During the Cook Out 400 on August 16, 2025, at Richmond Raceway, NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano faced a relentless sequence of setbacks that tested his resilience. The race weekend began poorly when Logano and his #22 Ford Mustang Dark Horse team failed to record a qualifying lap, forcing him to start at the back of the field.
With no qualifying time, Logano’s team turned to Rick Ware Racing for a set of scuffed tires from their #51 Mustang, resulting in a 38th-place starting position. This initial disadvantage was compounded during the 400-lap race by a series of flat tires, hampering his progress in a demanding and competitive event.
Struggling Through Tire Issues While Climbing the Ranks
Joey Logano encountered a rear right flat tire during the 300-mile race, severely disrupting his momentum. In a post-race interview with NBC Sports, Logano detailed the challenges his team faced:
“We had a really fast Mustang. The car had a lot of speed in it, but we just had to overcome too much. We got up into contention, and then we had a flat right rear and lost all of it again, and then steadily grind your way back into the top five. Apparently, I needed maybe 500 or 600 laps. It’s just not our weekend. We had a flat tire in practice and then another flat tire in the race and both of them were punctures. It’s not like we were being too aggressive or anything like that, it’s just running over crap on the racetrack. Not our weekend.”
—Joey Logano, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Despite these hindrances, Logano demonstrated determination by advancing steadily through the race. After completing stage one in 19th place and stage two in 15th, he ultimately secured a respectable fourth-place finish, earning 33 points for Team Penske.
Insights Into NASCAR’s Playoff Format From Logano
Earlier in June 2025, Logano shared his perspective on NASCAR’s playoff system during an appearance on the Zach Gelb Show. He expressed approval of the current structure, explaining that it encourages consistent performance throughout the season and keeps the championship battle engaging for fans and drivers alike.
“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.”
—Joey Logano, NASCAR Cup Series driver
“Our playoff system rewards consistency through the regular season. 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,” he added.
—Joey Logano, NASCAR Cup Series driver
Current Season Performance and Outlook for Logano
Joey Logano holds the 12th spot on the Cup Series points standings, accumulating 616 points to date in the 2025 season. His achievements include one victory, seven top-ten finishes, three top-five results, and one pole position across 25 starts. He has led 358 laps this year and maintains an average starting position of 13.32.
Despite his challenges at Richmond Raceway, Logano’s ability to recover and finish among the front-runners underscores his skill and tenacity. Moving forward, overcoming the unlucky breaks at Richmond will be critical for his push into the later stages of the season and his goal of contending for another championship with Team Penske and the Ford Mustang Dark Horse team.