For a driver who has built his legacy on clutch playoff performances, Joey Logano’s place just outside the cutline after Darlington feels almost unthinkable. The three-time Cup Series champion admitted his team “just didn’t go fast” as he left with a 20th-place finish and slipped to 13th in the standings, three points short of safety. What makes his situation more striking is the rival directly ahead of him: Shane van Gisbergen , who only days earlier seemed comfortably clear of danger but now finds his playoff cushion reduced to the slimmest of margins.

For van Gisbergen, Darlington offered nothing but frustration. He complained of poor balance early, fought to secure the free pass at the end of Stage 1, and still struggled to find speed. Trackhouse placed him on an aggressive one-

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