Joey Logano was fading late and Workforce Penske teammate Ryan Blaney was closing quick in a dramatic showdown at Phoenix. Blaney battled his manner by the Hendrick Motorsports drivers of Kyle Larson and William Byron earlier than slicing away on the 2.3-second margin to Logano.
He virtually acquired to his again bumper, however by no means acquired fairly there as Logano captured the checkered flag and his third NASCAR Cup Collection title. For Penske, they continue to be undefeated within the present period of NASCAR, profitable the final three titles with the Gen-7 automotive.
“I really like the playoffs,” declared Logano. “I adore it, man. What a race! What a Workforce Penske battle there on the finish. Had an excellent restart and was in a position to get in entrance of the 12. And he had a variety of future 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 staff. To combat by right now, we went by slightly little bit of adversity all through the race.”
“I’ve acquired the most effective staff. I do not know if I am the most effective driver, however I’ve acquired the most effective staff, and collectively we’re very well-rounded and might present up when it issues probably the most. We have got a mentally robust staff that may make issues occur when it issues.”
Joey Logano, Workforce Penske, Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang
Picture by: NASCAR Media
The margin was 0.330s on the end line with Blaney simply lacking out on back-to-back Cup titles. William Byron completed third whereas Tyler Reddick was the bottom of the title combatants in sixth.
The AMR security staff was tended to Blaney after the race and he appeared exhaustion after the combat.
“Yeah, simply worn out actually and simply could not fairly get there,” stated Blaney. “And tried actually onerous to take action, simply restart did not actually work out and simply acquired too distant from me and took me some time to cross a pair guys and simply may by no means get by Joey. Yeah, ran out of time.
“However congrats to him, congrats to the 22 staff … They put collectively an important playoffs, and we’re joyful. If we’ll race someone, I am joyful it was him for the championship, and joyful to be one-two for Roger [Penske, owner], three in a row for Roger, tremendous wonderful, and Ford.
“Simply super-fast, simply did not fairly have sufficient there on the finish. At the least a Penske automotive received it, however heck of a battle. I hope the followers loved it, and hopefully we come again even stronger subsequent yr.”
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports, Axalta Chevrolet Camaro, Joey Logano, Workforce Penske, Shell Pennzoil Ford Mustang, Ryan Blaney, Workforce Penske, Menards/Richmond Water Heaters Ford Mustang, Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, The Beast Unleashed Toyota Camry
Picture by: NASCAR Media
The ultimate stage
Blaney and Logano every took a stage win at Phoenix, however no stage factors are awarded to the Championship 4 drivers. Firstly of the ultimate stage, Reddick made a daring four-wide transfer in a determined try to realize some floor. He made it stick on the skin, however contact was made and it practically resulted in tears. Reddick made contact with Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott, who practically crashed however someway sorted all of it out. The daring transfer vaulted Reddick into the top-five.
What adopted was a prolonged green-flag run with a lot of the leaders pitting with about 75 laps to go. Byron waited, pitting over ten laps later. Nevertheless, the timing could not have been extra excellent as Zane Smith crashed, forcing a warning.
Byron inherited the race lead as the remainder of the sector pitted for recent tires, and he had two Hendrick teammates immediately behind him. Nevertheless, Christopher Bell made fast work of them after raging towards Chevrolet’s race manipulation at Martinsville earlier this weekend. He acquired alongside Byron, battling side-by-side for the lead.
This offered a gap for Logano, who was in a position to cross them each with a three-wide transfer throughout the dogleg. Blaney was not as lucky and acquired bagged 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 monitor, the 2023 champ quickly closed the hole to Logano, however the No. 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 phases when the tempo automotive crashed into the sand barrels on the entrance of pit highway.
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