Joey Logano secured his spot in the next round of NASCAR’s playoffs by claiming victory in the inaugural race at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday in overtime. This was Logano’s 11th race of the season to finish in overtime, tying a record set in 2017. The two-time Cup Series champion is looking to become the only active three-time Cup champion, with Kyle Busch being the only other driver in the playoff field with two Cup titles.
Logano’s Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney finished second in a 1-2 finish for the team and Ford. Blaney supported Logano to hold off Daniel Suarez, who had assistance from his Trackhouse Racing teammate Ross Chastain. The exciting two-lap overtime finish saw Logano and Suarez battling side by side, with their teammates pushing behind them to the front. Despite a strong effort from Suarez and Chastain, Blaney’s final push helped Logano secure the win.
In the race, Christopher Bell from Joe Gibbs Racing came fourth, while Alex Bowman from Hendrick Motorsports finished fifth. The regular-season champion Tyler Reddick from 23XI Racing took the sixth spot, with only two Toyotas finishing in the top 10.
A notable incident occurred when championship points leader Kyle Larson crashed into the wall unexpectedly during the first stage, ending his race. The crash, which also involved fellow playoff driver Chase Briscoe, was described by Larson as one of the hardest hits of his career. Briscoe, who won last week’s regular-season finale, expressed relief at not being seriously injured despite the impact.
Looking ahead, the next race in the playoff schedule will take place at the Watkins Glen road course in New York, where Hendrick Motorsports drivers Chase Elliott, Larson, and William Byron have dominated the track in recent years. Watkins Glen makes its playoff debut next Sunday, with the trio having won the last five races at the circuit since 2018 when it was part of the regular-season schedule.
