Logano wins in Phoenix, claims 2nd NASCAR title

AVONDALE, Ariz. -- Joey Logano won his 2nd NASCAR title to springiness Roger Penske 2 titles successful the aforesaid play with a triumph successful Sunday's winner-take-all finale astatine Phoenix Raceway.

It was the 4th triumph of the play for Logano, who opened the twelvemonth with a January triumph successful an accumulation contention astatine Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum successful the debut of NASCAR's Next Gen car. Less than a period later, rookie teammate Austin Cindric won the Daytona 500 connected Penske's 85th birthday.

Will Power added the IndyCar title to the Team Penske trophy lawsuit successful September, and Logano's dominating tally Sunday marked the archetypal clip Penske has won the title successful some bid successful the aforesaid season.

"I knew going into this happening that we're going to triumph the championship. I told the guys we were the favourite from Daytona, and we genuinely believed it, and that's the difference," Logano said. "I had a bully squad with a clump of confidence, and we had each the crushed successful the satellite to beryllium confident. I've ne'er been genuinely this acceptable for a title race, and yeah, we did it, man. I can't judge it."

Logano was met aft the triumph by his woman Brittany and 4-year-old lad Hudson, the oldest of his 3 children and lone 1 to marque the travel to Phoenix. Logano took Hudson by the manus and ran up the banking to cod the checkered flag.

His lad skipped backmost down the track, waving the emblem and holding his champion father's hand. Logano had promised Hudson helium would triumph the championship.

"I told him helium was going to conscionable maine retired present erstwhile we won the race, and I couldn't beryllium a liar to my son," said Logano, who besides got to springiness Hudson a thrust wrong the No. 22 Ford to the title stage. "I ever wanted to bash that with Hudson. He's specified a small car guy, truthful it was a peculiar infinitesimal to thrust together."

It is the 3rd Cup title for Penske, who won with Brad Keselowski successful 2012 and Logano's archetypal rubric successful 2018. Logano joined Kyle Busch arsenic the lone progressive drivers with aggregate Cup titles.

Logano won the rod and was ne'er truly challenged Sunday arsenic his Ford led 186 of the 312 laps. He was not the highest moving rubric contender for lone 1 lap.

Ross Chastain finished 3rd successful his title contention debut, and Christopher Bell was 10th. Bell raced hours aft Joe Gibbs Racing learned that vice president Coy Gibbs, lad of the Hall of Fame squad owner, died successful his slumber astatine 49.

"You aftermath up this greeting and you're racing for a championship, you're happy, you're elated, and past your satellite comes crashing down," Bell said aft finishing 10th wide and 3rd among the title contenders. "Whenever you get quality similar that, it decidedly puts it successful position that there's overmuch much to this extracurricular of racing."

Logano, who started his vocation with JGR and spent 5 seasons determination earlier helium was fired aft the 2012 season, gave his regards to the Gibbs household aft the win.

"I don't cognize what to think, but evidently my condolences spell to the Gibbs family," Logano said. "But conscionable an unthinkable time for us, and benignant of mixed emotions astatine the moment."

Chase Elliott was spun by Chastain aboriginal successful the last stage, his Chevrolet deed the wall, and helium was instantly retired of contention. It snapped Hendrick Motorsports' streak of 2 consecutive Cup titles.

NASCAR's astir fashionable operator won a career-high 5 races this twelvemonth and the regular-season championship, but Elliott mislaid his changeable astatine a 2nd rubric erstwhile helium chopped crossed the beforehand of Chastain and Chastain refused to lift. The interaction sent Elliott spinning into the wall. He dropped to 30th and down a thigh during the repairs and finished 28th.