Joey Logano Eyes Victory Amidst Controversial Tire Strategies

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – Joey Logano is gearing up for Sunday’s race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after a challenging performance in Phoenix, where he faced a drive-thru penalty due to a restart violation on lap 18.

Despite the setback, the driver of the No. 22 Ford rallied back, securing nine stage points in stage two by opting for the softer red “option” tires, which, while faster, wore out more quickly. As he transitioned to the harder tire set towards the end, Logano found his pace slipping but still managed to earn a top-five points finish for the day.

“I mean, on one hand, you’d say, man, it’s pretty entertaining,” Logano commented on the dual tire strategy. “Passing on the track is a lot of strategy that can happen there. And on the flip side, some might say it’s gimmicky.”

The 34-year-old driver is looking to secure his 37th career victory this weekend, which would elevate him to 22nd place all-time in the NASCAR Cup Series. “I feel like in the racing world, I like to just look at the year ahead of me and the race directly ahead of me,” Logano explained. “How many races do I win? I don’t know. I want to win the next one.”

Logano, who has previously excelled at Las Vegas, commented on his past successes at the track: “It’s just one of those places that you don’t know exactly how that race is going to turn out. And the more options you have in your deck of cards to play out in that race, the more likely you can end up in a spot and say, holy cow, we won the race.”

Christopher Bell, who recently triumphed in Phoenix, poses a significant challenge for Logano as he looks to fend off Bell’s momentum. “Vegas has been a great one for us,” Logano added, reflecting on his past victories and various strategies employed to win.

Apart from the pressures of racing, Logano is equally committed to making an impact off the track. “One of the biggest goals is impacting people in a positive way,” he shared. Last year, he and his team contributed nearly $600,000 to hurricane relief initiatives, while also focusing heavily on foster care.

“Foster care is our number one mission. We absolutely love foster kids and the parents who take on a lot. There’s a lot of great organizations that we work with to provide families with resources to help those children,” he continued.

Logano’s reflections highlight not only his ambitions on the racetrack but also his aspiration to leverage his platform for social good, emphasizing the value of community and support for vulnerable populations.

The green flag for Sunday’s race is set to drop just after 3:30 p.m. ET, marking another thrilling opportunity for Logano to test his skills and strategies on the racetrack.