As he looks to mount a NASCAR Cup Series championship defense, Joey Logano is preparing for an entirely new season. He’s had to do his best to flush the memories of last season’s thrilling title win.

Logano won his third title in November, sparking debate about whether NASCAR’s current playoff format is the best way to determine the series’ worthiest champion. Few could make a strong case for that being Logano in 2024. He won four races, had 13 top-10 finishes and rarely had the car to beat over 37 events.

With no changes in sight for now, Logano can focus on a fourth championship. He's one of six drivers with three Cup Series titles and needs another to join Jeff Gordon (four), Dale Earnhardt (seven), Jimmie Johnson (seven) and Richard Petty (seven) as the only guys with at least four. They're all in the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

The green flag drops on another Cup Series season Sunday night with the exhibition Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium.

While competitors have since called for NASCAR to tweak its playoff format, with some wanting to move the finale to a different track every year instead of keeping it at Phoenix Raceway, Logano — not surprisingly — believes the setup is just fine.