Joey Logano is playoff-bound as soon as once more, main a trio of drivers who began twenty fourth or worse however ended the day with podium finishes at Texas. The pole-sitter wrecked, the skin pole-sitter had an incident on pit highway, and the race actually flew off the rails within the last stage. It was warning after warning with Michael McDowell practically securing a giant win for the underdogs in a dramatic showdown for the win earlier than discovering the wall.
So, who got here out on prime as winners and the losers from the curler coaster journey that was NASCAR Cup at Texas…
WINNER: Logano reveals how a win adjustments every little thing in fashionable NASCAR
Watch: Logano ecstatic after his ‘methodical’ win at Texas
The three-time and defending Cup Sequence champion has had a tough begin to the 2025 season. It took him seven races to even rating a prime ten after which misplaced his solely prime 5 to a post-race disqualification final weekend at Talladega. However all that discuss a post-title stoop has now vanished as Logano escaped the chaos and claimed victory at Texas. Immediately, all these irritating weekends do not matter as he is now considered one of seven drivers locked into the playoffs. What was considered one of his worst season begins is now one other potential run on the Cup for Logano. It additionally continues a powerful streak of Logano profitable at the very least one race yearly, going all the way in which again to 2012.
LOSER: Blaney for willingly giving up observe place
Watch: Ryan Blaney: ‘Cannot do nothing proper at the moment’
I needn’t hammer Ryan Blaney for this choice as he did loads of that himself, however it was surprising when he willingly gave up the entrance row on a late-race restart the place observe place was every little thing. So as to add insult to damage, it was the identical restart the place Michael McDowell (who was at an obstacle with two older left-side tires), snatched the lead away from Kyle Larson. Blaney later lamented his “dumb choice” and mentioned he “cannot do something proper at the moment.” He is now the one Penske driver with out a win this yr, so the strain is on to lastly attain Victory Lane, and hopefully Sunday’s choice does not hang-out him because the season progresses.
WINNER: McDowell places all of it on the road for the underdogs
Michael McDowell crash harm, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Photograph by: Matt Pearce Icon Sportswire Getty Photos
It led to tears, however we now have to offer reward to veteran driver Michael McDowell. He drove his coronary heart out at Texas, taking the lead with a tire drawback after which holding on for the a number of restarts that adopted. He was simply 4 laps away from securing Spire Motorsports its first Cup win in practically six years and solely misplaced the lead after blocking Logano all the way in which to the apron. He actually did every little thing he may and even after shedding the lead, he did not surrender. He stored pushing, which led to him crashing into the skin wall whereas operating third, ending his inspiring run. It was nearly one for the underdogs, however even in defeat, he placed on a present that made him a ‘winner’ this weekend.
LOSER: Hamlin as his spectacular lead lap streak ‘burns’ away
Denny Hamlin
Photograph by: FOX Sports activities
Denny Hamlin entered Talladega with zero DNFs this yr and a series-leading streak of 21 consecutive races the place he completed on the lead lap. That’s extraordinarily spectacular with how chaotic these races might be, however that each one got here to an finish on Sunday and by no fault of his personal. The race began with some miscommunication over code phrases, which left him mired deep within the pack, however that had no influence on what got here later. Hamlin suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure as his automobile went up in flames earlier than the top of Stage 1, leaving him with a last-place end and Toyota scratching their heads over what occurred.
WINNER: Chastain, who stays NASCAR’s restart king
Watch: Chastain feedback on his ‘working-class day’ to complete second
Ross Chastain is likely one of the finest defenders in NASCAR, however greater than that, he’s statistically the very best restarter within the sport. And that was on full show at Texas when a rash of cautions plagued the occasion within the closing laps. Each single restart, he moved ahead, coming from outdoors the highest ten to march inside the highest 5, reaching all the way in which as much as second-place by the point the checkered flag flew. After beginning thirty first and scoring no stage factors, he actually got here out of nowhere on the finish of that one.
LOSER: Hocevar pairs his first profession pole with an avoidable DNF
William Byron, Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, Carson Hocevar, Spire Motorsports Chevrolet
Photograph by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photos
Carson Hocevar’s weekend began on a excessive notice with the primary pole place of his profession. However after main early, he misplaced out on the Stage 1 win when some automobiles on a two-tire technique snatched the lead away. From that time onward, he by no means led once more. It was nonetheless a powerful displaying, however a warning in the course of a green-flag pit cycle left him deep within the pack. And whereas making an attempt to make one thing occur, Hocevar triggered a multi-car crash as he pushed Ryan Preece into the wall. Actually not the top he hoped for, ending twenty fourth and clearly angering Preece
WINNER: Legacy Motor Membership leads the way in which for Toyota with a double T10
Erik Jones, LEGACY MOTOR CLUB Toyota
Photograph by: Sean Gardner / Getty Photos
LMC already has a double prime ten this yr, however that got here on the Daytona 500. Sunday’s result’s the crew’s first-ever double prime ten at a non-drafting observe with Erik Jones ending fifth and John Hunter Nemechek in eighth. Additionally they led the way in which for crew Toyota with the best Joe Gibbs Racing driver in ninth and the best 23XI Racing driver in 14th. That is one thing we hardly ever — if ever — see, so good on them for surviving the chaos.
LOSER: That annoying bump in Flip 4
Maybe extra irritating than the PJ1-stained observe and unusable higher grooves at Texas Motor Speedway is the evil bump in Flip 4. And sure, I name it evil as a result of it does not play by any guidelines. Generally drivers can run over it and be fully superb, whereas different instances the automobiles instantly spin out from below them. That bump claimed just a few extra drivers on Sunday. The primary was Josh Berry, who was main the race and went up there merely looking for a means round a slower, lapped automobile when his personal machine snapped round and slammed the way in which. However in a while, it ruined the day of Kyle Busch, who was battling for second on the time and having his finest run of the yr together with his new 7-Eleven colours. He was confused on the radio when the crew requested what occurred, failing to grasp why the automobile snapped round then however not in earlier laps.
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