Logano’s Title Defense Stalled: Champion Endures Unwanted “First” Despite Strong Equipment

Las Vegas, NV – Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano is grappling with a frustrating start to the 2025 season, a stark contrast to his championship-winning form just months ago. The Team Penske driver, known for his aggressive style and ability to perform under pressure, finds himself in the unfamiliar position of being the first defending champion in NASCAR history to fail to record a top-10 finish in the first four races of the subsequent season. This comes despite Logano and the #22 team showing flashes of speed, making the results even more agonizing.

Logano’s struggles have been a mixture of bad luck and self-inflicted wounds. He began the year with promise, showcasing strong performances in the pre-season Busch Light Clash and Duel 2 at Daytona, finishing fourth and fifth, respectively. However, the 36-race points-paying season has been a different story.

The Daytona 500 ended prematurely for Logano after a late-race crash, spoiling a promising start. At Atlanta Motor Speedway, despite qualifying on the second row, he could only muster a 12th-place finish. The road course at Circuit of the Americas (COTA) proved equally challenging, with Logano salvaging a disappointing 24th-place result.

The nadir came at Phoenix Raceway, the very track where Logano clinched his third Cup Series title last November. After qualifying second and displaying impressive speed in his #22 Ford Mustang, a Stage 1 restart violation resulted in a drive-through penalty, effectively derailing his race and relegating him to a 13th-place finish. This miscue cemented his unwanted place in NASCAR history.

“Frustrating is probably the one word that comes to mind,” Logano admitted ahead of the Las Vegas race. “I think I’ve left the racetrack every single weekend mad at something, which is just part of racing sometimes… So even though the finishes aren’t there, we’ve been able to run up front enough to score stage points and to be able to be in contention, leading the laps.”

He continued, highlighting the irony of the situation: “So there’s some positives there. It’s not like we’re just slow. It’s just that something has happened every race so far. So that part’s frustrating in a way because it also feels like you’re not taking full advantage of the opportunity that’s ahead of you because you’ve had fast race cars and you really haven’t been able to convert.”

From Underdog to Champion…and Back Again?

Logano’s journey to the 2024 Cup Series title was a testament to his resilience and ability to capitalize on opportunities. Despite a relatively unremarkable regular season highlighted by a single win at Nashville Superspeedway, Logano entered the playoffs as a longshot.

However, the playoff format, with its emphasis on race wins guaranteeing advancement to the next round, played perfectly into Logano’s hands. Victories at Atlanta and Las Vegas during the playoffs propelled him to the Championship 4.

Adding another layer of intrigue, Logano’s path to the final round wasn’t without a twist. He was initially eliminated from title contention when Hendrick Motorsports rival Alex Bowman advanced with a top-eight result in the cutoff race. However, a post-race penalty to Bowman disqualified him, giving Logano another chance at the championship.

In the Championship Race at Phoenix, Logano dominated, leading 107 laps en route to securing his third Cup Series title. This victory cemented his status as one of NASCAR’s elite drivers.

Can Logano Rebound?

As the series heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Logano faces pressure to turn his season around. He’ll be looking to recapture the magic from last year’s playoff race at the track, which proved pivotal in his championship run. The question remains: can Logano overcome the early-season adversity and rediscover the championship-winning form that defined his 2024 season? Or will this frustrating start continue to plague his title defense? Only time will tell.