Joey Logano admits all “best” 8 teams have qualified for the playoffs and anybody can win the NASCAR title

Joey Logano shared his thoughts on the remaining playoff field as the NASCAR Cup Series heads into the Round of 8. The defending champion believes all eight drivers have earned their spot and that there are no surprises among the remaining contenders.

Logano reached the Round of 8 as the last-seeded driver with a 24-point deficit below the cutline. Denny Hamlin leads the playoff standings, followed by Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, and William Byron. The other drivers below the cutline are Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, and Chase Briscoe.

This round will kick off at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, with Logano entering as last year's race winner. The victory secured his Championship 4 ticket following a controversial Round of 12 outing before winning his third title at Phoenix Raceway.

Speaking about his playoff contenders, the 35-year-old NASCAR driver said (via a press release):

“I wouldn’t say there’s any surprises in the Round of 8 here. I think they’re all capable of winning the championship this year... every one of them. There are none that are like, ‘Wow, I can’t believe this guy made it this far. That’s crazy.’”

“I think you’ve got the best eight teams going for it. It’s gonna be a battle right to the end. I don’t see a clear favorite or clear like this person is gonna kill them all. It seems like it’s gonna be close all the way to the end,” he added.

Joey Logano drives the #22 Ford Mustang for Team Penske - Source: Imagn

The South Point 400 at LVMS is scheduled for Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET. The following week, NASCAR will arrive at Talladega Superspeedway, which could shake up the playoff field, considering how unpredictable superspeedway races can be. The Round of 8 finale will be held at Martinsville Speedway.

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“I need to start looking for good Christmas gifts”: Joey Logano on Denny Hamlin essentially keeping his playoff hopes alive

Joey Logano joked about buying his former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin early Christmas gifts for passing Ross Chastain on the final lap at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The pass allowed Logano to take the final Round of 8 transfer spot away from Chastain.

The #22 Team Penske driver told Shannon Spake on NASCAR's The Day After:

“I think I need to start looking for good Christmas gifts for the guy... I mean, I think I should put him on the list. But yeah, I mean, that was a difference maker, right? I mean, honestly, our fate was in Denny Hamlin's hands, right? If he chose not to pass the #1, we're out.”

After just learning about the points situation post-race, Denny Hamlin said he would not have overtaken Ross Chastain, which would've sent Joey Logano out of the playoffs. #22 crew chief Paul Wolfe described Hamlin's statement as some form of race manipulation, which NASCAR penalizes as part of its 100 percent rule.

The other playoff drivers eliminated after the Round of 12 were Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, and Austin Cindric.