NSCS: Logano Ready for Championship Challenges at Homestead

After a successful 2014 season of competition for Joey Logano, he now finds himself battling three other drivers for the Sprint Cup Series title. Logano, who is going up against Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman, is certainly among one of the fan favorites to capture the championship Sunday at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Since joining the Sprint Cup Series in 2009, Logano has been having a season of his lifetime. The 24-year-old driver comes into Homestead earning five victories, 16 top-five and 22 top-10 finishes. The 2014 season marks the first time that Logano earned multiple victories in a single season.

This is the first time of Logano’s career where he has a legitimate shot of capturing the Sprint Cup Series title. Last season Logano raced his way into the Chase for the Sprint Cup for the first time of his career. He wasn’t able to contend for the championship as he finished eighth in the points. In 2012, which was the final year for him at Joe Gibbs Racing, Logano finished out the year 17th in points.

“It is exactly how you would think it feels – it’s the accumulation of a whole season of hard work. This No. 22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford team has been strong all year, and I think we deserve to be in the final four competing for this Championship,” said Logano. I think it would have been a shame not to race for the title after the year we have had. Thankfully, we were able to make it through the Chase and make it to the final round.”

Logano’s five victories have all come on numerous style of tracks. Three of them came at tracks less than 1.058-miles in length. The other two, which he scored at the Texas Motor Speedway and the Kansas Speedway, were 1.5-mile tracks. The Homestead-Miami Speedway might be a 1.5-mile oval, but with it having flattened corners, it kinda gives the driver a feeling between the two. The unique track has only one stop on the 36 race schedule.

“All of the teams in the Chase will say the same thing, but we deserve it. This team has worked its butt off all year long,” added Logano. “We’ve been through a lot and we’ve come a long way to get where we are. (Crew chief) Todd (Gordon) has led this team, and we are all very close. This is the type of team you win Championships with.”

Logano goes into the Homestead-Miami Speedway making his sixth appearance there. The last time out, which was the season finale in 2013, Logano brought home his first top-10 finish of eighth. In 2012, which was the final season for Logano over at Joe Gibbs Racing, he started on the pole and finished in 14th. By him improving his finishes since 2009, it’ll be interesting to see where he ends up finishing this weekend.

What are his chances of winning the championship Sunday? Good question. I think it’ll come down to him and Kevin Harvick. The two drivers hold the most wins of the year and have been pretty consistent on the 1.5-mile tracks. If Harvick finds himself having problems, whether its due to mechanical, a bad pit stop or simply a crash, I think Logano will be there at the end to capture the 2014 Sprint Cup Series championship.

 

Brett Winningham
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