Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, crosses the finish line under caution to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 25, 2015 Photo – Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 25, 2015 Photo – Chris Graythen/Getty Images
Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 25, 2015 Photo – Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 25, 2015 Photo – Daniel Shirey/Getty Images
Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, poses with the winner’s decal in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 25, 2015 Photo – Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images
Through no fault of his own, Joey Logano may have achieved the most unpopular sweep in NASCAR history on Sunday afternoon.
Why? Because his victory in the CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway knocked Dale Earnhardt Jr. out of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup—by a matter of inches.
When NASCAR threw the third caution of the race moments after the first bona fide attempt at a green-white-checkered-flag restart on lap 195—with Kevin Harvick’s engine turning sour and cars wrecking behind him—Logano was inches ahead Earnhardt. Continue reading →
If the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup is a stage, then Joey Logano is its leading man.
Logano has proven ‘the moment’ isn’t too big for him.
A year after posting the best average finish during the 2014 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup (6.4), Logano has won the first two races of the 2015 Contender Round and is the only driver guaranteed to advance to the Eliminator 8 Round heading into Sunday’s CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. His average finish in the Chase this year – 4.2. For context, the best average finish through an entire Chase was Carl Edwards’ 4.9, set during the last ten races of 2011.
On the season, Logano has tied his career-best total in wins and has set career highs in top-fives with 19, top-tens with 25 and Coors Light Pole Awards with five. His win at Kansas marked the first time in his career he’s recorded consecutive victories.
Logano noted how nice it is to relax going into Talladega, but the next round presents challenges. Continue reading →
Logano Advances to Eliminator 8 Round with Win at Charlotte
Joey Logano led 227-of-334 laps on his way to Victory Lane in Sunday’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway to become the first driver to advance to the Eliminator 8 Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
The No. 22 Ford driver becomes a member of the Eliminator 8 by winning the Contender Round opener for the second straight season. Last year, he won the first Contender Round race at Kansas Speedway – the site of Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400. In 12 starts at Kansas, Logano owns one win, four top-fives and four top-tens. He has logged a top-five showing in his last four starts at the 1.5-mile track.
Logano’s checkered flag was his first at Charlotte. His previous best Queen City finish was third in 2011.
On the season, Logano ranks tied with Kevin Harvick for the Sprint Cup Series lead in top-tens with 24. His five Coors Light Pole Awards are the most in the series. Continue reading →
Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, leads a pack of cars during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 11, 2015 Photo – Josh Hedges/Getty Images
Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, races Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 M&M’s Pretty In Pink Foundation Toyota, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 11, 2015 Photo – Josh Hedges/Getty Images
Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, and Kyle Larson, driver of the #42 Target Plaid Chevrolet, lead the field to a restart during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 11, 2015 Photo – Streeter Lecka/Getty Images
Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, races to the checkered flag to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 11, 2015 Photo – Robert Laberge/Getty Images
Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates with a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 11, 2015 Photo – Robert Laberge/Getty Images
Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on October 11, 2015 Photo – Jerry Markland/Getty Images
Congratulations, Joey Logano. You just drew the first get-out-of jail-free card for Talladega.
With a dominating victory in Sunday’s rain-delayed Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, Logano punched an early bird ticket to the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
Now Logano can take a carefree trip to unpredictable Talladega two weeks hence. The same can’t be said for three of the sports superstars. Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch all had major issues at Charlotte and will have to rebound in the remaining two races of the Contender Round to keep their title hopes alive.
Logano’s No. 22 Team Penske Ford led 227 of the 334 laps and crossed the finish line 0.703 seconds ahead of Kevin Harvick, who posted his 11th runner-up finish of the season to go with three victories.
The win was Logano’s fourth of the season, his first at Charlotte and the 12th of his career. Most important, however, was the free pass into the Eliminator Round. Continue reading →
