As Logano celebrates Cup title, officials strive to keep party going amid business challenges

HOMESTEAD — Joey Logano probably still has slivers of confetti scattered across his body, celebrating his first NASCAR Cup title and a glorious end to the 2018 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup season.

As the bubbly popped Sunday night at Homestead-Miami Speedway, NASCAR officials had solid reasons to celebrate: The often-tweaked and much-maligned playoff format delivered the power punch of the best scenario imaginable.

Logano was paired with the three most dominant drivers of the season — Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick. The night certainly brought more anticipation and action than in the old days, when a driver could be so far ahead on points that he could do a slow-crawl with his blinkers on, finish 24th, and still be crowned King of the Road.

But anyone who follows this sport knows that everything is not hunky-dory. NASCAR is at a crossroads, seemingly shapeshifting at every turn to try to get a bump back in relevance. The COMMENTARY backdrop does not provide much encouraging news.

Of NASCAR’s 31 non-delayed races this year, 27 had a dip in ratings and 26 were flagged by Sport Media Watch as having decade-low or all-time lows in ratings.

CEO and chairman Brian France was arrested on charges of aggravated driving while intoxicated and criminal possession of a controlled substance in August and has since been out of the public eye. He remains on an indefinite leave of absence. France’s uncle, Jim, is now leading NASCAR on an interim basis.

Truex, the 2017 defending