Joey Logano Questioned Pace After Las Vegas Finish
The driver finished 10th at the South Point 400 and raised concerns about Team Penske's championship potential.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Motorsports
Live Poll
Do you believe a team can realistically bridge a large points gap in the final races?
Joey Logano placed 10th at the South Point 400 in Las Vegas on October 5, 2026. Following the race, the driver publicly questioned whether Team Penske currently possesses the speed required to secure a championship title.
Why it matters
With only five races remaining in the Chase, Logano trails championship leader Kyle Larson by 71 points. The driver emphasized that his team must find significant performance gains to close this gap and remain competitive in the postseason.
Logano finished 10th at the 1.5-mile intermediate track despite struggling to balance car speed across short and long runs. He currently sits 71 points behind the leader, while fellow competitors Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell trail by 40 and 55 points respectively.
The players
Joey Logano
He is a professional race car driver currently competing for Team Penske in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Team Penske
This organization is a prominent American motorsports team that competes in various racing series including NASCAR.
Chase Briscoe
He is a professional NASCAR driver who secured the victory at the South Point 400.
Kyle Larson
He is a professional NASCAR driver currently leading the championship standings.
The details
Logano struggled to maintain consistent performance during the South Point 400, finding difficulty balancing his vehicle's speed between short and long racing runs. Although he managed a top-10 finish, he noted that the current pace of his team is insufficient to win a championship.
Timeline
October 5, 2026: Joey Logano competed in the South Point 400.
2017: Last time the oval appeared in the Chase schedule.
Final five races: Remaining schedule for the Chase championship.
Season Trajectory
The team's upcoming test at the Charlotte Oval marks a return to a venue last featured in the Chase schedule in 2017. This transition to the final stretch of the season will define whether Logano can overcome the current point deficit or if championship contention remains out of reach.
Logano currently sits 71 points outside the lead with only five races remaining in the championship. To stay in contention, the team must secure substantial point gains in the upcoming events starting at the Charlotte Oval.
The takeaway
Securing a championship requires consistency across all stages of a race, which remains a primary hurdle for Logano and his team. Fans should monitor the upcoming race at the Charlotte Oval to see if technical adjustments can bridge the current performance gap.
Further reading
For more on the current postseason standings, visit Motorsports.
Source note: This article includes information reported by EssentiallySports.
Live Poll
Do you believe a team can realistically bridge a large points gap in the final races?
