Joey Logano has gone from being almost written off to entering the NASCAR Cup Series Chase as the ninth seed.
But one NASCAR insider still does not believe the three-time champion can win the title.
Freddie Kraft, Bubba Wallace’s spotter, thinks Logano’s comeback has come too late.
The Team Penske driver looked in serious trouble earlier this season before turning things around with wins at North Wilkesboro and Richmond. He climbed all the way into the top 10 and now has a shot at a fourth championship.
The problem is the gap ahead of him.
Logano starts the 10-race Chase 65 points behind regular-season leader Denny Hamlin. Under NASCAR’s new format, there are no elimination rounds, meaning Logano has the full Chase to make up ground. But Kraft still isn’t buying it.
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NASCAR Spotter Delivers Brutal Joey Logano Title Verdict
Speaking on the Door Bumper Clear podcast, Kraft was asked whether Logano could complete his unlikely comeback and fight for the championship.
His answer was blunt.
“I’m going to say spot off. I think the champion has to come from the top five. The points can swing in a hurry. Like we’ve seen it this year with that 15-point bonus for winning. If somebody goes on a run and wins a bunch of races, yes, he can absolutely make that up.”
He added, “Logano made it up because we sat here talking to him that day. We talked. He’s going to all of the racetracks that their cars run well at and he runs good at. And that’s why he made that ground up because flat miles, short tracks, that was their bread and butter.”
Logano made his biggest gains at tracks where he and Penske have traditionally been strong. But Kraft believes the comeback could stop here, as the Chase moves toward intermediate tracks.
“We’re going back to a mile and a half now. And I don’t think Logano is making up 70 points on Denny or 65 points on Denny. It’s going to come from the top five,” Kraft added.
The 2026 Chase includes races at Darlington, Kansas, Las Vegas, the Charlotte Roval, Phoenix, Talladega, Martinsville and Homestead, among others.
Logano has already proved that counting him out can be dangerous.
Now he has 10 races to prove Kraft wrong.
If he starts winning again, that 65-point gap could disappear quickly.
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