Joey Logano NASCAR playoff doubts leave Team Penske star mindblown

Joey Logano has multiple NASCAR Cup Series titles for a reason - just ask his Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney.

Despite winning it all three times since 2018, Logano was again being written off earlier this season as he struggled for top form.

But just like the all-conquering Team Penske outfit, Logano always seems to come good just at the right time, he’s proved it year after year.

While some haters will claim the 35-year-old from Middletown, CT, thrives only because of NASCAR’s much-maligned playoff format, somebody still has to go out and win the championship.

The vibes are highly positive in the Penske shop once again this September after Blaney won Sunday’s Round of 12 opener at New Hampshire. Logano, meanwhile, came home fourth after giving his teammate a real battle for much of the afternoon.

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Ryan Blaney on Joey Logano playoff success

Logano is now sixth in the playoff standings, and crucially 24 points above the cutline, as the postseason heads to Kansas this weekend for the Hollywood Casino 400 (Sunday, 3pm ET, USA Network).

One man who is not shocked one bit by the Logano renaissance is Blaney, and he gushed about teammate (and crew chief Paul Wolfe) on the Dale Jr Download.

“I mean, it doesn't surprise me,” Ryan explained when asked about Logano's success.

“I know those guys are going to be, even if they don't have the year that people think is impressive through the regular season, you know they're gonna just get better and better, right?

“They're gonna find ways to be better, whether that's thinking outside the box, maybe more from what you're comfortable with from a crew chief or driver's side, driving differently, take different chances, they’re just going to figure it out.

“It’s pretty impressive how good those two people of Paul [Wolfe] and Joey [Logano] are together and how they plan on things and stuff. It’s damn impressive.”

While haters will continue to hate, Blaney says he cannot figure out why there was ever a doubt that Logano would hit form at just the right time.

“It blows my mind, honestly, the outside world that doubts that duo like, ‘Nah, nah, just write them off’.

“They’re gonna be there and they’re gonna be really, really good. That’s a very talented team.”

Blaney on Penske playoff battle

Teammate vs teammate is a big topic in NASCAR this week after that Denny Hamlin vs Ty Gibbs beef at New Hampshire, and Blaney vs Logano is likely to be a big deal as the playoffs continue. The driver of the No. 12 Ford has now explained how he deals with that particular battle, and more importantly, how team chief Roger Penske approaches things.

“Joey and I raced for the championship last year. Same comp meetings, nothing changed," Blaney said.

“That's your competition, but we're trying to figure out how do we run one-two in this deal.

“And I'd say the racing around each other, there's no team orders, ever. The only thing that Roger has ever said is just don't wreck each other.”

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