“Feels like Bobby Allison was driving with me”: Joey Logano remembers NASCAR legend’s demise following Phoenix triumph

Joey Logano remembered NASCAR legend Bobby Allison during his title fight at the Phoenix Raceway. The Team Penske driver claimed his third Cup Series title and brought home Team Penske's third consecutive NASCAR championship.

Logano led 107 laps on the 1-mile oval and registered his 36th Cup Series race win to become the only active NASCAR driver with three Cup titles. He has joined the esteemed list of stock car racing greats with a minimum of three championships.

Not long ago, legendary NASCAR driver Bobby Allison passed away at the age of 86. However, his legacy still echoed on the race tracks, as during the final race for the title, the #22 Ford driver drove as if he were driving with Allison by his side.

Allison was renowned as the founding member of the famous racer group 'Alabama Gang.' Moreover, the veteran boasted numerous records like the 1983 title, 85 Cup Series race wins, three Daytona 500 wins, four Southern 500 wins, and three Coca-Cola 600 wins, to name a few.

"It's just a dream when I was a kid and to be here, you start naming names like that. Bobby Allison's one of the names that comes to my mind right now and unfortunately we lost a legend yesterday, so my thoughts and prayers go out to the Allison family," Joey Logano said via SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

The 2024 Cup Series champion added:

"I've been really close with Donnie (Bobby's brother) for years and that is tough. Kind of feel like Bobby was driving with me a little bit tonight and gosh I also got to think about Roy McCauley (a 19-year Team Penske veteran), one of our guys, our lead people at Team Penske for years passed away as well. So, had some very special emotional moments."

Logano's Phoenix win marked the #22 Ford Mustang's fourth triumph this season.

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"I love the playoffs": Joey Logano makes his feelings known following Cup Series title

Joey Logano expressed his love for the playoffs after emerging as a three-time NASCAR champion. The Team Penske driver was eliminated after the Charlotte race but Alex Bowman's DQ reinstated Logano in the title fight. The Connecticut native aced the following race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, punching his Championship 4 ticket.

It's worth mentioning that the playoff system before the 2014 season awarded the title to the highest points-earning driver from the final 10-race slate. However, the current format puts more emphasis on winning and removes four drivers every third race, guaranteeing a playoff race winner an advancement into the next round. That said, things might've been different if the knockout system wasn't in the picture.

“I love the playoffs. I love it, man. What a race! What a Team Penske battle there at the end. Had a good restart and was able to get in front of the 12. And he had a lot of long run speed there, and it was all I had there to hold him off," Logano said about his race via NASCAR.

Joey Logano's teammate Ryan Blaney couldn't defend his Cup Series title and settled in second place.