Following Sunday’s Bank of America 400 at Charlotte, Team Penske driver Joey Logano finds himself confronting a formidable deficit in the NASCAR Chase standings as the motorsports season approaches its final stretch. According to MotorBiscuit, Logano sits in sixth place, standing 92 points behind current series leader Kyle Larson. Speaking to the media after the Charlotte event via remarks shared by Tim Moore of the Motorsports Today podcast, Logano acknowledged that his championship trajectory has narrowed significantly.
“Again, at this point, I feel like we, we, uh, we gotta win at least two of the next four, maybe, maybe more to, to pull this one off,” Logano stated. Despite the mathematical challenge, the three-time Cup champion expressed confidence in the No. 22 team’s capability, noting that favorable tracks remain on the upcoming schedule.
The Turning Point in the Chase
Logano’s current standings position marks a stark shift from his standing weeks prior, when a victory at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 19—his third win of the season and the 40th of his Cup career, as reported by MotorBiscuit—cemented his status as a primary contender. However, a sequence of difficult weekends derailed that momentum. At Kansas Speedway, Logano secured the pole position but suffered a tire failure that relegated him to a 20th-place finish. Subsequent finishes of 10th at Las Vegas and ninth at Charlotte, where he failed to score stage points, compounded the deficit.
At the front of the field, Kyle Larson cemented his command of the standings by winning Stage 1, leading a race-high 97 laps, and finishing sixth at Charlotte. Larson holds a 49-point advantage over Denny Hamlin, with Christopher Bell 51 points back and Chase Briscoe 65 points behind. Briscoe’s recent consecutive victories at Las Vegas and Charlotte propelled him to fourth in the standings, demonstrating how rapid upward mobility remains possible under the revived 10-race Chase format. Ryan Blaney sits fifth, 85 points behind the leader.
Upcoming Tracks and Historical Precedent
To bridge the gap to Larson, Logano will require major points performances rather than steady top-10 finishes. Historical performance offers some encouragement as the series moves to Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, Oct. 18. Logano has claimed four victories at Phoenix, including his 2024 triumph that secured his third Cup title. He previously earned championships in 2018, 2022, and 2024, and is currently pursuing a fourth title in the inaugural year of the revived 10-race Chase format.
The remaining schedule features Talladega Superspeedway on Oct. 25, Martinsville Speedway on Nov. 1—where Logano won in the fall of 2018—and the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 8. Having previously overcome mid-season deficits with wins at North Wilkesboro in July and Richmond in August to secure his playoff berth, the veteran driver aims to leverage his track history to mount a late-season charge.
Logano emphasized that despite the obstacles introduced by recent races at Kansas, Las Vegas, and Charlotte, the No. 22 team retains a positive attitude heading into the decisive phase of the season. The immediate test will take place at Phoenix, where the Team Penske contingent must execute flawlessly to diminish Larson’s commanding lead and alter the championship outlook.