Joey Logano’s Bristol victory in September offered a glimpse of the comeback that once looked unlikely. But that momentum has faded, and the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion is running out of races to turn his late-season resurgence into a title run. With Phoenix next on the schedule, he needs to turn his winning form into something more than a brief revival.
Phoenix Raceway has been common ground en route to two of Logano’s championship triumphs, making it a crucial opportunity in his pursuit of a fourth title. His record there gives Team Penske reason for optimism, but the ground he has lost leaves little room for another missed opportunity. David Styles of PRN’s Racers Odds podcast has now weighed in on Logano’s chances.
“I think this will be our last opportunity to really bet him,” Styles said on PRN’s Racers Odds podcast. And if it doesn’t happen this week. I think it’s going to be locked up with a couple of other guys, and that bet will no longer be viable. So I’m going to write it for one more week.”
Styles’ confidence is rooted in more than Logano’s reputation. He cited +600 odds from two different platforms, seeing value in a driver whose Phoenix record is difficult to ignore. Logano has won four times at the track, including the 2022 and 2024 championship races. Both victories came under the pressure of a title decider, when the No. 22 team delivered the performance it needed at precisely the right time.
The 2022 victory was particularly convincing. Logano started from the pole, won the opening stage, and led 187 laps, beating Ryan Blaney by 0.301 seconds to secure his second Cup championship. In 2024, he faced a different challenge. A late restart gave him the opportunity to charge from sixth to the lead, and he held off Blaney over the closing laps to clinch his third title by 0.330 seconds. Those performances offer a compelling case for why Phoenix could suit him again.
Team Penske also arrives with reason to believe its cars can contend. Blaney won consecutive races at Phoenix in 2025 and 2026, underscoring the team’s ability to find speed at the one-mile oval. Logano’s own record makes him an obvious candidate to benefit if Penske gets the setup right. But a fast car alone will not solve his championship problem. He needs to convert that speed into a win while the points leaders are still within reach.
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 format differs from the old elimination system, so history is not a guarantee. Still, Logano has repeatedly found ways to deliver in high-pressure postseason races. Phoenix is another chance to make that experience count, and the timing could hardly be more important.
The season’s earlier struggles make this position all the more striking. By late June, Logano had slipped to 20th in the standings, an unfamiliar place for a driver who had won three championships. The No. 22 team lacked consistency, and crashes compounded its problems. Even a veteran pairing like Logano and crew chief Paul Wolfe had to keep working through a stretch when the results did not reflect their usual standard.
The turnaround began at North Wilkesboro in July. Logano led 323 of 450 laps to claim a commanding victory, then won again at Richmond in August. Bristol followed in September, making a decisive move through traffic on Lap 494 to take the lead from Gibbs and Hocevar. Three victories in a season that had threatened to unravel showed that Logano and his team had not lost their ability to win.
Yet winning races and sustaining a championship charge are different tasks. Logano needs to collect points consistently, avoid costly mistakes, and capitalize when the leaders falter. Phoenix gives him a track where he has repeatedly succeeded, but another top-10 finish may not be enough to change the trajectory of his title bid. He needs the kind of performance that puts him back in control of his own chances.
That is the gamble Styles is making. Logano has the experience, the equipment, and the history to make another run, but the remaining races leave little time for patience. Phoenix could provide the breakthrough he needs. If it does not, his fourth championship may become an increasingly distant prospect.
For Logano, the opportunity is clear: turn a proven Phoenix record into a timely victory. His comeback has already shown what the No. 22 team can do. Now, with the championship fight tightening, he must prove that the best part of his season is still ahead.
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