Joey Logano delivers a blunt verdict on NASCAR’s old playoff format that sparked major changes

Despite several NASCAR pundits frowning at the current playoff system, reigning Cup Series champion Joey Logano is one to defend it. The Team Penske ace recently appeared on the Zach Gelb Show and shared his views on the playoffs, stating that it rewards consistency throughout the regular season.

Joey Logano won the Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on May 4, marking his maiden win of the 2025 season. As per the rules, it automatically propelled him into the playoff picture alongside teammate Austin Cindric. Logano’s other teammate, Ryan Blaney, has also qualified for the playoffs, thanks to his win in the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 1st.

Speaking of the playoffs, Joey Logano said (quoted by On3),

“I like it, what we have now. And we gotta remember, we changed it for a reason, right? We went from where it was just 36 races, score all the points, no playoff system at all and the champion would be crowned with three races to go at the end of the year. Well, that’s kind of boring, and nobody wanted to see that.”

Logano then stated that not everyone will be happy with NASCAR’s decisions.

“Our playoff system rewards consistency through the regular season,” Logano further added. “It rewards winning through the regular season to seed you better, but at the same time, there’s always the underdog story that can get hot at the right time, figure everything out, and go win the championship.”

Joey Logano is a three-time Cup Series champion himself and is going for a back-to-back sweep this year. The first race under the Round of 16, named the Cook Out Southern 500, is scheduled for August 31st at Darlington Raceway. As things stand, all three Penske drivers will rev their engines in the 367-lap event.

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“That’s plenty for me to go to work”- Joey Logano gets a second shot at winning a million dollars

Joey Logano narrowly missed winning a whopping $1 million cash prize as he finished second behind Christopher Bell in this year’s All-Star Race. But now, the driver has another opportunity to bag a million dollars.

For the first time in 2025, NASCAR introduced a 32-driver in-season tournament, with the winner receiving the handsome cash prize. The elimination-style bracket will kick off this weekend at Pocono Raceway.

Speaking with Mike Bagley and Pete Pistone of SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Tuesday, Joey Logano said (00:06 onwards),

“There’s a million bucks on the line, that’s plenty for me to go to work. I get it, you saw how upset I was after the (All-Star) race. It’s the same number so yeah I’m excited about it. It gives us something to talk about at this point of the year outside of just the playoffs.”

This weekend's race, The Great American Getaway 400, will be held at Pocono Raceway, a 2.5-mile racetrack based in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Fans can watch the race on Amazon Prime Video (June 22, 2 pm ET) or listen to exclusive radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.