Logano's Late Surge Reshapes NASCAR's Chase Picture

Joey Logano has three NASCAR Cup Series championships but none under the Chase format that returned this season, and he's embracing the challenge of proving he can win under the new system.

The Team Penske driver has surged from 20th to ninth in the standings over the past six races, flipping the script on the elimination playoff era that ran from 2014 to 2025. That format allowed drivers to earn a berth with a win in the closing regular-season races, but the Chase relies entirely on points to set its 16-driver field.

"Do I have a little chip on my shoulder? That's a clear yes," Logano said after winning Saturday at Richmond Raceway. "So much so that our team slogan is '4 the haters.' That's where we're at. That's good extra motivation."

The top 16 in the provisional Chase have been unchanged for four straight races. Shane van Gisbergen holds the final spot, 50 points ahead of Ryan Preece, who fell further behind with a 17th-place finish at Richmond. Ross Chastain, Brad Keselowski and Erik Jones also lost ground outside the cutline.

"The number of guys that feel the pressure of making the Chase is probably less," said Christopher Bell, one of seven drivers already locked into the Chase.

Team Penske has drawn attention near the top of the standings. Ryan Blaney moved past Ty Gibbs into second place at Richmond, while Austin Cindric posted a career-best third-place finish to climb to 15th. Denny Hamlin holds a 115-point lead over Blaney and is expected to clinch the top seed at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday, ahead of the Aug. 29 regular-season finale at Daytona.

The standings reset when the Chase begins Sept. 6 at Darlington, with the leader starting 25 points ahead. According to NASCAR analytics firm Racing Insights, simulations show the eventual champion started in the top six 85% of the time.

Logano, whose No. 22 Ford was ranked 17th before winning two of his last four races, sits 36 points from sixth-ranked Chase Elliott. "We've been able to switch our goals from making the Chase to winning the championship," he said.

Elsewhere, Kyle Larson finished sixth at Richmond before flying to Iowa to win his fourth Knoxville Nationals sprint car title, leading all 50 laps after a rain delay allowed him to make the race.