AVONDALE, Ariz. — Joey Logano captured his third NASCAR championship on Sunday in a gripping race at Phoenix Raceway, securing Team Penske’s third significant motorsports title within a month.
Logano successfully fended off his teammate Ryan Blaney in the final 20 laps, clinching the Cup Series title by a margin of just 0.330 seconds. Blaney had aimed to make history by becoming the first driver to win back-to-back championships since Jimmie Johnson completed five consecutive wins from 2006 to 2010.
This victory placed Logano in an elite group, marking him as only the 10th driver in NASCAR’s history to achieve three or more championships, while also allowing him to break a tie with fellow driver Kyle Busch as the only active competitors with multiple titles.
“I love the playoffs, I love it man,” Logano expressed enthusiastically. “What a team, what a Penske battle there at the end. Three of them? That’s truly special.”
This accomplishment marked the first time in Team Penske’s history that the organization finished first and second in the championship standings. This achievement followed last month’s title win by Roger Penske’s sports car team in the IMSA series, and the World Endurance Championship title secured last weekend in Bahrain.
“At least a Penske car won it,” Blaney remarked, acknowledging his fatigue at the end of the race.
The championship win contributed to Penske and Ford’s record of three consecutive Cup Series championships, with Logano having won in 2022 and Blaney taking the title last year.
“1-2 for Team Penske, three championships in a row, can’t be more proud of this team,” Logano stated. “I don’t know if I’m the best driver, but I’ve got the best team. Together, we’re a well-rounded group that can rise to the occasion when it really counts.”
The season finale operated on a winner-take-all format, with the top finishers being Logano, Blaney, William Byron from Hendrick Motorsports, and Tyler Reddick from the 23XI Racing team, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.
Byron secured third place in the race, while Reddick finished sixth.
Logano, a 34-year-old native of Connecticut, dominated the race, leading for 107 laps despite Blaney making the final lap contest closer than expected.
However, Logano’s journey to the final four was met with controversy, as he had been eliminated from the playoffs during the second round but was reinstated when Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports faced penalties following a post-race inspection at Charlotte.
Logano was reintroduced into the playoff mix, subsequently winning at Las Vegas Motor Speedway the following week, which locked him into the championship race and provided his team with three weeks to prepare for Phoenix.
“Our team is better under pressure,” Logano noted. “The race actually started for us in Vegas. The effort that went into preparing this car was immense. We were up early this morning to go over everything. The guys had an incredible desire to win, and I’m thrilled we delivered.”