HAMPTON, Ga.—As the reigning NASCAR champion, Joey Logano had no reason to panic when Team Penske had a slower than expected start to the new season.
He was second in the season-opening Daytona 500 but hardly the dominant driver he was at the end of last season, when Logano won his second Cup title. Even worse, Ford was shut out of the first four races of the season, which were won by Chevrolet drivers.
So Logano’s return to the winner’s circle in Atlanta was a much-needed boost for Ford. Chevrolet won the Daytona 500 with Ricky Stenhouse Jr., at California with Kyle Busch and then back-to-back wins by Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron….