Joey Logano had a strong performance even before taking a fuel gamble, never expecting to win. Going into the Round of 8, he seemed like a long shot to make the Championship 4, but with Alex Bowman’s disqualification, he managed to secure a spot.
Credit goes to Logano’s entire team for this achievement. He acknowledges the efforts of crew chief Paul Wolfe, spotter Coleman Pressley, engineers Brandon ‘Shaggy’ Pope and Joseph Bisson, and fueler Nick Hensley, recognizing their collective contribution to his success.
“Team Penske works seamlessly together,” Logano stated in his winner’s press conference. “It’s ingrained in our DNA and has been for years. I can’t take credit for being part of that.”
What’s particularly impressive is Logano’s limited number of top-five finishes this year, with three of them resulting in race wins.
The journey to victory
Logano started the race in tenth position and steadily made his way up, finishing Stage 1 in eighth and Stage 2 in fifth. When a crucial caution came out due to Ty Gibbs’ spin with 74 laps left, Logano was running eighth before the final restart.
While most leaders opted to pit under green for fuel with 40 laps to go, Logano’s team made a different call. He, alongside playoff rival Denny Hamlin and Daniel Suarez, chose to stretch their fuel. This decision proved vital as Logano was ahead of Bell, who had fresh tires and a full tank.
Despite a late charge from Bell, Logano managed to pass Suarez with six laps remaining, securing his first lap leading the race. He ultimately crossed the finish line ahead of Bell by 0.662s, securing a spot in the final four.
“I focused on the information I was receiving,” Logano explained. “I was going as fast as I could while conserving fuel. I knew I had to pass Suarez quickly. It took longer than I wanted, but we made it in time.”
Joey Logano, Team Penske, Pennzoil Ford Mustang
Photo by: John Harrelson / NKP / Motorsport Images
“The pace evened out as tires wore down. That information gave me confidence. Paul felt sure we would make it on fuel,” Logano added.
Having won the 2022 race at Vegas, Logano is now focused on the NASCAR Cup title. With an advantage going into Phoenix, he is already looking ahead to the next round, emphasizing the importance of the advantage earned.
If Logano succeeds, he will be the first driver to win three titles under this format and just the tenth driver in history with three or more championships.
