2 weeks agoFor the first time in the history of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs format the defending series Champion has been eliminated after the first round. Thanks (in part) to receiving damage during an early wreck involving Corey Lajoie and Erik Jones, the No. 22 Ford of Logano crossed the finish line with a 34th-place finish and an early exit from the postseason. After the race at Bristol, the 2022 Cup Series Champion stated, "I knew my situation and what I needed to do, but it's Bristol and there's not really many things you do differently depending on your scenario. There's nothing I could have done there in that wreck. It's just a product of being back there and the way we raced or anything like that didn't affect that." It has been a down year for Logano and his team, so a realistic chance at going back-to-back with Championships was likely out of reach anyway. Through 29 races this season, Logano has an average finish of 15.3, which is his worst since the 2012 season.--Jordan McAbee
Source: Jayski