Penske haters might get a taste of their own medicine in the most ironic way

As a seasoned NASCAR enthusiast who’s seen my fair share of heart-stopping races and unexpected twists, I can’t help but be captivated by the rollercoaster ride that is Joey Logano’s 2024 campaign. This man has a knack for turning even-numbered years into championship gold!

Following the conclusion of the NASCAR Cup Series playoff race at Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval on Sunday, Joey Logano from Team Penske was no longer a contender for the championship. This is because he failed to secure one of the eight spots in the final round, with Tyler Reddick managing to snatch that position at the last minute.

But Logano ended up joining the 23XI Racing driver in the semifinal round anyway, keeping alive the hope for yet another Championship 4 appearance in an even-numbered year for the driver of the No. 22 Ford.

At the start, Alex Bowman from Hendrick Motorsports managed to qualify for the final round of 8 for the first time since 2020. However, after the race, an inspection revealed that his No. 48 Chevrolet did not meet the necessary minimum weight standards.

As a result of being disqualified, Bowman’s score decreased, causing him to fall short of the cutoff for the round of 8. Consequently, Logano rose above this threshold.

As a gamer, I’ve got to admit that this season hasn’t been my best. Compared to my usual performance, it’s been a bit lackluster. And if we’re talking about the competition in the round of 8, well, let’s just say it’s been a struggle – a real challenge to keep up with everyone else.

The other seven drivers are all in the top seven in total points scored. But Logano? 15th.

Since 2012, his number of top finishes, laps led, and overall top 10 finishes have been the lowest compared to previous years. Additionally, his average finish has also hit a record low since 2011. Interestingly enough, he began racing with Roger Penske’s team in 2013.

Regardless of other factors, his uncontestable achievements during even-numbered years are undeniable, given that he’s consistently qualified for the Championship 4 in those years without any exceptions.

In 2018, he wasn’t seen as a significant title contender with just one win before the playoffs. However, he managed to secure two more victories and ultimately claimed the championship. Fast-forward to 2022, his average performance was his poorest since 2017, which also marked his last absence from the playoffs. Yet again, he found form and clinched another title.

Currently, we find ourselves in the year 2024, and by mid-October, Logano stands a nearly equal chance of qualifying once more for the Championship 4. This is a feat he has yet to achieve in odd-numbered years; however, since the format was implemented in 2014, he’s managed to do so every time it’s been an even year – making it five times out of five.

If not for his victory in the five-overtime race at Nashville Superspeedway, he would have been eliminated from the playoffs entirely. Remarkably, he’s already clinched a playoff win, and another triumph would secure him a spot among the Championship 4 at Phoenix Raceway. He has triumphed at every track on the round of 8 schedule, and it is worth mentioning that he has also won at Phoenix, where he claimed the 2022 title.

Could Team Penske really end up winning a championship because of another driver’s disqualification?

Wouldn’t that be ironic?

In March, Penske’s IndyCar team celebrated a victorious start to the season with Josef Newgarden claiming first place and Scott McLaughlin securing third in the season opener at St. Petersburg. However, six and a half weeks later, it was uncovered that they had violated rules regarding the push-to-pass overtake system, leading to their disqualification.

2024 saw Chip Ganassi Racing’s Alex Palou clinching the title as champion, while McLaughlin placed third, trailing by a gap of 39 points.

In the absence of the disqualifications (which subtracted 35 points from McLaughlin’s total and added 4 to Palou’s), both drivers would have ended up with equal points, and McLaughlin would have clinched the championship thanks to his three victories compared to Palou’s two.

In a year where Penske’s IndyCar team was denied a championship due to an infringement on their own rules, their NASCAR team now has an opportunity to secure a title as a result of another team’s rule breach.

Team Penske now boasts two drivers in the playoff’s final eight, with defending series champion Ryan Blaney still in contention. Their goal is to secure their third consecutive championship, a feat not accomplished since Jimmie Johnson won five straight for Hendrick Motorsports from 2006 to 2010.

Since the time when Rick Hendrick’s team achieved four consecutive wins from 1995 to 1998 (with Jeff Gordon earning three victories and Terry Labonte securing one), there hasn’t been a similar accomplishment with multiple drivers yet.

Despite having the longest odds (+1200) among the eight contenders at DraftKings Sportsbook, Joey Logano remains a plausible candidate for the title. In fact, in 2018 and 2022, he entered the Championship 4 with similarly long odds, but as the saying goes, “the race isn’t won on paper.

Full championship odds can be found here.

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway is all set to kick off the round of 8 this coming Sunday, October 20th. Tune in to NBC as they air the South Point 400 live starting at 2:30 p.m. ET. Don’t miss a moment of the excitement! Sign up for a free trial of FuboTV today and catch all the action unfold!

2024-10-16 17:32

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