The “Winner Takes All” NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race took place at Phoenix Raceway Sunday (11/10) and it was Joey Logano that won the race and the 2024 title.
Martin Truex Jr. started the race from the pole position of the race in his final race as a full-time Cup Series driver. Joey started the race from second place on the front row. Martin shot out to the lead with Joey right behind him. There was a single car incident on lap two of the race when Ty Gibbs went hard into the outside wall.
Martin held the lead on the re-start for a few more laps. Joey passed him to take the lead on lap 10. He kept the lead for the next 54 laps which included winning stage one of the race. Joey had a bad pitstop during the caution period that followed the stage end and lost four spots and the lead on pit road. That caution period became a red flag period when the pace car hit the barrels at the end of pit road trying to exit the track for the re-start.
Joey spent stage two adjusting on his car and trying to regain the lost positions on the track. His teammate (and defending 2023 NASCAR Cup Series Champion) Ryan Blaney was able to take over the lead near the end of the stage and was the winner of stage two.
Pit strategy looked as though it could come into play during stage three. Three of the Championship contenders, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney and Tyler Reddick hit pit road around the same time. William Byron remained on the track opting to run longer before pitting. It looked as though the plan might work out when a caution flag came out just after William pitted. The other three cars would go in for fresh tires while William stayed on track to take over the lead. However, when the race restarted it only took six laps for Joey to race forward and regain the lead. William’s car just didn’t have the speed it needed to stay out front.
Ryan Blaney was able to race forward to second place. He cut into Joey’s lead and was able to get on his rear bumper with just a few laps remaining. Joey was able to block any attempt by his teammate at a pass. He held the lead for the final 53 laps to win the race and the championship.
This was Joey’s third win in the 2024 NASCAR Playoffs, fourth win of the season, fourth Cup Series win at Phoenix Raceway and 36th career win in NASCAR’s top division. The bigger result was that Joey is now the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series Champion. He now has three Cup Series Championships, two in the past three years. His first came in 2018. His win also gives Team Penske their third driver’s Cup Series Championship in a row and a total of five for the team.
See the complete race results for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship Race at Phoenix Raceway here.
See the final point standings for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series here.
The drivers and teams now have the off-season to prepare for the NASCAR Clash at Bowman Gray (February 2, 2025) and Daytona Speedweeks that include the Duels at Daytona (February 13, 2025) and the Daytona 500 (February 16, 2025).
By: Buck Stevens
