Joey Logano 2020 Fantasy NASCAR Preview
Joey Logano 2019 Stats: Points Finish 5th, 2 Wins, 12 Top Fives, 21 Top Tens, 10.8 Average Finish, 10.6 Average Running Position, 899 Laps Led, 98.43 Driver Rating
Strengths:
Joey Logano is without question one of the premiere performers in the series. He’s capable of winning on “Any Given Sunday” and there’s no real holes in his resume.
Weaknesses:
Joey Logano is a quality road course racer, but he’s been in somewhat of a slump in recent races.
Intermediate Track Fantasy Value – A
Joey Logano is an elite performer at intermediate tracks who ranks among the best. In 2020 on a weekly basis at intermediate tracks, look for Logano to finish in the top ten and compete for a top five. This upcoming season he’ll also likely reach victory lane a couple of times. In 2019 he emerged victorious at Las Vegas and Michigan.
Logano is capable of performing at an extremely high-level across all the different sub-track types of intermediates including 1.5 mile, 2.0 mile and skill intermediates.
Last season at intermediate tracks, Logano scored the 4th most points, finished in the top five 41% percent of the time, in the top ten 59% percent of the time and had a 10.5 average finish.
Flat Track Fantasy Value – A
Joey Logano is a strong performer at flat tracks who should be high on your radar at both the bigger and the shorter-flat tracks. In 2019 he scored the most points at the bigger-flat tracks, and the 5th most points at the shorter-flat tracks.
At the bigger-flat tracks in 2019 in addition to scoring the most points, Logano had a 7.3 average finish and had an 8.0 average running position. Indy has turned into a “Wild Card Track” in recent seasons, but Logano has consistently finished well. He finished 2nd last year, and in 6 of the last 7 races he’s had a result in the top 8. At Pocono, Logano had results of 7th and 13th last year. In 2020 at bigger flat tracks, I would view Logano as a top five contender at both venues.
At the shorter-flat tracks, Logano ranks among the better performers in the series. In 2019 over those five combined races he finished in the top 11 every race, had an 8.2 average finish and a 9.2 average running position. At all three of the shorter-flat tracks in 2020 he should be high on your radar, and I would view him as a top ten driver who’ll compete for a top five.
Short Track Fantasy Value – A
Joey Logano is one of the best short track drivers in NASCAR and at all three venues he’s capable of racing his way to victory lane. In 2019 on this track type he scored the 5th most points, in 2018 he scored the 2nd most. Last season on this track type over the combined events, Logano had a 9.8 average finish and a 10.2 average running position.
At Martinsville, Logano is a recent winner who’s finished in the top 11 in nine of the last 12 races. Last fall, Logano finished 8th despite having late contact with Denny Hamlin which could’ve doomed his afternoon. In spring 2019 he struggled from the pole and finished 19th. When Logano starts on the pole at Martinsville for whatever reason he’s proven to be a liability, and over the last four races he’s started first, his average finish is 22.75. In 2018 he led 309 laps and raced his way to victory lane in the fall, and in the spring he finished 6th.
At Richmond, Logano is an elite performer and over the last six races he has four results in the top 4 and a series best 5.7 average finish. Last year he finished 11th in the fall and 2nd in the spring. In fall 2018 he finished 14th. In the three races prior to that he had results of 4th, 2nd and 1st.
At Bristol, Logano is one of the best in the business. He’s a two-time winner and over the last nine races he has a series best 7.9 average finish. Last year he finished 16th in the summer (made an unexpected pit stop and was involved in an accident), but in the spring he led 146 laps and finished 3rd. In 2018 he had results of 4th and 9th.
Superspeedway Fantasy Value – A+
Joey Logano is arguably the premiere superspeedway performer in the series, and you can’t pick a better default driver then him on this track type. In back to back seasons he leads the series in terms of points accumulated. Last year at superspeedways he had 2 top fives, a series best 8.8 average running position and an 11.0 average finish.
When it comes to this form of racing, Logano is the perfect combination of “smart” and “aggressive.” On top of those two traits it also doesn’t hurt that Penske Racing makes superb superspeedway cars.
At Daytona, Logano is a fantasy ace who’s finished in the top 6 in five of the last eight races. In the last three July races he’s crashed, but over the last five Daytona 500’s he’s finished in the top six and has a 4.2 average finish. Last summer, Logano led 40 laps and was a contender to win, but wrecked. In the 2019 Daytona 500 he ran extremely well and if he had help at the end, he could’ve won. When the checkered flag waved he finished 4th.
At Talladega, Logano is a fantasy ace. He’s a three-time winner and over the last five races he has the best driver rating, a series best 5.0 average finish and he’s had a result in the top 11 every race. Last fall Logano finished 11th, in the four races prior to that he had results of 4th, 5th, 4th and 1st.
Road Course Fantasy Value – B+
Joey Logano is a strong road course racer, but he didn’t have a great 2019 on this track type. In 2020, I think he’ll return to form and once again rank among the better performers.
Last year at road courses, Logano finished 10th at the Charlotte Roval, but in the other two races he had a pair of 23rd place results. For the season he scored the 14th most points and had an18.7 average finish.
I view Watkins Glen as Logano’s best road course. He’s a former winner, but he’s had bad results the last three races there and has finished 23rd or worse. In the four races prior to his current cold streak he finished in the top 7 every race and had a 4th place average finish.
At the Charlotte Roval, Logano is 2 for 2 in terms of finishing in the top ten and he has a pair of 10th place finishes. In 2020 I don’t see why he won’t run well again.
At Sonoma, Logano has back to back clunker results of 19th and 23rd. In the seven races prior to that he had a 9.0 average finish.
In 2020 at road courses, I’m going to view Logano as a top ten contender in all three races, but accept the fact he’s had a lot of lack luster results recently.
