If you had any doubt that Joey Logano is one of the best to ever drive a race car, it’d do you well to watch the closing laps of Sunday’s Quaker State 400 at Atlanta.
Logano ran inside the top-10 for much of the race, but when the chips were down, he was able to make the moves he needed to win.
Logano led the field to green for the race’s overtime restart, and when the white flag flew, he was even with the No. 99 car of Daniel Suarez.
However, a shove from Penske teammate Ryan Blaney gave Logano the advantage, and as the rest of the field battled side-by-side, the No. 22 was able to drive away.
In a year that’s been the worst for Logano since he joined Team Penske in 2013, the win symbolizes much more than an automatic bid in the Round of 12. As big as the victory is for Logano’s postseason fate, it proves that the best drivers in the sport are always capable of producing legendary moments, even in their worst years.
Logano may not have been seriously considered as a title contender before Sunday’s race, but he won both of his Cup Series championships when nobody was expecting him to rise to the occasion. With just eight top-10 finishes through the first 26 races, it’s safe to say that few had Logano as a threat going into the playoffs.
One win doesn’t erase the glaring issues with the No. 22 team, but Logano’s win does prove that you can never count the veteran driver out. As the circuit goes to Watkins Glen next week, Logano can rest easy knowing his playoff fate is secure for the moment.
