Joey Logano has experienced a challenging season so far, with only one win at Texas, two top-five finishes, and six top-10 results over 24 races. As the NASCAR Cup Series approaches its second-to-last regular-season race at Richmond, Logano finds himself 13th in the standings with just seven playoff points earned. Despite these struggles, Logano has secured a spot in the upcoming playoffs and needs to elevate his performance when the postseason begins. Paul Wolfe, Logano’s crew chief, shared his perspective on the situation during a recent Motor Racing Network broadcast.
Paul Wolfe Maintains Confidence in Playoff Prospects
Even with a less-than-stellar regular season, Wolfe remains optimistic about Logano’s chances in the playoffs. He emphasized the team’s strengths and past successes to explain why he believes Logano will improve as the postseason progresses. Wolfe referred to Logano’s championship pedigree, noting his three Cup titles including the recent championship, as an indication of the driver’s ability to perform when it matters most.
I don’t think it changes our approach,
Wolfe said.
We’re a strong enough team and company that obviously it’s gotten more and more competitive, but if we go out there and just not make mistakes, right, we typically have enough speed and enough experience to get through this (first) round.
—Paul Wolfe, Crew Chief
Logano’s Playoff History Reflects Mixed Outcomes
Logano has faced similar uphill battles in previous seasons, particularly when he earned only one win during the regular season. In those years, his playoff finishes have varied significantly, ranging from 8th to 20th place. Despite this history, Wolfe does not consider the current season performance an immediate cause for concern. He believes the team’s familiarity with different tracks and strategic opportunities give them a solid chance to advance.
I like how the playoffs lay out for us,
Wolfe commented.
I really see a good path for us to get to (the championship finale at) Phoenix, as you look at the strengths of some tracks in each round for us. Playoff points, there’s not many there. And we’ve tried, we’ve worked to try to build some more there when we can, but unfortunately, we just haven’t done it in the regular season.
—Paul Wolfe, Crew Chief
But with that being said, I don’t know that it’s out of the norm for us to go into the playoffs with few (points), and it doesn’t by no means discourage us from thinking we have a shot at it. We’ll just need to be on our game and limit our mistakes.
—Paul Wolfe, Crew Chief
Looking Ahead to the Playoff Challenge
Logano’s low number of playoff points means that the team must capitalize on their experience and minimize errors to advance through the early rounds of the postseason. With Paul Wolfe’s faith in their ability to adapt and perform at critical moments, Team Penske is prepared to support Logano’s quest for another strong playoff run. The upcoming rounds at tracks like Richmond and Phoenix will test their resilience, but Wolfe’s focus remains on maintaining consistency and leveraging Logano’s proven skill under pressure.