The championship stage held victorious workforce members and associates, with onlookers and different supporters gathered throughout. A smaller stage, sitting only a few ft in entrance of the ceremonial setup, held the trophy. And pulling in entrance of them each was the No. 22 yellow and pink Ford pushed by Joey Logano.
Because the PA announcer launched Logano, who was climbing out of his Crew Penske automotive because the 2024 NASCAR Cup Sequence champion, the music switched. Andy Mineo started screaming, ‘You Can’t Cease Me’ over the loudspeakers as Logano did screaming of his personal whereas on the highest of his automotive, arms pumping. The music blared throughout Phoenix Raceway as Logano made the rounds high-fiving his workforce as a three-time champion.
The three different championship contenders couldn’t cease Logano on Sunday. He led probably the most laps. He held off hard-charging teammate Ryan Blaney, who was noticeably gassed afterward, having come from a number of seconds again whereas attempting to develop into the primary repeat champion within the elimination period.
The music alternative, whether or not intentional or not, was good. Among the lyrics embrace:
Ricky Bobby, shake and bake
Sleepin’ on us, shoulda stayed awake
Two forks excessive, increase the stakes
Danger all of it, I take the hate
It’s the profitable workforce, get the Gatorade
My God good, however he’s not secure, nah
They attempt to shut down, and it ain’t gon’ slide
Solely factor I worry is God and he on my aspect
That’s the arrogance of God, trigger He obtained me
That’s why I actually really feel like
Logano prevailed for the second time in three years and a 3rd time within the final seven. The motive force who was given a second likelihood when Hendrick Motorsports’ Alex Bowman was disqualified forward of the Spherical of 8 made probably the most of it. A workforce that obtained sizzling on the proper time gained the races that mattered, when many observers didn’t have them advancing out of the primary spherical.
And hate? There’s been lots since Sunday, combined with flat-out disrespect towards Logano. Among the many claims are that the format is damaged and that he’s undeserving from a statistical standpoint.
The cries diminish and disrespect Logano’s accomplishment. One can dislike the format whereas nonetheless recognizing the victor. Logano and his workforce succeeded underneath the system in place, and did so emphatically when it mattered most. No different playoff driver gained three postseason races.
One thing particular occurs to Logano when the championship a part of the season comes rolling round. It’s been seen time and time once more. There’s common season Joey Logano and postseason Joey Logano.
“It’s simply nearer to the aim,” Logano mentioned. “I develop into extra intense; in all probability slightly shorter-fused. I don’t know. I attempt to obtain the identical depth stage all yr lengthy, however it simply looks as if when it comes right down to the tip, you discover one other gear, and it’s actually exhausting to get to it quite a lot of occasions. However I believe that’s all through the entire workforce, too. It’s not simply me.”
This was not a season throughout which Logano appeared like a championship favourite. It’s straightforward to assume solely of his win at Nashville Superspeedway, whereas overlooking that he ought to have gained at Richmond Raceway earlier than Austin Dillon’s last-lap actions. Or that he was in rivalry at Daytona Worldwide Speedway however was the motive force who despatched Michael McDowell airborne when McDowell got here throughout his nostril on the entrance of the sphere. Or that he led all however one lap within the All-Star Race.
Nobody can argue that on paper, the numbers don’t look good. However there was extra to the trouble than the field rating.
Logano’s robust playoff type obtained him to the ultimate race, however it took an intense battle with Penske teammate Ryan Blaney over the past 20 laps to seal the deal. Nigel Kinrade/Motorsport Photographs
Logano gained when he wanted to firstly of the postseason. When Bowman was disqualified, he was the next-best driver in line to take the spot, having solely missed advancing by 5 factors. No, the workforce wasn’t the strongest within the sequence, however they obtained the job finished. When given a chance, Logano capitalizes.
The recipe for all three of his championships is analogous, Logano famous. In none of them had been he and his workforce named the favorites, however he hoisted the trophy on the finish.
It was the “Huge 3 and me,” as he described it, in 2018. Logano beat the season’s dominant drivers in Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr.; the latter having declared every week prior that Logano wasn’t going to “win the rattling battle” after they made contact at Martinsville Speedway. Logano gained the battle.
In 2022, Logano led 187 laps within the finale to beat Ross Chastain – who was every week faraway from the ‘Hail Melon’ – Christopher Bell, and Chase Elliott. Bell was a postseason star with two walk-off elimination race wins. Elliott gained 5 races and the common season championship.
In all three of his championship seasons, Logano gained the opening race within the Spherical of 8 to clinch his championship spot. In doing so, he wasn’t afraid to say his workforce had simply develop into the title favorites – and it got here true.
“You discover one thing that works,” Logano mentioned. “It’s really easy to say it right here, ‘Why don’t you simply do this yearly?’ It’s exhausting to do this. It’s not straightforward to win the races and issues to work out the way in which they did. However gosh, it’s exhausting for me to not look again at simply the rollercoaster of the Roval (ED: the place he was eradicated from the playoffs, then reinstated at Bowman’s expense) to Vegas, from that fast change of occasions, to be sitting right here three weeks later. (It’s) simply loopy.
“I’m simply super-blessed to be up right here, to have the workforce that I’ve obtained, to get by and combat and have the endurance for the entire yr to have the ability to do this collectively. I couldn’t ask to be with a greater race workforce than the individuals I’ve obtained.”
A 3rd championship places Logano alone within the Cup Sequence because the energetic full-time driver with probably the most titles. He’s within the firm of Tony Stewart, David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, and Lee Petty.
Paul Wolfe grew to become the winningest energetic crew chief within the Cup Sequence at Las Vegas and padded that stat with the Phoenix triumph. He, too, is now a three-time champion.
“All of us do it collectively,” Logano mentioned. “That’s what makes it so particular. I do know you hear that, and it feels like a damaged report in comparison with different champions that sat up right here and mentioned everybody does it collectively. However to see the way in which Paul does it, how all of us sit in a room and spend quite a lot of time collectively, very actually, with one another. It hurts generally. They’ll level all of it out. However we had been in a position to develop into a greater workforce due to it. Doing it collectively and never simply having Paul make the calls all by himself, we’re all in it collectively.
“That’s what makes these moments much more particular, and that’s what makes Paul an incredible chief. I all the time name him ‘Playoff Paul,’ after which there’s ‘Championship 4 Paul,’ they usually simply hold leveling up. And 6:00 (Sunday) morning, we had been all sitting within the Penske bus going over every thing once more. My man works. He needs it dangerous. So it’s enjoyable to do it collectively.”
You possibly can’t cease me
That’s all you bought?
Come on with it
That’s all you bought?
You possibly can’t cease me
(You) don’t obtained the ability, (can’t) shut me down
(Cease), that’s not an choice, (me) I’m my greatest drawback
(You) don’t obtained the ability, (can’t) shut me down
(Cease), that’s not an choice (me)
You possibly can’t cease me!
