Joey Logano, sitting in a surprising 18th, the lowest in his 2026 campaign, is currently facing a difficult situation as his chances of making the Chase decline. However, Team Penske insists it has no plan to give up on the driver and the No. 22 car just yet. 

Speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, the 22 team's crew chief, Paul Wolfe, acknowledged uncertainty about results in upcoming races but insisted that Team Penske still has confidence in its speed.

“You just look at our recent history of where we've had a lot of success with the 22 cars specifically. You'd circle a few of those tracks for sure. So there's a lot of unknowns going to Atlanta as we've seen. The speed will be there. I'm pretty confident in the speed we'll bring to the track," Wolfe said.

"But we also, the last two races have gotten caught up in some stuff that when strategies start flipping around, that's what mixes the field up. And things happen when you get back in the pack. So those are no guarantees.”

Logano is a two-time winner at Atlanta and one of the strongest performers there. Moreover, the tracks in the Chase like Darlington, Vegas, and Talladega suit him over others. So track-wise, there's a lot of advantage coming in, but as Wolfe said, there are no "guarantees" of what flips around in the back.

Continuing in the interaction, Wolfe cited the example of certain short-track venues that can be solid opportunities for the team to regain lost ground. He also clarified that while earning points will be crucial on familiar tracks, the team will also need to be on point with its strategy calls on tracks that will not be as familiar. 

“But I feel like when we look at, you say, North Wilkesboro, Richmond, and Loudon, we can control our destiny pretty well there. And I feel like we've put together a good short track program that it's our chance to build those points back up and get ourselves in a good spot. So I'm optimistic about it. I know Joey is as well.”

With the Cup Series inching closer to the Chase stage, teams and drivers are pushing hard to ensure they make it to the Top 16 and have a shot at winning the title. However, at the moment, Ryan Blaney is the only Penske driver whose spot in the cutoff seems certain. Meanwhile, Ryan Preece currently ranks 17th, while Logano sits one place lower. 

While Team Penske remains optimistic, there definitely is pressure in the camp, as it navigates through a rather unfamiliar phase, with two of its drivers fighting hard to enter the playoffs. 

Logano feels NASCAR should prioritize geographic variety 

The 36-year-old Penske driver recently pushed back against the idea of adding multiple races in the same region, weighing in on speculation surrounding the future of the Chicago Street course.

The Chicago street course has been subject to speculation in recent times, with reports suggesting its long-term future remains uncertain. Attendance has become one of the talking points, with some wondering whether a strong crowd could help strengthen the event’s case for remaining on the schedule.

In an interaction with Frontstretch a few days ago, Logano said he feels that the series should continue prioritizing geographic variety instead of doubling up on destinations.

“Our sport's always done a good job at doing different things, and never just having the same type of tracks, right? Never been just ovals. Big ones, small ones, road courses. Back then, there was dirt, right? Like all that stuff," he said.

"That's what makes NASCAR better than every other form of sports, because you do different things all the time. I like that part of it. Where do we end up? Your guess is as good as mine at this point because it seems like we won't try anything.” 

Read more at RFK Racing Digest! 

Written by

Aaradhya Singh

Edited by

Suyashdeep Sason