Joey Logano, a three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, recently spoke with Bob Pockrass before the Phoenix race, addressing how the practice format in NASCAR starkly differs from that of IndyCar. The discussion brought attention to the shock many IndyCar drivers experience upon learning how limited NASCAR practice has become, a point Logano explained while discussing his own approach.
Reduced NASCAR Practice Sessions Stir Surprises In The Racing Community
NASCAR implemented changes to practice and qualifying formats for the 2025 season, shrinking group practice sessions for the Cup, O’Reilly, and Truck Series down to just 20 to 25 minutes before a single qualifying round. On superspeedway tracks, no practice is held except for a special 50-minute pre-qualifying session at the Daytona 500. This shorter practice routine stands in sharp contrast to the generous practice time that IndyCar teams and drivers receive, which allows for more adjustments and fine-tuning before competition.
Joey Logano pointed out how shocked IndyCar drivers are when they discover NASCAR’s condensed schedule, sharing his firsthand perspective:
“These guys get so much practice in one day! They’re very surprised when we say, ‘Yeah, 20 minutes, then we go qualify; that’s what it is.’ A lot of drivers are, like, in disbelief when they hear about that. So obviously we used to have lots of practice. We used to do this. I’m okay doing what we’re doing.”
—Joey Logano, NASCAR Cup Series Champion
Joey Logano’s Early Season Update And Ongoing Pursuit Of Success
Logano currently holds sixth place in the Cup Series driver standings, accumulating 90 points with Team Penske. Within three starts this season, he has already secured one top-five and one top-ten finish, along with 15 stage points and time spent leading 35 laps. His consistent results continue to establish him as a leading competitor in the NASCAR circuit.
Relentless Ambition: Logano Yearns For Dover Monster Trophy
Ahead of the upcoming event at Dover Motor Speedway, Joey Logano sat down with SpeedFreaks on Instagram to discuss a deeply personal goal: capturing the celebrated Monster Trophy. Logano, who first entered the Cup Series in 2008 and has achieved multiple championships, shared that a Cup Series win at Dover has long eluded him. Despite coming close numerous times—including a best finish of third place across 29 starts—he has yet to claim victory at the storied venue.
Discussing his desire for the Dover trophy, Logano disclosed to the media:
“As far as coolness of trophies, yeah, it’s up there pretty high. It’s pretty cool; you put the die-cast card, and it looks cool. I got four of the little ones from the Xfinity races, but I’d trade every one of those for a Cup win; Cup wins obviously mean a lot more.” (via Instagram)
—Joey Logano, NASCAR Cup Series Champion
Latest Results At Dover And Outlook For Upcoming Races
The 2025 Auto Trader EchoPark Automotive 400 took place at Dover Motor Speedway on July 20, with Joey Logano qualifying eighth. However, his effort to finally secure the Monster Trophy fell short, ending the 407-lap race in fourteenth place. Joe Gibbs Racing‘s Denny Hamlin ultimately claimed victory with a narrow 0.310-second lead over Chase Briscoe.
This season continues to present challenges and opportunities for Logano, whose determined pursuit of further Cup victories and the elusive Dover win fuels his performances. The ongoing differences between NASCAR and IndyCar’s practice approaches also remain a talking point, signaling ongoing evolution within the world of motorsports as drivers like Logano adapt and strive for new accomplishments.
Joey Logano and I chatted as he watched practice to prepare to be in the FOX Sports booth for the INDYCAR race Saturday (1 p.m. ET, FOX). We talked differences between how an INDYCAR and a Cup car drives. And how about how much practice INDYCAR gets? @IndyCarOnFOX @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/gzzdXUhEd0
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 6, 2026
