Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio

AUSTIN, Texas — Three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano rolls into the Lone Star State this weekend with a familiar goal and a fresh opportunity as he chases a victory as the NASCAR Cup Series heads to Circuit of the Americas for Sunday’s DuraMAX Texas Grand Prix Powered by RelaDyne.

Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Logano, driver of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford for Team Penske, will compete on COTA’s National Course, a 2.4-mile layout featuring 20 turns and a scheduled 95 laps of technical, high-speed racing.

The NASCAR race at COTA was previously held on the 3.41-mile Full Course but changed to a shorter length in 2025. However, the track is still a challenge that blends rhythm and chaos, while demanding precision driving along with a lot of horsepower.

“Yeah, glad to be back here,” Logano said. “It’s a pretty cool track, cool area and the fans show up and like it. So, I’m all about it. I think it’s exciting.”

Since the inaugural Cup race in 2021, COTA has quickly become one of the most unpredictable stops on the NASCAR schedule. In five races, the track has produced five different winners, underscoring just how wide open road course racing can be in the Next Gen era.

Joey Logano, driver of the #22 AAA Insurance Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on May 04, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)

Chase Elliott won the race in 2021, followed by Ross Chastain in 2022, Tyler Reddick in 2023, William Byron in 2024 and Christopher Bell in 2025. The variety of winners reflects a track that rewards adaptability and punishes any driver that makes a mistake.

Logano’s return to the Lone Star state is the first of two stops in the state this season. The series will return to Texas Motor Speedway on May 1-3, a track where Logano has already built a winning legacy.

Texas has been good to Logano over the years. He owns two Cup wins here and has often been a contender every time the Cup Series visits TMS.

Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning Duel 1 for the NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 at Daytona at Daytona International Speedway on February 12, 2026 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by James Gilbert/Getty Images)

Ironically, his last Cup Series victory came in Texas. Logano won the Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on May 4, 2025, and has yet to win a points race since. He did, however, open 2026 with a victory in Duel #1 at Daytona, a sign that speed and winning hasn’t left the No. 22 team.

Still, COTA presents an entirely different challenge. Despite 37 career Cup Series victories, Logano has just one road course win, which came in 2015 at Watkins Glen International. Logano said that this just shows how specialized road racing can be in a discipline dominated by oval racing roots.

“I mean, it’s just different, right?” Logano said. “And I think everybody kind of has the way they grow up racing. For me, I’m a bit of an old school guy that came in from just short track racing and didn’t do road racing growing up.”

Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

That background shaped how Logano approaches road course tracks like COTA. While he’s capable of contending, he understands the unique strengths of drivers who developed on road courses.

“I feel like I’m in the hunt,” Logano said. “But there’s just a little bit more. Those guys that did it growing up more often are real strong. So, when you come to a track like this, the goal isn’t just to win. It’s how do we score as many points as possible when we get out of here? The big picture of winning the championship is what matters.”

Joey Logano, driver of the #22 AAA Insurance Ford, takes the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Cup Series Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on May 04, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas. Photo by Michael C. Johnson

Logano’s results at COTA reflect both the challenge and the opportunity. His best finish was third in the inaugural race in 2021. Since then, he has finished 31st, 28th, 11th and 24th, producing an average finish of 19.4 at the track.

Despite only one victory in 56 career road course starts and a 14.79 average finish, the numbers aren’t dominant, but they do tell the story of a driver who remains competitive while still chasing that next breakthrough moment.

Also, the evolution of the new COTA layout could be in his favor. NASCAR’s shift to the shorter National Course last season was a move that Logano said he fully supports.

Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway on November 10, 2024 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

“Shorter is better,” Logano said. “It’s better for competitors and definitely the fans, because the cars are coming by more often. It also shortens cautions. You’re not spending 20 minutes under yellow. To me, nothing but good things.”

NASCAR’s new rules package could also benefit Logano this weekend.  With a larger horsepower package in play for road courses, tire management could become a deciding factor.

“Maybe more so that direction,” Logano said. “When you add a little more horsepower, it’ll most likely burn the rears off a little more. It makes the racing better. If you burn your rears off too quick, you’re going to fall back. You’ve got to be smart about how you do things.”

Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway on November 10, 2024 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)

That balance between aggression and patience has become central to Logano’s racing philosophy. Known for his intensive driving style, Logano acknowledges how the sport itself has evolved during his career.

“You’re here for a job,” Logano said. “The race itself has changed a lot. Now it’s like everybody races hard from lap one. It’s just brutal. The whole field is doing it, and it’s a different game.”

With that intensity comes perspective. Logano, now a veteran voice in the garage, said he has learned to zoom out and focus on the bigger picture of championship racing.

“Every action has a reaction,” said Logano, who won NASCAR Cup Series championships in 2018, 2022 and 2024. “When you look at your whole career, every race is a big deal, but it’s not career-defining. What’s career-defining is championships. How you position yourself for that is what matters most.”

Joey Logano celebrates in VIctory Lane after winning the Duck Commander 500 NASCAR Cup Series race at Texas Motor Speedway on April 7, 2014. Photo by Dawn Hall

Logano enters the weekend sixth in the points standings after races at Daytona and Atlanta. He finished third in the Daytona 500 and 18th the following week, putting him in solid early-season position.

A strong run in Austin could provide momentum as the season begins to take shape. And with a return trip to Texas Motor Speedway looming in two months, confidence in the state could pay dividends.

For Logano, though, racing isn’t the only priority on his mind. Away from the track, he and his wife have invested deeply in charitable work, particularly through their foundation supporting foster children.

NASCAR President Steve Phelps presents the Bill France NASCAR Cup Series Championship trophy to Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, in victory lane after winning the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on November 06, 2022 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

“You’ve got to have a purpose,” Logano said. “Winning races is great, but 50 years from now, no one’s going to remember this race. If you impact someone’s life positively, that has generational impact. That matters way more.”

That perspective adds depth to a driver often defined by results. Logano speaks passionately about using his platform to support foster care initiatives and partner with organizations that help children find stable homes.

“Foster care is where our hearts lie the most,” Logano said. “The child didn’t make a bad decision. They were just put in a situation. If we can shine a light and help them find a forever home, that’s the goal.”