Joey Logano, the defending NASCAR Cup Series champion, expressed deep frustration following his elimination after the Martinsville race, marking a significant setback in the Joey Logano Martinsville elimination story. For the first time since the start of the Next-Gen era, Team Penske Racing will not field a car in the championship four race at Phoenix, ending both Logano’s and teammate Ryan Blaney’s title hopes.
Penske’s Title Defense Ends at Martinsville
This season, Team Penske Racing failed to secure a spot in the championship-4 shootout at Phoenix, a notable break in their competitive streak. Both Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney entered Martinsville needing to win to keep their championship aspirations alive. Instead, they fell short, allowing drivers from rival teams to advance. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe are set to compete against Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson and William Byron for the title.
Joey Logano reflected on the challenges during the race, particularly pointing to tire degradation and its impact on strategy. As the race progressed, Logano noted that it became increasingly difficult to maintain speed, with tire wear affecting all leading cars, including those of fellow front runners. The loss of tire grip contributed to the inability of the No. 22 Ford Mustang to gain or retain significant track position during critical moments.
Joey Logano Speaks on Tire Challenges and Race Decisions
After the conclusion of the race, Logano openly discussed the significance of tire fall off at Martinsville and how it hindered his ability to capitalize. He observed the speed of the top cars dropping as rubber wore out on the track.
“I don’t know. It seemed like right at the end of that run, the top five cars started tanking. But it just seems like the tires like they fall off, then they maintain after a while, and then they run out of rubber, and they fall off huge, they tank.”
—Joey Logano, via Matt Weaver of Motorsport.com
He further explained how attempts to gain an advantage by making moves on track were stifled by the rapid decline in tire performance. Logano detailed the efforts of overtaking cars only to see every competitor slow down due to similar struggles, showing that passing and making ground required burning through tire grip. He acknowledged that by the time he had managed to move up a few positions, the playing field had leveled back out, and the chance for strategy had evaporated. The appearance of a late caution then changed the dynamics of the finish, ultimately aiding William Byron in his victory over Ryan Blaney, the 2023 champion.
“We kind of by the time we passed a couple cars, and you use a lot of tire to pass cars, then everyone’s the same speed, and then they started tanking right at the end. Then the caution came out, right? You gotta do something different, right? You gotta do something different, you can’t do the same.”
—Joey Logano
Decision Not to Stay Out and Pit Strategy Outcomes
At a crucial late stage in the race, questions arose about why Logano’s No. 22 team, led by crew chief Paul Wolfie, did not gamble by staying out on old tires. Logano clarified that remaining on worn tires wasn’t a feasible strategy. With so many laps already on his tires, continuing would have left him and his team at a stark disadvantage, making them easy targets for faster cars with fresher tires.
“We would have got killed if we stayed out. That many laps on your tires, there’s no chance. We’re the team to do things, but that wouldn’t even make sense. You could almost argue two tires there, it would have been close. We were almost too far back.”
—Joey Logano
He also reflected on past successes with strategic pit decisions but admitted these are only worthwhile if already in the lead. For Logano, not being able to close the gap or contend at the front made such gambles ineffective. He candidly recognized that their only real hope of winning under those circumstances depended on a major incident affecting the cars ahead, which did not materialize at Martinsville.
“Couldn’t close up enough to even get to the lead, you gotta get the lead if you put two tires on. And your only hope at that point is that everyone wrecks each other, right? Becomes demolition derby behind you, [inaudible]. We were just too far back, right? Just couldn’t close the gap. Just wasn’t good enough.”
—Joey Logano
Looking Ahead to the Season Finale and Impact on the Championship
The tense atmosphere of the media session underscored Logano’s disappointment. With no options left for a win, the team’s focus has now shifted to the season finale at Phoenix, where they can only hope to play spoiler to the drivers still in title contention. Meanwhile, Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Kyle Larson, and Denny Hamlin are set to go head-to-head for the championship, while Team Penske Racing regroups and considers changes for next year.
This unexpected elimination from Martinsville has significant repercussions for Joey Logano, Team Penske, and the competitive landscape of NASCAR’s concluding race. The Joey Logano Martinsville elimination not only marked the end of a championship run but also highlighted how race-day strategy and quick decision-making influence outcomes at the highest level of motorsport. As the series heads to Phoenix, all eyes will be on the remaining contenders, with Team Penske and Logano looking for redemption by finishing their season on a high note.
Joey Logano on not having a lot of options by the end pic.twitter.com/SOHgrNf5eE
— Matt Weaver (@MattWeaverRA) October 26, 2025
