Joey Logano Struggling with Worst Season

Joey Logano is in the midst of the toughest season of his Cup Series career. After a frustrating weekend at Pocono Raceway, it's becoming increasingly difficult to ignore the standings and results.

The struggles didn't begin at Pocono, but have followed Logano through nearly every phase of the 2026 season. There was an ugly stretch earlier this year when he recorded three consecutive finishes of 30th or worse.

At Darlington, the frustration became impossible to hide. "Tight to fire off in traffic. Now I'm just absolutely sideways," Logano radioed as he slipped backward through the field.

Logano has spent far more time battling around the playoff cutline than competing for victories. Multiple finishes outside the top 30, lengthy stretches without race-winning speed, and another difficult afternoon at Pocono have combined to create a season unlike any other in his championship-winning career.

Even during previous down years, Logano remained a regular threat to finish inside the top 10. In 2026, simply finding consistent speed has become the challenge.

Logano isn't hiding from the reality of the situation. In recent comments to motorsport.com, he acknowledged that relying on past success isn't enough in today's NASCAR environment. "No, it is a great question though. It's somewhere in between because if you rest on your past, you'll be stuck in your past because the facts are, everyone's evolving and everyone's getting better, so you have to keep evolving."

The challenge isn't a lack of experience. Combined, Logano and longtime crew chief Paul Wolfe have won multiple championships and dozens of races together.

Logano and Wolfe have to find a new way to win. "You have to look for new ways to do things, whether it's processes, or the cars, whatever it may be. We got to think outside the box a little bit to find some direction."

A year ago, few would have predicted that Logano would be in this position. But NASCAR has a way of humbling even its biggest stars. "We know how to win. We just have to find a new way of doing it and figure out how to get there," Logano said.

The clock is starting to matter, and Logano needs to turn his season around quickly. With the playoff cutline looming, every finish counts, and Logano can't afford to have many more weekends like the one at Pocono.

Logano's next race is an opportunity to turn things around and get back on track. He will be looking to find some speed and get a good finish to boost his playoff hopes.