Joey Logano claimed his third NASCAR Cup Championship in an intense showdown at Phoenix Raceway, edging out his Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney to finish the season on top. With this win, Logano has become the first Ford driver to secure three titles and has added to Ford’s growing legacy in NASCAR by delivering their third consecutive Cup Series Drivers Championship. Logano, who previously won the title in 2018 and 2022, now joins an elite group of NASCAR legends who have captured three championships, including Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt.
Reflecting on his victory, Logano credited his ability to anticipate the final restart, which he described as the turning point of the race. “I love the playoffs,” he said. “What a race and what a Team Penske battle there at the end. I had a good restart and was able to get in front of the 12. He had a lot of long-run speed there, and that was all I had to hold him off. We have three of them. That’s really special.”
Logano began the race in a strong second-place position, giving him a strategic edge early on. Winning the first stage and leading the pack for 107 laps overall, he remained close to the front throughout the race. With only 54 laps to go, a crucial pit stop allowed Logano to refuel and grab fresh tires, placing him sixth in line. As the green flag waved, he quickly maneuvered through the pack, passing five cars in a single lap to reclaim the lead.
Ryan Blaney, the defending champion, kept the pressure on as he inched closer to Logano in the final laps, but he ultimately ran out of time. Logano held his ground and crossed the finish line just 0.330 seconds ahead, giving team owner Roger Penske a memorable one-two finish in the championship standings. “The restart was everything,” Logano said. “Getting a good start and getting cleared quickly. The 12 got mired back there a little bit. I knew he was the fastest car. I said, ‘I’ve got to outsmart him and outrace him,’ because I know he’s got speed, and the 22 team did that. They showed up under pressure.”
Ford Performance’s global director, Mark Rushbrook, applauded the achievement, emphasizing the importance of teamwork and strategy that led to Ford’s recent NASCAR success. “We love winning the championship,” Rushbrook said. “I honestly don’t look at the history too much. I just look at the one that’s in front of us and the next one that’s coming up after that. This just keeps building the momentum for our program. We feel like we’ve been working really hard for a really long time to build it, and it’s certainly starting to pay off with the investment in the people and the tools and the partners.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5j5D4YR24UThe 2024 Cup Series Championship is Ford’s 12th overall in NASCAR’s top division and their fourth in the past seven years, underscoring their consistent presence in NASCAR. The partnership between Ford and Team Penske has proven effective, with both Logano and Blaney collectively delivering the four recent titles for Ford.
Ford’s triumph this year also extended to other NASCAR series, as Ty Majeski claimed the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series title just days earlier. Overall, Ford has now won seven out of nine series championships across NASCAR’s top divisions since 2022, showcasing the brand’s impact on motorsports.
