Joey Logano’s victory at Bristol in September gave him a glimpse of what seemed unthinkable. But that momentum has worn off, and the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion is running out of races to turn his recent season resurgence into a title run. Phoenix will then need to turn their form into more than a brief revival with a win on the cards.
Phoenix Raceway was a common route to Logan’s two championship triumphs, which was a great opportunity in pursuit of a fourth title. His record there gives Team Penske reason to hope for the best, but the ground leaves little room for another missed opportunity. David Styles of the PRN Racers Odds podcast now has the odds on Logan.
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“I think this will be my last chance to really bet on him,” Styles said on PRN’s Racers Odds podcast. And if it doesn’t happen this week. I think the future will be closed with two other guys, and this will no longer be viable. So we’ll write it in one week.”
The credibility of the style rests on more than Logan’s reputation. He quoted odds of +600 from two different platforms, seeing the value in a driver whose Phoenix record is hard to ignore. Logano won four times on the track, between the 2022 and 2024 races. Both victories came under pressure in the title decider, with the No. 22 performance that was delivered at the right time.
Joey Logano’s window for the ball is closing quickly, and experts believe this could be his last shot at goal. Subscribe to stay ahead of NASCAR’s most critical stories.
2022 is a very convincing victory. Logano started from the pole, won the opening stage, and led 187 laps, beating Ryan Blaney by 0.301 seconds to retain the championship. In 2024 he faced a different challenge. A late restart gave him the opportunity to charge from sixth to the lead, and Blaney held on over the closing laps to capture the third title by 0.330 seconds. These performances offer an urgent reason why Phoenix should meet again.
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Team Penske also came up with a plan to make sure their cars could compete. Blaney won consecutive races in Phoenix in 2025 and 2026, the team’s ability to find speed at the one-mile oval. Logano’s own record makes him a clear candidate to benefit from if Penske is right. But a fast car alone will not solve the battery problem. He must turn that speed into a win while the points leaders are still in hand.
Styles also highlighted Logano’s history in the seventh race of the Chase, pointing to three victories in that slot, including wins at Martinsville and Las Vegas. The current form differs from the ancient elimination system, so history has no credibility. Still, Logano often finds ways to deliver in high-pressure national team seasons. Phoenix is counting on another opportunity and another experience, and the timing could hardly be more important.
Previous season’s struggles make this idea even more illusory. By late June, Logano had broken into the 20th position, an unusual position for a driver who had won three championships. The No. 22 team lacked consistency, and crashes compounded their problems. Even a veteran pairing like Logano and Captain Paul Wolfe were struggling to keep the crew going through the stretch when they weren’t expecting the usual standard results.
The turnaround began in North Wilkesboro in July. Logano led 323 of 450 laps to claim a commanding victory, then won again in August at Richmond. Bristol followed in September, when he made a decisive move through traffic on Lap 494 to take the lead from Gibbs and Hocevar. Three victories in a season that threatened to unravel shows that Logano and his team have not lost the ability to win.
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But winning nations and sustaining an unfair championship are different things. Logano needs to consistently collect points, avoid costly mistakes, and capitalize when the leaders falter. Phoenix gives him a track where he has repeatedly succeeded, but another top-10 finish is not enough to change the trajectory of his name. He needs a method of action that brings him back under control of his own fate.
that is the style of making the game. Logano has the experience, equipment, and history to make another run, but the rest of the race leaves little time for patience. Phoenix could provide the break he needs. If he doesn’t, his fourth championship could become increasingly remote.
For Logan, the opportunity is clear: turn Phoenix’s proven record into strategic success. His return has already shown what the team’s No. 22 can do. Now, as the battle for the championship tightens, he must prove that the best part of his season is yet to come.
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