Joey Logano, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, embarks on his quest for a fourth championship as the 2025 NASCAR Cup Playoffs begin at Darlington this Sunday. The upcoming postseason, known as the Joey Logano NASCAR Cup Playoffs Preview, unfolds against a backdrop of skepticism from competitors and fans throughout the garage, reminiscent of previous years.
A Season of Challenges and Consistency
This year, Logano and the No. 22 team have faced a challenging but fairly typical campaign, entering the playoffs with only a single victory and seven top-10 finishes, including three in the top five. His standout moment came with a commanding win at Texas, yet he has often lacked the consistent front-running speed seen in past championship runs. At the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, Logano was leading late into the final stage before a spin ended his hopes just 13 laps from the finish line.
Short tracks and intermediate circuits have been Logano’s strongest venues in 2025. Throughout the season, he secured respectable finishes such as eighth at Martinsville, ninth at both Kansas and Iowa, second at North Wilkesboro, fourth at Nashville and Richmond, and a top-10 at Sonoma, showing improvement on road courses compared to prior years. Despite these efforts, Logano’s results during the regular season have continued a recent trend of quiet consistency before turning up the intensity once the playoffs begin.
Logano’s Playoff History Sets the Stage
Lackluster regular seasons are nothing new for Logano, who has developed a reputation for stepping up when the stakes are highest. Just last year, Logano entered the playoffs with one victory and without many standout performances, only to win three of the final ten races and capture the championship. The 2025 postseason starts with Logano sitting 12th in the standings, narrowly above the elimination cutline by a single point.
Key Tracks and Opportunities in Each Playoff Round
The opening round of the playoffs appears promising for Logano. Darlington and Gateway, which kick off the Round of 16, are tracks where he has earned victories in recent seasons. While Bristol, also in the first round, last saw Logano in victory lane on the paved configuration in 2015, he remains a multiple-time winner there, including a dirt track triumph not counted toward the main record.
If Logano advances to the Round of 12, he will face New Hampshire’s Loudon circuit, Kansas Speedway, and the Charlotte ROVAL. While the ROVAL has produced two top-five finishes for him but no wins, Loudon and Kansas have been strongholds in the past, with three career wins at Kansas—the latest during the 2020 playoffs—and two at Loudon, though those victories date back to 2014.
The most critical stretch comes if Logano reaches the Round of 8. The trio of Las Vegas, Talladega, and Martinsville represent some of his best statistical tracks, where he has combined for eight career wins—four at Las Vegas, three at Talladega, and one at Martinsville. History suggests that should Logano navigate his way to this penultimate round, he is often able to deliver clutch performances and advance to the season finale.
Path to Phoenix: The Road Ahead
As the NASCAR Cup Playoffs get underway, Joey Logano’s journey will once again test his ability to overcome adversity and capitalize when it matters most. Moving into Phoenix in November, the possibility of Logano claiming a fourth series title remains real, given his resilience and previous playoff prowess. From Darlington’s opening challenges to the high-stakes showdown at Phoenix, the coming weeks will determine if Logano can transform another steady season into championship glory, proving doubters wrong once again.
