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Joey Logano led 73 laps at Phoenix Raceway before two late incidents ended his race.
For much of Sunday’s NASCAR race at Phoenix Raceway, it looked like Joey Logano might be headed toward one of the strongest runs of his season.
The Team Penske driver started from the pole, led 73 laps and ran comfortably inside the top 10 for the majority of the race. Logano also finished third in both Stage 1 and Stage 2, putting together one of the most competitive overall performances in the field.
Then, in a matter of laps, everything unraveled.
Two separate incidents, both involving the three-time Cup Series champion, turned what had been shaping up as a potential victory into a 31st-place finish that didn’t reflect the speed he showed all afternoon
Yet the real takeaway from Phoenix may not be the wrecks. It may be the speed.
And that could make the timing of the next race especially interesting.
Las Vegas Motor Speedway has long been one of Logano’s best tracks, and it arrives immediately after a race that showed just how competitive the No. 22 team can be when everything clicks.
Logano Had a Race-Winning Car at Phoenix
Phoenix was shaping up to be a strong day for Logano from the moment the green flag dropped.
Starting first after winning the pole, Logano quickly established himself as one of the drivers to beat. He led 73 laps and consistently ran near the front of the field, rarely falling outside the top 10. By the time the race reached its midpoint, Logano had already collected valuable stage points with third-place finishes in both of the opening stages.
Statistically, it was the kind of performance that often produces a win.
Logano’s average running position of 8.29 reflected how consistently the No. 22 Ford ran near the front throughout the afternoon. Even as the race evolved through pit cycles and restarts, Logano remained in position to contend.
But two moments late in the race ultimately changed the outcome.
The first came on Lap 217 during a restart when Logano made contact with Ross Chastain entering the corner. The contact sent Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet spinning into Anthony Alfredo and Austin Cindric, triggering a crash that reshuffled the field.
Logano continued racing afterward, but a second mistake proved far more costly.
On Lap 254, Logano attempted to merge back onto the racing surface from the dogleg apron. His car slid into the side of AJ Allmendinger, sending the No. 22 Ford spinning into traffic and collecting multiple cars in the crash. The damage ended Logano’s race and left him with a finish that didn’t reflect how competitive he had been earlier in the afternoon.
Still, Phoenix revealed something important about Logano’s team: the speed is clearly there.
Las Vegas Has Historically Been One of Logano’s Best Tracks
If Logano is looking for a place to quickly move past the frustration of Phoenix, Las Vegas Motor Speedway may be exactly that track.
Few active drivers have been as successful there.
Logano has four career NASCAR Cup Series wins at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, including playoff victories in 2022 and 2024 that helped propel him to eventual championships.
His recent consistency at the track is just as impressive. Logano has one win and three top-10 finishes in his last four starts at Las Vegas, making it one of the most reliable venues on the schedule for the No. 22 team.
The 1.5-mile intermediate track has historically played to the strengths of both Logano’s aggressive driving style and the setups developed by Team Penske on similar ovals.
That combination is why the upcoming race carries an interesting narrative.
Phoenix showed that Logano still has the speed to run at the front and lead races. The results simply didn’t follow.
Las Vegas, however, has repeatedly been a place where Logano turns raw speed into trophies. And after what unfolded at Phoenix, it may offer the perfect opportunity to prove it again.
Maggie MacKenzie Maggie MacKenzie covers NASCAR for Heavy.com. She previously worked for NASCAR.com, where she reported, wrote, and edited race-weekend coverage and traveled to key events throughout the season. She has more than ten years of experience in sports media and is based in Boston, Massachusetts. More about Maggie MacKenzie
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