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- Talent or Luck, Joey Logano's a 3 Time Cup Champion
Talent or Luck, Joey Logano's a 3 Time Cup Champion
Nov 11, 2024 | Edition #96
👋 Dear Motorheads,
The Lucky Dog called it, folks!
If you missed our Saturday Edition, we made a bold call, ranking the Championship 4 drivers by their title chances. And guess what?! The curtain closed at Phoenix in the exact same order!
But we're not here to toot our own horn or give you a play-by-play recap. Instead, we've got some juicy tidbits from the Phoenix weekend that might've flown under your radar.
🏁 Final Cup Standing
🏆 Is Logano Already Set for the 2026 Championship?
🤬 Raging Ryan Blaney’s Rants Light Up Cup Finale
👀 NASCAR Finds Funniest Moment of the Year?
🫡 Martin Truex Jr Gets a Tribute-Filled Weekend
🗣️ Talk of the NASCAR Town
Joey Logano Breaks ‘Even’ for the 2024 Title
Joey Logano's magic touch was on display once again, folks! The 'even-year' wizard has conjured up his third NASCAR Cup Series Championship, solidifying his spot in the racing record books. If he keeps this up, a fourth title in 2026 seems like a no-brainer.
But not everyone's thrilled. Some fans are calling Logano the "worst statistical champion" in NASCAR history. However... as we all know, stats don't tell the whole story, especially in this wild win-or-go-home Playoff format. So let's give credit where credit's due. Logano's got the second-most wins this season, right behind Kyle Larson. And guess what? 3/4th of those wins came in the postseason, exactly when it mattered most.
Heading into Phoenix, Logano was feeling fierce. "We got them down now; we just have to put our foot on their throats," he declared. And starting second on the grid, he put his money where his mouth was. But it wasn't all sunshine and rainbows for the #22 team.
Logano's car had failed pre-race inspection twice - resulting in a crew member's ejection and the loss of his preferred pit stall. Still, his confidence didn't waver. He snatched the lead from pole-winner Martin Truex Jr and dominated Stage 1, to eventually lead 107 laps.
His adversities didn't end there, though. During the race, Logano's jackman fell ill, forcing rapid adjustments. Despite that, the #22 team kept their cool and clawed back up the field. In fact, his resilience shone brightly in Stage 3, as he surged from fifth to first. In the closing laps, he even fended off hard-charging teammate Ryan Blaney. Here is a clip of the exhilarating battle that took place between the two teammates.
This win puts Logano in an elite company - only 10 drivers with three or more Cup Series titles. Plus, he's the fifth driver under 35 to achieve this feat.
In his post-race interview, Logano beamed, "I love the playoffs. What a team, what a Penske battle there at the end…" However, it isn't just his victory. In reality, this championship adds another trophy to Roger Penske's cabinet. Meaning, Penske's racing operations have now won three major motorsport titles in under a month, including the IMSA SportsCar Championship & FIA World Endurance Championship. So congrats, Team Penske and Joey Logano! You've earned every bit of the glory!
🏁 Lucky Dog’s Quick Poll 🏁
How Do You Feel About Logano Winning the 2024 Title? |
Last Poll’s Result: We asked you which eliminated driver would you like to bring back for the title run. While Kyle Larson, with his six wins, seems to be the fan favorite (with 47% of the votes), his teammate Chase Elliott wasn’t too far behind with 26%.
🌪️ Cause for Controversy
Ryan Blaney Loses His Cool Under Pressure
Ryan Blaney put on one heck of a show at Phoenix, pushing teammate Joey Logano to the limit! But after that final push, Blaney looked spent - you could hear it in his voice and see it in his slumped posture outside the car.
After the AMR Safety team checked him out, Blaney admitted, “I was driving hard, huffing and puffing, and felt like I was going to pass out after the race.” Safe to say, his entire race was an emotional rollercoaster.
There were moments of brilliance, like that Stage 2 win from 17th place. And then there were moments of chaos, like that late-race restart that dropped him outside the top 5. Blaney scrambled to regain track position, fighting hard to get to Logano's bumper, but ultimately came up short. Still, it wasn't just the racing that had Blaney fired up.
A tense battle with Kyle Larson for a top-5 spot on the final restart had him boiling over. As Larson blocked Blaney's advances, the #12 Ford driver unleashed a heated rant over the radio: “What the f**k?! F**king a**hole. What the f**k do you think I’m doing, trying to get there?”
Now, we know Blaney can get vocal when pushed to the limit, but Larson was just racing hard - no harm, no foul. It was a classic battle between two drivers pushing the limits. And when lapped traffic got in his way, Blaney let loose again, saying they were "Absolutely f**king killing [his] racing."
Eventually, Blaney muscled past Larson and Byron to get to Logano's bumper, but that effort took a toll on his energy and patience. For Roger Penske, though, the Team's 1-2 finish was the perfect ending. And his #12 driver left it all on the track, adding to The Captain's historic 2024 run.
Continue Reading: Kyle Larson Hits Back at Ryan Blaney for His Cuss-Laden Rant
🔎 The In-Depth View
Pace Car Becomes Laughingstock in Unexpected ‘Turn’
Aside from all the glitz and glamor, Sunday's championship finale also had a rather bizarre incident that left everyone scratching their heads.
The drama, however, didn't come from the 40 competitors on the track. Nope. It was from the Toyota Camry pace car that really stole the show.
As the field lined up for Stage 2, the pace car driver probably got a little too eager. He overcooked his turn into the pit lane and crashed into the sand barrels, spewing sand everywhere. Seeing this, the crowd went wild, and Chase Elliott, leading the pack, couldn't believe his eyes. Here is a video of that hilarious incident.
As a six-minute red flag delay ensued for track clearance, the reactions to the incident were priceless. Ryan Blaney quipped, "Was that Michael Phelps?" The legendary Olympian was called to drive the pace car earlier. But thankfully, he wasn't behind the wheel at that time.
Denny Hamlin also chimed in, saying, "This is just so NASCAR," taking a slight dig at the governing body. Even Alan Gustafson, crew chief for the #9 car, couldn't resist joking that the pace car only had six minutes for repairs under the damaged vehicle policy. Michael Jordan, the NBA legend and 23XI Racing owner, got a kick out of it too.
But, what really happened? Well, Phoenix Raceway flipped its backstretch and frontstretch a few years ago, changing the pace car's exit point. Minor detail, major consequences.
This isn't the first pace car mishap, though. Who remembers last year's Martinsville cutoff race, where a malfunctioning Chevy pace car stalled on track? Or that infamous time an intoxicated fan stole the pace car at Talladega in 1986?
For some, this incident brought back memories of Kyle Larson's pit entry mishap last October, where he nearly sideswiped Ryan Blaney and crashed into the barrels. Déjà vu, anyone? Only this time, the official pace car took center stage.
📈 Trending News
A Memorable Weekend for a Memorable Veteran
We’ve been talking about it for the longest time. And now that it has finally happened, how does one fill the void Martin Truex Jr is leaving behind? His final full-time Cup Series race may not have ended in a fairy-tale victory like he would've wanted. But his career accolades will immortalize him forever in the pantheon of NASCAR greats.
The weekend began with Truex winning a second consecutive pole after Martinsville. Then came the whirlwind of emotions and tributes as a heartwarming standing ovation from fellow drivers at the pre-race meeting set the tone for the grand farewell. Here is a clip that captures the heartwarming moment.
During the driver announcements, the roars of his fans echoed across the Arizona desert at the first mention of Martin Truex Jr. Once the green flag waved, the bigwigs at NASCAR paid homage by lighting up the Phoenix scoring pylon with Truex's image on lap 19. There even was a special ‘Gone Fishin' sign to mark his pit stall in this race, as a fitting nod to his love for the great outdoors.
And it didn't just stop there. From that commemorative helmet by Bass Pro Shops to the TRACKER boats paint scheme on his #19 (a throwback to his first Cup car two decades ago), this weekend brought to life the legend of Martin Truex Jr. After the race, names like Jeff Gordon and Michael Jordan dropped by and congratulated him for the incredible memories he’s given us all these years.
Despite a 17th-place finish, Truex's heart was full. "Everyone wants me to be sad, but I’m happy. I’m celebrating this. Got a lot to be thankful for. Got a lot to be proud of," he said with contentment.
As the veteran heads into retirement, Truex is already considering one-off events, like the Daytona 500 with 23XI Racing, and possibly a few Xfinity races with JGR. For now, though, he’s ready to trade the NASCAR spotlight for some time spent fishing, hunting, and reminiscing a career that will surely land him in the Hall of Fame. So thank you for everything, Martin! We’ll miss seeing you on the grid.
Continue Reading: Martin Truex Jr Holds His Head High Leaving NASCAR in the Rear View
📰 More Stories to Check Out
Roger Penske Reveals His Chilling Warning to Rick Hendrick - Full Story
Dale Jr’s Driver Bashes Joe Gibbs Star’s Potentially Ending Career - Full Story
Tony Stewart’s $20 Million Assets in Jeopardy - Full Story
Richard Childress's Grandson Lets Slip RCR's Intentions With Bold 8-Word Claim - Full Story
Chase Elliott Accepts Kyle Busch’s Daughter’s “Movie Date” Demand - Full Story
NASCAR Veteran Reveals the Dark Side of NASCAR Finances - Full Story
✨ Featured Comment
Wanting to bring Kyle Larson back into the championship fight ahead of Phoenix, Super Fan - Bruce Rader, sent us quite a contentious thought...
Lucky Dog's Take: We know which of the final four was deemed 'Lucky' by a lot of fans. But is it really luck when NASCAR's own system promotes this unpredictability (or rather, chaos)?
And who knows? Maybe it is not luck. Maybe it's pure genius of the #22 team, who have figured out the way to beat playoffs?
To share your thoughts, participate in our polls, and the next 'Featured Comment' could very well be yours.
You can also write back to us by clicking here.
That’s it for today, folks! We’ll look to knock on your inbox soon with more interesting stories!
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