A masterful showcase from veteran driver, Joey Logano, was the final stepping stone to conquering the NASCAR Playoffs and earning the NASCAR Cup Series Championship.
On the final restart of the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway, Logano blistered his way through the field with 53 laps to go. The Team Penske No. 22 ripped his way from sixth place past his teammate and fellow Championship contender Ryan Blaney as well as Christopher Bell, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, and finally race leader and Championship leader William Byron to take over the top spot.
Logano would be relentless in defending the lead and claimed the checkered flag and Bill France Cup, marking his third career NASCAR Cup Series title.
“Coleman Pressley, he was telling me where (Blaney) was,” Logano said. “He was up there telling me the best lanes to run. And it’s a balance of putting dirty air on him and running the fastest laps for my Ford. We just got a little too tight there at the end and couldn’t really wrap the bottom as well as I wanted to.
“One-two for Team Penske, three championships in a row since this Next-Gen car (was introduced in 2022). Couldn’t be more proud of everyone at the shop that’s built these things.”
The victory not only marked Logano’s fourth career win at Phoenix Raceway but also his fourth win of the 2024 season and the 36th of his Cup Series career. With now three championships to his credit, Logano ties NASCAR Hall of Famers Lee Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, and Tony Stewart, for 5th all-time in NASCAR Cup Series titles. Only Richard Petty (7), Dale Earnhardt Sr. (7), Jimmie Johnson (7), and Jeff Gordon (4) own more.
It was also a race of farewells as two-time championship-winning team, Stewart-Haas Racing shut the doors on their racing program this offseason. The 2017 Cup Series Champion and 34-time race winner, Martin Truex Jr. also retires from full-time racing. And a move for Arizona’s Michael McDowell as he moves from Front Row Motorsports, where he won the 2021 Daytona 500, to Spire Motorsports in 2025.
The race concluded a four-day Championship finale for NASCAR that included championships for Sean Hingorani in ARCA West, Ty Majeski in the Truck Series, and Justin Allgaier in the Xfinity Series.
NASCAR returns to action with the NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on February 2 and officially begins its season on February 16 with the Daytona 500. NASCAR Championship Weekend will return to Phoenix Raceway in 2025 from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2 but will first welcome NASCAR’s return for the spring race March 7-9.