Joey Logano outduels his teammate at Phoenix Raceway for his third NASCAR Cup Sequence Title on Sunday afternoon within the collection’ Championship Race.
AVONDALE, Ariz. — Joey Logano pulled off a masterful restart and held on for pricey life.
Joey Logano Outduels His Teammate at Phoenix for His Third NASCAR Cup Sequence Title
Fifty-four laps later, Logano had his third NASCAR Cup Sequence championship—most amongst full-time energetic drivers—by a scant 0.330 seconds over Group Penske teammate Ryan Blaney.
On the ultimate restart on lap 259 of 312 of Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Sequence Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, Logano drove like a cannon and shot from sixth place previous Blaney, Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, and eventually race chief and Championship 4 contender William Byron to grab the highest spot on lap 260.
Logano remained out entrance the remainder of the way in which, although Blaney acquired as shut as 0.167 seconds again over the past ten laps.
The victory was Logano’s fourth at Phoenix, his fourth of the season, and the thirty sixth of his profession. As a three-time champion, Logano ties Lee Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, and Tony Stewart, all NASCAR Corridor of Famers.
Solely 4 drivers have extra titles: Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt Sr., and Jimmie Johnson with seven every, and Jeff Gordon with 4.
The championship was the third straight for crew proprietor Roger Penske, with Logano profitable in 2022 and Blaney claiming the crown final 12 months.
“I like the Playoffs, I find it irresistible, man,” Logano stated. “What a race! What a Group Penske battle there on the finish. Had an excellent restart and was in a position to get in entrance of the 12 (Blaney). And he had plenty of long-run velocity there, and it was all I had there to carry him off.
“Man, three (championships), that’s actually particular to get that. What a crew. To battle by in the present day, we went by a little bit little bit of adversity all through the race.
“I’ve acquired the very best crew. I don’t know if I’m the very best driver, however I’ve acquired the very best crew, and collectively we’re very well-rounded and might present up when it issues probably the most. We’ve acquired a mentally robust crew that may make issues occur when it issues.”
Overcoming the Challenges of a Champion
Logano’s crew, nonetheless, had points on pit highway. The No. 22 Ford misplaced 4 spots below warning for the Stage 1 break, and after green-flag stops throughout the second stage, Patrick Grey from Austin Cindric’s No. 2 crew changed Logano’s jackman, Graham Stoddard, who was in poor health.
After the ultimate restart, Logano took cost, with appreciable assist from his spotter.
“Coleman Pressley,” stated Logano, who led twice for 107 laps, second to Christopher Bell’s 143. “He was telling me the place (Blaney) was. He was up there telling me the very best lanes to run. And it’s a steadiness of placing soiled air on him and operating the quickest laps for my Ford. We simply acquired a little bit too tight there on the finish and couldn’t actually wrap the underside in addition to I needed to.
“One-two for Group Penske, three championships in a row since this Subsequent-Gen automotive (was launched in 2022). Couldn’t be extra pleased with everybody on the store that’s constructed this stuff.”
Byron completed third behind Logano and Blaney. Tyler Reddick was final among the many Championship 4 drivers in sixth and by no means was an element for the win.
After the ultimate restart shook out, Blaney was fourth behind Logano, Byron, and Larson. He handed Larson on lap 277 and Byron on lap 290. Over the subsequent 22 suspense-filled laps, Blaney acquired near Logano’s rear bumper however not shut sufficient to make a transfer for the lead.
“I needed to work actually arduous to get by the 5 (Larson) and the 24 (Byron). Joey was fairly far-off, and I used to be working actually arduous to attempt to get to Joey. I used to be sort of nervous that if I ended up getting near him, plenty of my stuff can be burned off of it, and it sort of was. However didn’t have a alternative. I couldn’t actually wait.
“Yeah, simply took too lengthy. The restart didn’t play out for us. I really feel like if I got here out behind Joey and didn’t have two automobiles in between us that I needed to go, I’d have been in a position to have a greater shot. However simply the restart didn’t work out, and that’s simply the way in which it goes generally.”
Controversy Leads Logano to His Third Title
Logano adopted a wierd path to the championship. He was eradicated from the Playoffs on the Charlotte Motor Speedway Street Course, solely to get a second life when the Chevrolet of Alex Bowman failed post-race inspection by not assembly minimal weight.
Logano took full benefit, profitable at Las Vegas the next week to earn his place within the Championship 4 Spherical.
Larson and Bell completed fourth and fifth, respectively. Bubba Wallace, Elliott, Chris Buescher, and Daniel Suarez got here residence seventh by tenth.
The Tempo Automobile Collides into the Sand Barrels at Pit Street Entry; Logano Appears to be like for His Crew
The race was not with out its share of comedian reduction. Coming to a restart after the Stage 1 break, the tempo automotive slid into the sand barrels defending the pit highway entrance, necessitating a 5-minute 47-second crimson flag interval for cleanup.
After the race ended, Logano appeared round in bewilderment.
“The place’s my crew?” Logano requested, then realized that his crew was hustling from pit stall No. 24 on the backstretch, the stall assigned by NASCAR after Logano’s automotive failed pre-race inspection twice.
Phoenix Highlights A number of Endings
The ultimate race marked a season of endings. Pole winner Martin Truex Jr. completed seventeenth in his last race as a full-time driver.
Kyle Busch’s document streak of 19 straight years with not less than one Cup victory resulted in a Twenty first-place end. Logano now holds the longest energetic streak at 13 years.
Stewart-Haas Racing is ceasing to function after the tip of the race, with Twelfth-place Noah Gragson ending highest among the many 4 SHR drivers.
Jeff Striegle referred to as his final race within the sales space for the Motor Racing Community (MRN). Greg Stucker, Goodyear’s director of racing, introduced his retirement after 45 years with NASCAR’s unique tire maker.
Harrison Burton completed sixteenth in his last drive for the Wooden Brothers. And Fed-Ex sponsored Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for the ultimate time.
