Joey Logano had a triumphant return to fun at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday where he clinched the 34th Cup race-winning trophy of his career. Riding the wave of a push from his Team Penske teammate, Ryan Blaney, during an overtime restart, Logano retained the lead and swooped to victory. Logano, the two-time Cup champion, entered the competition after a temperate regular season where he finished 15th in the standings. However, his victory at the chaotic five-overtime Nashville race secured him a playoff bid. He now doesn’t need to worry about the next two races, save for potentially earning more playoff points.
This is a key victory as the four worst performing, winless drivers will be ousted from the competition in two weeks following the races at Watkins Glen and Bristol. Logano commented post-race that being highly competitive often gets the better of him, but the playoffs seem to bring out his best. Suarez and Blaney followed Logano on the top-3 podium while Christopher Bell and Alex Bowman completed the top-5 finalists.
The most notable players to ascend the standings after this race were Daniel Suarez, Alex Bowman, and Austin Cindric. Suarez, despite finishing second, was disappointed after losing his push from teammate Ross Chastain in the final laps. Bowman earned a 27 point lead after being previously tied at the cutoff point. Similarly, Cindric went from a minuscule two points up to a comfortable 27 points ahead, gathering critical 19 points at Atlanta.
Amongst those who had a forgettable day included the likes of Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., and Ty Gibbs. Larson, who began the race leading the point standings, saw his 40-point cushion reduced to a paltry 15 points after finishing 37th. Truex was caught in an accident and ended the race in 35th position to trail 19 points behind the cutline. Gibbs on the other hand, despite leading the pack with 10 laps to go, slid to 17th following a late restart.
Logano postulated how the wildcard nature of the round has made him strive for an extra gear in every race. The pressure, the prospect of elimination, and the drive to win often spurs him into overdrive, for better or worse. As contentious as it may be, this competitive edge has driven him to a convincing victory in Atlanta against the odds.
Bob Pockrass, an experienced NASCAR analyst with years of coverage, has watched Logano grow from strength to strength. He speculates that the forthcoming rounds will test Logano’s resilience and tenacity in the ultimate quest for the trophy. Having spent years in the field, Pockrass sees Logano as a fiercely competitive racer who consistently finds another gear despite the challenges.
