Joey Logano wins Phoenix finale for 3rd NASCAR Cup championship in 1-2 finish for Team Penske

AVONDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Eliminated from the playoffs at the end of the second round, Joey Logano received a second chance when another competitor was disqualified.

He pounced on the opportunity.

Logano was added to the round of eight following Alex Bowman's disqualification and immediately went to Las Vegas Motor Speedway to win the third-round opener. It made Logano the first driver locked into Sunday's winner-take-all finale at Phoenix Raceway with three weeks to prepare his Ford for the title run.

He capitalized with his his third NACAR Cup Series championship, using a near-flawless drive to hold off teammate Ryan Blaney and give Team Penske its third major motorsports title in less than a month and third consecutive NASCAR title.

Logano actually called his shot after qualifying second Saturday when he confidently acknowledged it was his Cup Series title to lose.

“Yeah, I do. I feel like our car is strong. We got them down now,” Logano boasted. “We just have to put our foot on their throats. We feel pretty strong about our team, and these type of pressure situations we feel really solid about as far as our team in these moments.”

It may not have been how boss Roger Penske would have phrased it, but it showed the team owner how relentless his team leader can be.

“I might have used different words, but that’s OK," Penske said, “when you win, you can say whatever you want, I guess.”

Logano held off Blaney over the final 20 laps to beat him for the Cup series title by 0.330 seconds. Blaney was trying to become the first back-to-back champion since Jimmie Johnson won five straight from 2006 to 2010.

Instead, Logano became the 10th driver in NASCAR history to win three or more championships. Kyle Busch is the only other active driver with multiple titles.

“I love the playoffs, I love it man,” Logano said. “What a team, what a Penske battle there at the end. Three of them? That's truly special."

It was the first time in Team Penske history the organization finished 1-2 in the championship. And, it came after Penske's sports car team in IMSA won the title last month and his World Endurance Championship team won the title last weekend in Bahrain.

Roger Penske said he worried in the closing laps his two drivers would crash into each other, ending the title hopes for both. He also praised longtime sponsor Shell-Pennzoil, which was on Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden’s car for his victory in May for Penske.

Penske also deferred taking too much of the credit for the team success.

“It’s all about the people,” Penske said. “My name might be on the door, but it’s all about the people who make the difference and we sure have them on this team.”

Blaney was exhausted after the race, and despite his disappointment was thrilled for the Penske organization.

“At least a Penske car won it,” Blaney said. “They put together a great playoffs, and we’re happy. If we’re going to race somebody, I’m happy it was him for the championship, and happy to be 1-2 for Roger, three in a row for Roger, super amazing, and Ford.”

Penske and Ford have won three consecutive Cup Series championships. Logano won in 2022 and Blaney won last year.

“One-two for Team Penske, three championships in a row, can't be more proud of this team,” Logano said. “I don’t know if I’m the best driver but I’ve got the best team. And together, we’re very well-rounded and can show up when it matters the most.”

The finale was winner-take-all to the highest finisher between Logano, Blaney, William Byron in a Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports and Tyler Reddick of the 23XI Racing team owned by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.

Byron finished third in the race and Reddick was sixth. It was Byron's second consecutive appearance in the finale, first for Reddick.

“Makes you hungrier, but also just more experience in what it takes,” said Byron, the Daytona 500 winner. “I feel like this style of track has been tough on us, and we made a lot of strides this year, but still more to go. If we can just kind of inch up on this style of track, I know we’re so good at all the other ones, and we can put it all together.”

Reddick, who had been subdued all week compared to his fellow title contenders, didn't lead a lap and had Jordan pacing behind the pit wall much of the race.

“Michael was just proud of the effort of our team all year long,” Reddick said. “Put up a good fight. We didn't make any mistakes that took ourselves out of it. We fought as hard as we could.”

The four title contenders finished in the top six, with Reddick behind Kyle Larson of Hendrick and Christopher Bell, who led a race-high 143 laps after he was disqualified from the finale last week at Martinsville for a safety violation. Byron took his spot instead, and Bell insisted he had been cheated out of the chance to race for the title.

Logano, a 34-year-old from Connecticut, led 107 laps in the dominating win that Blaney made closer than expected in the final laps.

But, his very presence in the final four was controversial as Logano was eliminated from the playoffs after the second round. He was reinstated before Las Vegas, where he won to give the No. 22 team three weeks to prepare for Phoenix.

“Our team is better under pressure,” Logano said. “The race started in Vegas for us. The amount of work and effort that went into building this race car right here, the amount of time, I don’t think anyone works harder than us. We were up at 6 in the morning this morning going over stuff. The guys just want it bad and I’m glad we delivered."

AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing

Joey Logano celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race for the championship at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Joey Logano celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race for the championship at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Joey Logano celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race for the championship at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Joey Logano celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race for the championship at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Joey Logano celebrates after winning a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race for the championship at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Joey Logano drives during a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Joey Logano does a burnout after winning a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race for the championship at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Joey Logano does a victory lap after winning a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race for the championship at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Tyler Reddick, right, and Ryan Blaney race during a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Tyler Reddick embraces son Beau before a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Ryan Blaney (12) drives during a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Ryan Blaney prepares to get into his car before a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

William Byron drives during a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Joey Logano sits on the pit wall before a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

Joey Logano (22) makes a pit stop during a NASCAR Cup Series Championship auto race at Phoenix Raceway, Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024, in Avondale, Ariz. (AP Photo/John Locher)

RESTON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 26, 2024--

At Peraton, we believe in supporting causes that align with our core values, and teaming up with mission partners for events, like a holiday food drive, provides an exceptional opportunity to raise awareness of those causes. We believe in the power of giving back and are committed to making a meaningful difference in people’s lives. As such, Peraton is proud to partner with the 2024 Go Bowling Military Bowl to make an impact in the Annapolis community to host a food drive benefiting the Marshall Hope Corporation, a local food pantry.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241226180589/en/

“Our corporate citizenship initiatives are driven by our employees and serve as a tangible reflection of the values we hold dear,” said Melody Pleasure, senior director, Corporate Communications & Marketing, Peraton. “The food drive is our way of feeding back into the surrounding community and uniting our mission partners around a cause that truly makes a difference."

Donations will be accepted between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28 at the Peraton tent located inside the blue lot of the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

The food pantry needs nonperishable goods and baby supplies listed below:

For the latest updates, including information on purchasing tickets, visit militarybowl.org.

ABOUT THE MARSHALL HOPE CORPORATION

Founded in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Marshall Hope Corporation was born out of a shared desire to support underserved Hispanic families in Annapolis who were facing job loss and lacked access to government assistance. What began as a small effort to help one family has grown into a vital community resource, delivering food and essential supplies to over 350 households each week. With the help of local businesses, volunteers, and generous donations, the pantry serves hundreds of families by providing fresh groceries, including fruits, vegetables, dairy, and meat. Their mission remains focused on spreading hope in the Annapolis community by providing essential resources and services to vulnerable and underserved families.

ABOUT THE MILITARY BOWL FOUNDATION

The Military Bowl Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates premier events in the National Capital Region to benefit our nation’s service members. Originally formed to create the region’s first-ever college football postseason bowl game, the Foundation now not only runs the Go Bowling Military Bowl but additionally operates the DC Touchdown Club and Patriot Point, a retreat for recovering service members, their families and caregivers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. The Foundation hosts engaging events throughout the year to raise money and awareness for military service members, directly impacting those who give so much of themselves for the country.

ABOUT THE GO BOWLING MILITARY BOWL

The Go BowlingMilitary Bowl is the National Capital Region’s college football postseason bowl game broadcast on ESPN and featuring a matchup between teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference and the American Athletic Conference at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md. Organized by the Military Bowl Foundation, the Bowl’s mission is to benefit our nation’s service members including the operation of Patriot Point, a 294-acre retreat for recovering service members, their families and caregivers on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. For the latest updates, visit militarybowl.org, follow @MilitaryBowl on Twitter and Instagram and Facebook!

About Peraton

Peraton is a next-generation national security company that drives missions of consequence spanning the globe and extending to the farthest reaches of the galaxy. As the world’s leading mission capability integrator and transformative enterprise IT provider, we deliver trusted, highly differentiated solutions and technologies that protect our nation and allies from threats across the digital and physical domains. Peraton supports every branch of the U.S. Armed Forces, and we serve as a valued partner to essential government agencies that sustain our way of life. Every day, our employees do the can’t be done by solving the most daunting challenges facing our customers.

Donations will be accepted between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 28 at the Peraton tent located inside the blue lot in zones 3 and 4. (Photo: Business Wire)