a spot in the Round of 8.
Most drivers would have just been happy to be back in the hunt. Logano? He went out and won the very next race at Las Vegas. That’s the "Logano Way." You give him an inch, and he takes a mile—and a trophy. By winning Vegas, he earned himself three weeks to focus entirely on the season finale at Phoenix. While everyone else was sweating it out at Homestead and Martinsville, the No. 22 team was already building their championship car.
Why the 2024 Cup Series Champion Is So Controversial
You’ll hear a lot of talk about how Joey Logano didn't "deserve" this one. People point to his average finish of 17.1—the worst ever for a champion in the history of the sport. It’s a staggering stat. If you look at the season as a whole, Kyle Larson was arguably the "best" driver. He had more wins and led way more laps.
But NASCAR isn’t a beauty pageant.
Logano and his crew chief, Paul Wolfe, played the format like a fiddle. They knew that in this elimination-style playoff system, consistency is a trap. You don't need to be good for 36 weeks; you need to be great for four of them. Logano won when it counted:
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- Nashville: To lock into the playoffs.
- Atlanta: To advance past the first round.
- Las Vegas: To lock into the Championship 4.
- Phoenix: To win the whole thing.
Is it "fair"? Maybe not. Is it the rulebook? Absolutely. Logano has openly admitted he loves the playoffs because he knows how to manipulate the pressure. While other drivers overthink it, he just drives harder.
The Battle at Phoenix: Teammate vs. Teammate
The final laps at Phoenix were actually some of the tensest racing we’ve seen in years. It wasn’t a dominant blowout. It was a dogfight between two guys who share a shop: Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney.
Blaney had the faster car. Everyone saw it. He was charging through the field like a man possessed, closing a three-second gap down to nothing. But Logano is the best "rearview mirror driver" in the business. He used every trick—dirty air, lane blocking, defensive lines—to keep Blaney behind him. He won by a mere 0.330 seconds.
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It was brutal to watch Blaney climb out of his car afterward. He looked like he’d just run a marathon in a furnace. He was so physically spent that medical staff had to check him out. Meanwhile, Logano was doing burnouts. It was a 1-2 finish for Team Penske and a third straight title for "The Captain," Roger Penske.
What You Should Take Away From This
If you’re looking for a lesson in Logano’s 2024 run, it’s about resilience. He didn't have the fastest car for 90% of the year. The new Ford Mustang Darkhorse struggled early on. He was involved in a massive wreck at Richmond where Austin Dillon basically used him as a brake. Everything suggested this wasn't his year.
But he stayed in the game. He took advantage of a technicality at Charlotte and then executed perfectly when the stakes were highest.
Next Steps for Fans and Analysts:
- Study the "Clutch" Factor: Don't just look at season-long points. Look at how drivers perform in "win-and-in" scenarios. Logano is the gold standard here.
- Watch the 2025 Rule Changes: Because of the "hand-wringing" over Logano's 17.1 average finish, NASCAR is already looking at how to reward regular-season performance more heavily in the future.
- Respect the Strategy: Acknowledge that Paul Wolfe and Joey Logano are a "dynasty" pairing. They have three titles together now, putting them in the same conversation as the legends of the sport.
Love him or hate him, Joey Logano is now a three-time champion. He’s joined a club that includes names like Tony Stewart and Darrell Waltrip. Whether the format changes or stays the same, you can bet the No. 22 will be lurking near the front whenever a trophy is on the line.