Chase Elliott calls out critics of Joey Logano’s 2024 NASCAR Cup Series championship

When it comes to whether or not Joey Logano is a “legit” champion, Chase Elliott is crystal clear – he earned it fair and square. Despite the fuss from NASCAR fans and media after the 2024 season, Elliott views Logano as a legitimate champion because the rules are the rules.

In NASCAR, it too often feels like fans, media, and drivers judge the sport by past results and expectations. For better or worse, season-long consistency is not a focus. Making the playoffs and maximizing opportunities at key moments is what wins championships.

For the last three years, Team Penske has been the best at that. It has resulted in Logano becoming a three-time champion as well, winning two of the last three.

Chase Elliott doesn’t want to hear complaints. According to Toby Christie of Racing America, Elliott, “says he hates that people have questioned the legitimacy of Joey Logano’s championship. He says the format was created, and Logano executed and won the championship fairly by the rules of the Playoff format.”

Chase Elliott says he hates that people have questioned the legitimacy of Joey Logano's championship. He says the format was created, and Logano executed and won the championship fairly by the rules of the Playoff format. #NASCAR

— Toby Christie (@Toby_Christie) February 1, 2025

Chase Elliott won under the same format in 2020. That season, Elliott won early at Charlotte. Then he won at the Daytona Road Course. His playoff run with a win at the Roval followed by wins at Martinsville and Phoenix solidified the championship for him.

Did he have the best season overall? No. When it mattered most, Elliott and Logano performed at their highest. Season-long points championships aren’t a thing anymore. It’s about the playoffs and performing under pressure at a select number of tracks.

Team Penske and Joey Logano are good in this system. Great even. They maximize opportunities on tracks they know are key to advancing. Who cares if you finish P22 at Dover? As long as you make the playoffs, you have a chance.

Chase Elliott and NASCAR stars return to Bowman Gray

While this is the first time in 54 years that the Cup Series has raced at Bowman Gray, it hasn’t been that long for some NASCAR stars. Chase Elliott and others raced in the K&N East Series at Bowman Gray in the 2010s.

There were five K&N races held at the Madhouse. The 2012 race featured guys like Elliott, Corey LaJoie, Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace, and others. While a lot has changed since then in the sport and at Bowman Gray it will be interesting if any of the drivers with previous experience do better than others.

Then again, Elliott doesn’t think it will help at all. That was over a decade ago in completely different cars. Even the track itself is different now with the SAFER barrier installed. We will see if that is Elliott telling the truth or just holding his cards to his chest really well.

Chase Elliott doesn’t want folks downplaying championships. After all, he got his much in the same way as Joey Logano. If Logano isn’t a legit champ, then no one in this era is.

Will we see Logano win his second Clash in four years this weekend and build a resume for back-to-back championships? The NASCAR season is about to unfold.