“Definitely wasn’t what we were looking for”: Joey Logano bluntly laments Team Penske’s playoff opener performance

Joey Logano admitted to a lackluster performance in the playoff opener at Darlington Raceway. The Team Penske driver noted that his No.22 Ford lacked the pace he was looking for.

Team Penske has a good track record at Darlington, while Logano himself began the Next Gen Era with two consecutive poles at the track. However, he couldn't muster a top-10 qualifying in the Southern 500, and the same was in order for the 367-lap event

He finished at 20th after starting from 14th, making him the worst finisher among his teammates. Ryan Blaney was barely a step ahead at 18th, while Austin Cindric fared better at 12th.

Reflecting upon the same, Logano broke down his dissapointing race.

"We just missed it on the raw speed side. It definitely wasn’t what we were looking for, there’s no doubt about that. We wanted to have a faster car, and I really expected to have a faster car in Darlington considering our history there, but unfortunately, we didn’t bring enough speed,” he said via NASCAR.com

Joey Logano is currently the only Team Penske driver to sit below the playoff cutline. Looking ahead, the reigning champion heads to World Wide Technology Raceway to hopefully make up for lost ground.

Logano has been good at The Gateway as well, logging top-5 results in all of his three starts at the track. Moreover, he finished on the podium twice, and took the top step back in 2022.

The Enjoy Illinois 300 is scheduled for Sunday, September 7, at 3 PM ET. Fans can watch the race on USA and HBO Max, or follow radio updates on MRN or SiriusXM.

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"It's hard": Joey Logano admits to feeling pressure

Joey Logano acknowledged the pressures that come with racing at the highest level. He noted that many drivers claim to be well adjusted to it, while that is not the case in reality.

“Everyone is going to say they love pressure, because that’s the thing you tell a reporter to make it sound good. But the truth is, it’s hard. There’s a ridiculous amount of pressure from everybody — fans, sponsors, yourself. Some people just don’t handle it,” he said via The Athletic

“I’ve learned you can’t hide from it, you can’t run from it. You have to find a way to manage it,” he added.

Joey Logano is no stranger to dealing with high pressure situations. Last year, he became the first driver to win the Cup title after finishing the regular season 15th in points. The Team Penske outfit has mastered the playoff format as well, as no other team has won the title in the Next Gen Era.

However, Ryan Blaney looks to be the most promising driver for the team as of now. He entered the playoffs fourth in standings after winning the regular season finale at Daytona. He currently ranks seventh with 22 points above the cutline.