Column By: JESSY MILLER / RPW – TALLADEGA, AL – Joey Logano missed out on the playoffs in 2017 because he was unable to win a race besides Richmond. Logano’s spring Richmond race win was encumbered, and he lost all win benefits including immediate entry into the playoffs. This seemed to spark a streak of bad luck Logano spent most of the season being involved in wrecks and finishing outside of the top ten.
In 2017 he had 10 top fives, and only 17 top tens He lead under 400 laps. The year before Logano had 16 top fives, 23 top tens, 3 wins and lead over 700 laps and was the runner up finisher in the playoffs.
Team Penske as a whole have won 7 of the last 13 Talladega races (including Logano’s win on April 29th,) they have a history of doing well at restrictor plate tracks. When Logano won the race he screamed over the radio, “We’re back baby!” and proceeded to give a high energy Victory Lane interview.
The team had a lot to say as well
Now with a win in the books and automatic entry into the 2018 playoffs, Logano’s new goal is to do as well as possible so when the Playoffs roll around he’ll be good to go! The playoffs begin in September at Darlington Raceway.
Logano and his wife Brittany welcomed their first child Hudson in January and this was the first time Logano has been able to celebrate in Victory Lane with him. It’s a time Logano will never forget.
At the mention of his son’s name, @joeylogano grabbed his chest.
Fatherhood looks good on you, JL. pic.twitter.com/xrjQvvddOM
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) April 29, 2018
The sport’s most popular driver of fourteen years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. retired last year and in his wake he left Spotter TJ Majors. Logano mentioned after his win that he was glad that Earnhardt left him with Majors. Majors is good friends with Logano’s teammate Brad Keselowski and so he had ties with Penske before he started spotting for Logano this season. Keselowski used to drive for one of Junior’s teams and met Majors through him. It worked out really well for Logano.
This weekend Logano will race at Dover, hoping to land that 20th win. The race begins at 2pm EST on FS1, don’t forget to tune in!