Logano not just 'in it to win it' with Glen double

For those who think Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers only run Xfinity Series races to win, look no further than Joey Logano.

Yes, Logano has won three consecutive Xfinity Series poles at Watkins Glen and two of the last three races. His bid for three straight came up one spot short Saturday afternoon to Kyle Busch. But more importantly, by participating in all those races, Logano has improved his road racing ability for the Sunday show. It paid off with a 2015 Cup victory and a second-place finish last season.

"It's a confidence booster, number one. Number two, you're able to take some things from the Xfinity race into the Cup race," Logano said. "The cars drive closer this year, so far at least, than they did last year with less spoiler on the Xfinity cars. The braking zones was the biggest difference, but they are closer now with the smaller spoiler."

Things started to click for Logano not because he started winning but because at first, he lost. In 2014, Logano finished third, but his battles with road course ace Marcos Ambrose (pictured below) forever changed him. And that helped Logano find what he needed from his team.

"I remember following [Marcos] Ambrose in the Xfinity race and racing the heck out of each other for the win here. I remember where he beat me really bad," Logano said. "I tried doing it, and my car couldn't do it, and I told myself the next time I came here I would make sure my car could do what [his] was doing.

"Since then, we have gotten faster. If it wasn't for running that Xfinity race against him I would not have learned that. You only come to this racetrack one time a year, and we don't race road courses that much. The more laps you can get the more comfortable you get."

Since that year, Logano has finished no worse than third in his last four Xfinity Series races with 112 laps led. On the Cup side, Logano enters the I LOVE NEW YORK 355 (Sunday, 3 p.m. ET, NBCSN) with four consecutive top-seven finishes.

As Logano still looks for a spot on the playoff grid, using what he's learned over the years for another will go a long way toward another strong Watkins Glen showing. But the Team Penske driver says Sunday and other upcoming races are not a must-win – not yet, at least.

"Closer to [must-win]. That is for sure," Logano said. "I'm not sure we are at a must-win yet. I feel like this is one of our best shots to go out here and win this weekend. We also have some great tracks coming up. Bristol, Darlington has been a good track for us.

"Richmond as well. We have some good tracks coming up for us. We have won at the next four out of five races that are coming up, so we know we can do it. We just have to do it."

Logano will start 13th in Sunday's afternoon Cup race.