“Top Five Cars Started Tanking!” Joey Logano Laments R-8 Elimination at Martinsville

Three times NASCAR Cup series champion Joey Logano has shared his thoughts on the disappointing R-8 elimination on Sunday.

“Top Five Cars Started Tanking!” Joey Logano Laments R-8 Elimination at Martinsville

Joey Logano (via IMAGO)

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For the first time in the Next-Gen era, Team Penske Racing’s cars are not fighting for the title in the championship-4 battle at Phoenix. Joey Logano and Ryan Balney, who were in must-win situation coming into Martinville came up short. JGR duo of Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe will fight the HMS duo of Kyle Larson and William Byron.

After the race, defending champion Joey Logano shared his thoughts on the disappointing elimination. He highlighted how the tier fall off played a significant role in the dynamic of the race and how he couldn’t take advantage of the situation. Speed of every car upfront were tanking as soon as the rubber wear started.

I don’t know. It seemed like right at the end of that run, the top five cars started tanking. But it just seems like the tires like they fall off, then they maintain after a while, and then they run out of rubber, and they fall off huge, they tank.

Joey Logano said via Matt Weaver of Motorsport.com.

Further talking about the situation, he pointed out that he tried to use the situation to his advantage and take the lead, but couldn’t do it, as he lost the advantage once his tires started giving up. The late caution also affected the race, gifting William Byron the opportunity to best 2023 champion Ryan Blaney for the win.

We kind of by the time we passed a couple cars, and you use a lot of tire to pass cars, then everyone’s the same speed, and then they started tanking right at the end. Then the caution came out, right? You gotta do something different, right? You gotta do something different, you can’t do the same.

Joey Logano added.

Joey Logano admits there were no chance he could’ve won the race by staying out

In the same media session, Joey Logano was asked about why he decided not to stay out late in the race. He pointed out that it wasn’t a viable option for the No:20 team as they would’ve been chewed out by the rest after a couple of laps.  A two-tier stop was another choice they overlooked, as they were too far back to make moves.

Joey Logano (via Imagn)
Joey Logano (via Imago)

We would have got killed if we stayed out. That many laps on your tires, there’s no chance. We’re the team to do things, but that wouldn’t even make sense. You could almost argue two tires there, it would have been close. We were almost too far back.

Joey Logano said.

He pointed out that such stops, which he and his crew chief Paul Wolfie have pulled of successfully multiple times in the past, can only be a viable option when they are leading the race. It also requires some luck regarding the racers behind him getting wrecked.

Couldn’t close up enough to even get to the lead, you gotta get the lead if you put two tires on. And your only hope at that point is that everyone wrecks each other, right? Becomes demolition derby behind you, [inaudible]. We were just too far back, right? Just couldn’t close the gap. Just wasn’t good enough.

Joey Logano added.

The No:22 Ford Mustang driver wasn’t fast or good enough to secure the must needed win on Sunday. They still can redeem themselves next week at the season finale, by spoiling the party for the championship-4 drivers by winning the race.

Also Read: Ryan Blaney Makes His ‘Only Demand’ for No:12 Penske Crew Ahead of Must-Win Martinsville Race