Joey Logano held off a late cost from Team Penske team-mate Ryan Blaney to win a dramatic season finale at Phoenix and develop into a three-time NASCAR Cup champion.
Reigning champion Blaney discovered himself 2.3 seconds down on Logano coming into the closing levels having battled previous Hendrick Motorsports’ Kyle Larson and William Byron however regardless of slashing the deficit, he by no means bought shut sufficient as Logano took the chequered flag.
The consequence means Group Penske has gained all three NASCAR Cup titles for the reason that arrival of the Gen-7 automotive in 2022.
“I really like the playoffs,” mentioned Logano. “I adore it, man. What a race! What a Group Penske battle there on the finish. I had a very good restart and was in a position to get in entrance of the #12 [Blaney]. He had numerous long-run velocity there, and it was all I had there to carry him off.
“Man, three of them, that is actually particular to get that. What a group. To battle by way of right now, we went by way of a bit little bit of adversity all through the race.
“I’ve bought the most effective group. I do not know if I am the most effective driver, however I’ve bought the most effective group, and collectively we’re very well-rounded and might present up when it issues probably the most. We have a mentally powerful group that may make issues occur when it issues.”
Joey Logano, Group Penske, Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang
Picture by: NASCAR Media
Blaney finally completed 0.33s adrift on the end, with Byron third and the bottom of the Championship 4, Tyler Reddick, ending in sixth.
Blaney, who appeared exhausted, was tended to by the AMR security group after the race and he mentioned: “Just worn out actually and simply could not fairly get there and tried actually exhausting to take action, simply the restart did not actually work out and [Logano] simply bought too distant from me and took me some time to move a pair guys and simply may by no means get by Joey. I ran out of time.
“However congrats to him, congrats to the #22 group. They put collectively a terrific playoffs, and we’re pleased. If we will race any person, I am pleased it was him for the championship, and pleased to be one-two for Roger [Penske, owner], three in a row for Roger, tremendous superb, and Ford.
“Simply super-fast, simply did not fairly have sufficient there on the finish. A minimum of a Penske automotive gained it, however a heck of a battle. I hope the followers loved it, and hopefully we come again even stronger subsequent yr.”
The ultimate stage
With no stage factors handed out within the finale, Blaney and Logano’s stage wins had been largely irrelevant.
In the beginning of the essential last stage, Reddick made a determined bid to achieve floor by making an attempt to go four-wide on the restart. Across the outdoors, he made the transfer stick earlier than contact was made with Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott – the trio by some means popping out the opposite facet unscathed.
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, Joey Logano, Group Penske, Ryan Blaney, Group Penske, Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing
Picture by: NASCAR Media
A prolonged green-flag interval adopted, leaving racing velocity pitstops for many of the leaders with round 75 laps remaining.
Byron bided his time, nevertheless, and hit pitroad over 10 laps later – the timing excellent as Zane Smith compelled a warning by crashing.
This left Byron within the lead because the others once more pitted for recent tyres, together with his two Hendrick team-mate behind. However Christopher Bell, offended over the race manipulation controversy at Martinsville per week prior, made quick work of them to go side-by-side for the lead.
This offered a gap for Logano, who was in a position to move them each with a three-wide transfer throughout the Flip 1 dogleg. Blaney was not as lucky and bought slowed down in visitors. It took him some time, however lastly fought his manner round Larson with 35 laps to go and Byron with 22 laps left.
Clearly the quickest automotive on observe, the 2023 champion quickly closed the hole to Logano, however the #22 defended masterfully to maintain him at bay.
The race, whereas somewhat tame, was additionally briefly halted by a weird incident between the primary two levels when the tempo automotive crashed into the sand barrels on the entrance of pit street.
The Toyota Camry was herding the sphere prepared for the beginning of the second stage when the motive force misjudged the entry to the pits.
It turned abruptly in the direction of the pits, simply in entrance of then-leader Elliott, earlier than hitting the sand barrels firstly of the pitwall while spinning sideways. This triggered a purple flag interval as clean-up work started to clear the sand and particles.