Joey Logano barely made the NASCAR Cup Collection playoffs and now already has superior out of the primary spherical. Will Energy is barely nonetheless within the combine for the IndyCar title.
The Penske teammates compete in several collection and Energy will want some luck – and his personal execution – this weekend to win the IndyCar crown and preserve any hopes alive of a Group Penske sweep of Cup and IndyCar titles as Energy and Logano did in 2022.
It’s a lengthy, lengthy shot at finest. However at the least provides somewhat intrigue throughout the 2 types of motorsports and the group owned by motorsports icon Roger Penske. His NASCAR group has been removed from dominant this 12 months however every of his three drivers gained in the course of the common season and made the playoffs.
Logano took the second step towards a 3rd NASCAR Cup Collection championship as he gained the playoff opener Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
His two Group Penske teammates — defending Cup champion Ryan Blaney and Austin Cindric — not solely beforehand had taken step one (making the playoffs) but in addition opened with good runs on Sunday afternoon.
It nonetheless is not the perfect shot on the Cup aspect contemplating the third spherical can be troublesome for them with a pair of 1.5-mile tracks, however at the least it is a greater shot than their IndyCar teammates.
Energy enters the IndyCar season finale Sunday at Nashville Superspeedway needing to complete at the least third whereas collection factors chief Alex Palou must end Tenth or worse for Energy to have any shot on the title. Technically, Penske’s Scott McLauglin additionally has a shot on the IndyCar title, however he can be eradicated as soon as Palou takes the inexperienced flag at Nashville.
Energy probably may have taken the factors lead Sept. 1 at Milwaukee, however a spin coming to a restart resulted in a Tenth-place end. He enters Sunday with a 33-point deficit to Chip Ganassi Racing’s Palou, the defending collection champion who had {an electrical} downside in that Milwaukee race the place Energy could not capitalize.
“A protracted shot now,” Energy stated. “God gave us an opportunity then, however sort of let it go. That is the season, man. You simply cannot have these errors.”
Energy’s proper. These errors can be what he seems again on this season (to not point out the early season 10-point penalty from the opening race for push-to-pass guidelines violations) and surprise what may have been. His Penske teammates on the NASCAR aspect are holding out some hope.
“He is received a shot,” stated Austin Cindric, whose father, Tim Cindric, is the staff president. “I misplaced a couple of years of my life watching that finish of the Milwaukee race. However, yeah, Will has nonetheless received a shot.”
Cindric and Blaney can really feel they each are nonetheless within the Cup combine within the opening weeks of the Cup playoffs. Blaney is 45 factors up on the present cutoff and Cindric is 27 factors forward with two races left within the opening spherical.
“Why not?” Logano stated about the potential for one other Penske sweep. “That will be good. We have achieved it earlier than. It may take lots on that [IndyCar] aspect however hopefully.
“I am unable to management that aspect.”
Walt Czarnecki, vice chairman of Group Penske, acknowledged that quite a lot of issues would wish to occur for a Penske sweep.
“I feel realistically subsequent week at Nashville it’ll be an uphill climb [with a] 33-point deficit,” Czarnecki stated after Logano’s victory. “We noticed what occurred at Milwaukee, so something can occur. … By no means say by no means.
“So far as this [NASCAR] championship is worried, this can be a nice technique to begin. We’ll fear about Watkins Glen [this week] and go from there.”
Ryan Blaney on what his Cup title means to the legacy of Group Penske
Bob Pockrass covers NASCAR for FOX Sports activities. He has spent a long time protecting motorsports, together with over 30 Daytona 500s, with stints at ESPN, Sporting Information, NASCAR Scene journal and The (Daytona Seaside) Information-Journal. Observe him on Twitter @bobpockrass.
Get extra from NASCAR Cup Collection Observe your favorites to get details about video games, information and extra
