Joey Logano focused on Sprint Cup championship, not mind games

In the buildup to the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship finale, each of the four participants has been cast in various roles.

Based on a consistent approach and the fact he’s the only one of the four without a victory, Ryan Newman is viewed as the underdog. Having choked away the 2010 championship, Denny Hamlin is the guy seeking redemption. As for Kevin Harvick, he’s the poised veteran very much relishing the status as favorite.

And what about Joey Logano, the other challenger, who’s never been in this position previously? Appropriately, the 24-year-old is playing the role of the little brother, where he’s been regularly mocked and made the butt of jokes.

However, while Logano may be young and lack the Chase experience of Harvick, Newman and Hamlin, that doesn’t accurately reflect his chances Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Of the four, no one has more wins than Logano (five), who also leads them all in top-five, top-10s and average finish. And Logano isn’t lacking experience, having driven in NASCAR’s top series for the past six years.

One could even make an argument that Harvick’s incessant needling of Logano is not because of his age or lack of familiarity competing for a championship, but because he is clearly Harvick’s biggest threat.

“Joey is the new guy, he’s the young guy and obviously, he’s got a great shot at the championship,” Hamlin said. “Everyone is going to look for every advantage they can get.

In the championship contenders news conference Wednesday and again after qualifying Friday, Harvick deliberately sought to antagonize Logano, Yet in each instance Logano merely laughed off Harvick’s attempt at mind games.

“When you have one of the threats to win the championship along with yourself trying to play head games with you it means they are nervous about you,” Logano said. “I think that is cool.”

Not being taken seriously has been a common theme for Logano throughout his relatively short career. After being rushed to Sprint Cup and selected at age 18 to replace Tony Stewart by Joe Gibbs Racing, Logano struggled, winning just twice in four years and never qualifying for the Chase.

Wanting a higher level of performance more comparable with Stewart’s production (he won two championships driving the No. 20 JGR car), the organization released him. On the advice of Brad Keselowski, Team Penske signed Logano in 2013.

More comfortable with his surroundings and out of Stewart’s immense shadow, Logano flourished. A year ago he won once and made the Chase for the first time. He followed that with a breakthrough 2014, which saw Logano be among the fastest and most consistent drivers.

“When you get to the level where you aren’t the best one out there and you are against the best of the best and all of a sudden you have to take a step back and ask where you are the worst and what you have to work on,” Logano said. “That was step one, figuring out where you aren’t good and then working on it from there. It has been quite a few years of a process. I am still not done with it. You always try to find that next bit. It has been an adventure so far and I am loving every minute.

“I don’t feel like I am a kid anymore. I have been doing this awhile and gone through a lot.”

That resolve makes Logano a legitimate challenger Sunday. And it’s why car owner Roger Penske believes no matter how hard Harvick may try, Logano won’t wilt under the pressure.

“I respect (Harvick) lot, but I can tell you this: That 24-year-old Joey Logano, no one gets in his head,” Penske said. “Harvick is gonna have to beat him to win. I think it’s gonna be a level playing field and the best guy is gonna win tomorrow.”