Joey Logano was capable of breathe a bit simpler Sunday, one week after final Sunday’s nail-biting end on the Charlotte Roval that noticed him advance previous Ross Chastain by one mere level for the eighth and closing spot within the Spherical of Eight semifinals.
As an alternative of twentieth, like he completed at Charlotte, Logano completed a way more respectable sixth in Sunday’s race at Las Vegas.
“There have been moments I assumed we have been fairly first rate, simply wanted to get observe place early within the race,” mentioned Logano, who began from the fourth place. “We have been good on the lengthy haul, couldn’t fairly get to cleaner air in direction of the entrance as a result of our restarts weren’t good up in.
“The beginning of the third stage we misplaced steadiness on the automobile, acquired approach free, misplaced all our observe place. Paul (crew chief Paul Wolfe) made an ideal name once more to place two (tires) on it, put us on the entrance row. That’s all you may attempt to do at that time.”
Nonetheless, the defending and three-time Cup champion shouldn’t be out of the woods by any means. Even together with his high 10 end in Sin Metropolis, the Staff Penske driver nonetheless has his work reduce out for him to rally to make the Championship 4 season-ending battle in Phoenix three weeks from now.
Logano leaves Las Vegas ranked seventh within the Cup standings, 24 factors under the provisional cutoff line under fourth-ranked Chase Briscoe.
“In the present day everybody ran so properly, proper?” Logano mentioned. “All of the Playoff automobiles, moreover those that wrecked, have been top-five stage factors all day. It’s exhausting to shut up on them.”
Even worse, Logano’s teammate, Ryan Blaney, who wrecked Sunday and completed final, is eighth and final amongst playoff drivers that stay eligible, 31 factors behind Briscoe.
If both of the Penske Racing drivers – or each of them, for that matter – is to advance to the Championship 4 spherical three weeks from now, they’re just about in must-win conditions within the two remaining Spherical of Eight semifinal races this coming Sunday at Talladega and two weeks from now at Martinsville.
“I really feel like we have now to win,” Logano mentioned. “(It’s) sort of an all-or-nothing name. Netted out forward of the place we’d have completed for certain. … General, battle, however not ok.”
Logano has gained 3 times in his Cup profession at Talladega and as soon as at Martinsville. Regardless that there are nonetheless two races left on this spherical, he is aware of it’s going to be fairly tough to level his approach into the Championship 4 spherical. That’s why he acknowledges a win is necessary.
If he can win at ‘Dega this coming Sunday, all the higher, as he’d have a spot assured within the Championship 4 finale.
“I feel it’s fairly clear what we’ve acquired to do, trying on the factors,” Logano mentioned. “I imply, one spot’s already taken up (with Denny Hamlin’s win Sunday). We’re 24 out; yeah, it’s doable. You need to be fairly particular the subsequent two weeks.”
