Joey Logano reacts to push for NASCAR to change playoff format: 'I got the trophy, I don't really care'

Joey Logano’s got the trophy, the third of his career, and he doesn’t really care what you think about the NASCAR playoff format.

That, in a nutshell, were Logano’s thoughts when discussing the uproar from fans of the playoff format following his victory in this past Sunday’s Cup Series championship race at Phoenix.

As of yesterday afternoon, Joey Logano hadn't spent a whole lot of time on social media consuming the playoff format discourse. His opinion hasn't changed since Sunday night. pic.twitter.com/jGNg6cso7i

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) November 13, 2024

“Outside of what was brought up to me in the media center and a couple times today during media stuff, I haven’t heard much of it,” Logano said Tuesday, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “The part I don’t understand, and I said it the other day, we’ve been doing this for 11 years. And everyone thought it was awesome and now we don’t. What happened? Nothing changed. I don’t get it because as a race fan, if I take myself out of the car or I’ll just watch the Xfinity and the Truck stuff. The same format. I think it’s awesome. I love it.

“The regular season guys, do those guys get an advantage? Absolutely, it’s a pretty big one too. Does that mean that you can just go in cruise control throughout the playoffs? No, obviously. Can you go in cruise control in any other sport through the playoffs? No, you won’t make it to the end. Why do we need to change that? It makes no sense to me when I hear all of this. But whatever, I got the trophy, and I don’t really care.”

Logano triumphed in an even year again despite having an average finish this season of 17.1, the worst of any driver in a championship-winning season. Despite his inconsistency, Logano won at the times when it mattered most — Atlanta in the Round of 16, Las Vegas in the Round of 8 and the season finale at Phoenix.

NASCAR considering change to playoff format after Joey Logano’s championship win?

Logano has simply mastered the elimination style playoff format, adopted back in 2014. But rather than celebrating Logano’s accomplishment of becoming just the 10th driver to win three or more championships, the conversation has been focused on the legitimacy of his latest championship.

It’s prompted calls for NASCAR to change the format, perhaps going back to the traditional season-long points format which was axed after Matt Kenseth won the 2003 championship with just one win on his résumé. Before Logano had even lifted the trophy at Phoenix, NASCAR COO Steve O’Donnell was adamant the playoff format would be here to stay. He did, however, leave the door open for tweaks to be made.

“The format is one thing,” O’Donnell said last Friday. “But playoffs, we’re not going to go away from playoffs. We read fans [reactions] and everything. So, we will as we always do, absolutely look at what form the playoffs take in the offseason.

“You always learn. But playoffs in and of itself, you cannot argue with the quality of racing that the playoffs have delivered. You can talk about the format and if we do some different things. But absolutely we’re going to stick with it.”

As for those questioning the legitimacy of Logano’s championship, frankly, he doesn’t really care. He’s got the trophy.

“No. I got nothing to say to them,” Joey Logano said after the race, via Matt Weaver of Sportsnaut. “I’ve got a pretty sweet trophy right now. I’m gonna be laughing all the way to the bank.”