In a battle to the end between two Ford and Team Penske drivers, Joey Logano just outlasted defending champion Ryan Blaney to win the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Championship in Avondale on Sunday night.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Logano beat Blaney, William Byron and Tyler Reddick for the third championship of his career, having won also in 2018 and 2022.
“I love the playoffs, I love it man. What a team, what a Penske battle there at the end. Three of them? That’s truly special,” Logano said to NBC Sports. “What a team to fight through today. We went through a little bit of adversity today throughout the race… I don’t know if I am the best driver but I got the best team and together we are very well-rounded.”
Just when the fans stood on their feet cheering as the race was getting underway, it only took a couple of minutes before the first crash of the race. Right before the racers finished the first lap, Ty Gibbs hit the wall, rebounded and collided even harder at the beginning of the second go-around, ultimately ending his day abruptly.
Chase Elliott was leading until a long break commenced due to something abnormal. A caution and red flag were signaled because the pace car swerved into the sand barrier and entered the pit road on the 69th lap. There was a lengthy stoppage where all of the cars stayed put until the sand was cleaned up.
Christopher Bell, the Shriners Children’s 500 champion in March, led for 143 laps, the most out of any driver.
It was an emotional day for Martin Truex Jr. and his team as this was the last race of his historic career in the No. 19 car. Though he was eliminated from the playoffs after the Round of 16, he accomplished a multitude amount of accolades. like being crowned the 2017 NASCAR Cup Series Regular Season champion and winning 34 races. He placed 18th in the final race.
“It was very cool, a huge honor. I am very humbled to be recognized like that,” Truex Jr. said about the fans and overall experience in his last race. “I am happy, I am celebrating, got a lot to be thankful for and a lot to be proud of.”
While Reddick was outside the top five through at the 100-lap mark and his championship aspirations dwindling, Blaney, Byron, and Logano were neck-and-neck behind Bell. Logano led Stage 1 before Blaney finished in front after Stage 2.
Heading into the pivotal portion of the season on the final stage, Logano added even more drama to the action-packed day by passing Blaney for second place.
Taking advantage of a restart with 54 laps to go, Logano created a gigantic gap between his car and the others until the checkered flag was waved in the air.
In the end, it was a battle to the finish line between Logano and Blainey until Logano came out victorious and won the Bill France Cup in front of a packed Phoenix Raceway. Byron was third, Larson was fourth and Bell wound up in fifth. Getting back into contention in the final stage, Reddick jumped up from 10th to sixth.
“It’s a balance of putting dirty air on him (Blaney) and running the fastest laps in my Ford. It just got a little too tight in the end,” Logano said.
Blaney was trailing Logano by as small as 0.167 seconds over the last 10 laps, and Logano won the race ahead of him by a time of 0.330 seconds apart.
This victory by Logano marks the third straight season in which a Team Penske driver won. Logano won in 2022, Blaney did last year and now Logano again.
Even though he believed he had the car to win, Blaney was disappointed with the result but was at least glad it was a fellow Team Penske member who achieved glory across the finish line.
“At least a Penske car won it. They put together a great playoffs, and we’re happy. If we’re going to race somebody, I’m happy it was him for the championship, and happy to be 1-2 for Roger (Penske), three in a row for Roger, super amazing, and Ford,” Blaney said.
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Reporter Alec Cipollini covers the Phoenix Mercury, Suns and ASU Athletics for Burn City Sports. You can follow him on his X account, @AlecCipollini
