“Absolutely awful”: Defending NASCAR champion Joey Logano unhappy with his team at the Bristol eliminator

Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano is off to a rough start in the Round of 16 elimination race at Bristol Motor Speedway. He called falling behind the pack “awful,” as his #22 Team Penske Ford struggled to rotate through the corners.

Logano rolled off 22nd at Bristol, well behind his Team Penske teammates Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric, who qualified second and third. Even with the rough start, the 35-year-old still holds a 21-point cushion above the cutline in 10th place, giving him some breathing room over Ross Chastain and Cindric.

NASCAR insider Dustin Long noted Logano’s frustration after he slipped to 34th by lap 19 of the 500-lap race at the 0.533-mile track. On X, Long wrote:

“Joey Logano has fallen to 34th at Lap 19 of 500 at Bristol and tells him team of the car: ‘Absolutely awful. Sideways into the corners.’”

Kaulig Racing’s AJ Allmendinger is the pole man for the Bristol night race, edging out the two Team Penske drivers. Ty Gibbs started in fourth, just ahead of Kyle Larson, who dominated last year's edition by leading 462 of 500 laps and winning by seven seconds.

If Joey Logano advances, he’ll return to the Round of 12—a stage that brought plenty of drama last season. In 2024, he was initially eliminated at the Charlotte Roval, only to be reinstated after Alex Bowman’s #48 Hendrick Motorsports entry was disqualified in post-race inspection. Logano seized the opportunity, riding the momentum all the way to his third career championship and delivering a third straight title for the Ford-affiliated team.

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“To say it's comfortable, that would be a lie”: Joey Logano on pressure amid the playoffs

With three championships to his name, Joey Logano is no stranger to high-pressure moments amid the playoffs. He’s learned to use that pressure to sharpen his focus on the track, even if he admits it’s not always the most comfortable feeling.

The #22 Team Penske driver said (via Bob Pockrass on X):

“No, I'm an anxious person in general. I'd say I'm just always thinking about stuff. You know, I'm fine with it. I've learned to love that. I feel like it makes me better as a driver having that pressure on me. So I'm okay with that, but to say it's comfortable, that would be a lie. I don't think anyone in the playoffs would say it's comfortable. I think I remember Jimmy Johnson said it's ten weeks of hell. He's about right.”

Joey Logano drives the #22 Ford Mustang for Team Penske - Source: Imagn

Logano made his full-time NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2009 with Joe Gibbs Racing, where success proved hard to come by. His career turned around after joining Team Penske in 2013, where he became a consistent winner and went on to capture championships in 2018, 2022, and 2024.

In addition to the titles, the Connecticut native has amassed 37 career victories, the third most among active drivers (Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin). His latest victory came from Texas Motor Speedway earlier this year.

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Edited by Zarec Sanchez