Source: Essentially Sports
The NASCAR Cup Series Round of 8 elimination race was significant and tension-filled for all the playoff contenders, except for one. Joey Logano was the only of the eight contenders who entered the race with a spot at Phoenix already booked. It did not stop him from giving it his all at Martinsville and finishing third.
Logano’s confidence is sky-high at the moment. As he aims for another NASCAR Cup Series title, the Middletown, CT pilot drew parallels from his 2018 title run to then call himself ‘the favorite’ to win the title next Sunday.
“You guys told me we weren’t the favorites in 2018, so..,” Logano said after his top-three finish at Martinsville.
He then said that he does not want to believe what his critics think of him. Instead, he is focused on what he and his team think of themselves.
Why Joey Logano termed himself as the favorite to win at Phoenix
“We’ll believe what we want to believe and we’ll believe in ourselves first. I’ll tell you again we’re the favorites to win this thing,” Logano added.
“That’s how it is in my mind. I said that a couple weeks ago, doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks,” Logano expressed further.
A major talking point this season, particularly in the playoffs, has been Logano’s blocking tactics on various occasions. It was even a feature of his win over Kevin Harvick in the opening race of the Round of 8 at Kansas. Logano maintained his stance that he does not care about those opinions. For him, winning is important, no matter how.
Declaring himself as a title favorite is a big claim. However, Logano’s current frame of mind gives him the confidence to say that. Another thing that works in his favor is that he won at the venue of the finale earlier this season.
Crucial extra time to prepare for the finale
Logano’s win at Kansas came two weeks ago, and he had the liberty to think and prepare for Phoenix right away. The next race at Texas was delayed by three days, only for Kyle Busch, a non-playoff driver, to win it.
This ensured that his other seven playoff competitors could not afford to think of Phoenix, as they still had to get the job done at Martinsville. Logano used the extra time to prepare for Phoenix, as he admitted during the rain delay at Texas.
He seems ready to deal with whatever is thrown at him in the ‘Championship 4’ race at Phoenix.