Nobody will be betting against Joey Logano. The two-time Cup Series winner had a clutch performance at Atlanta Motor Speedway to win the opening playoff race of the season. His performances leading up to the 2024 Quaker State 400 were nothing out of the ordinary, as he was ranked ninth amongst 16 drivers with just one win at Nashville Superspeedway. Moreover, the Connecticut native performed when it mattered the most, which has been the secret to his success at NASCAR’s highest level. With a four-point cushion going into the Round of 12, could Logano maintain his advantage in the upcoming races?
Going by his season so far and the upcoming playoff races, the probability of Logano building on his lead is slim. Joey Logano’s 2024 Cup Series season has been topsy-turvy, to say the least. The Team Penske driver struggled in the opening races of the season, largely because of the new body on his Ford Mustang Dark Horse. While he did enter Victory Lane at the 2024 Ally 400, it was one of the few positives he can take from his otherwise lackluster campaign. His record, going into the postseason, was nothing to boast about – with just four top-five and eight top-ten finishes. Yet, he pulled a rabbit out of the hat at Atlanta to secure an automatic berth in the Round of 12.
While Joey Logano holds a significant advantage ahead of the 2024 Hollywood Casino 400, NASCAR YouTuber Eric Estepp isn’t hopeful about his chances of making a deep playoff run. Eric said, “There’s just been something a little off about Logano all year. Of the remaining playoff drivers, Logano has the fourth fewest top fives, and the third-fewest top tens, and I’m not exaggerating when I say that nearly half of his laps led this year have come at Superspeedway style tracks. Again, if Talladega is by far your best track in this round, I’m not confident.”
