In a final two-lap scramble that ended with a multicar crash on the frontstretch at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Joey Logano found a way to defend last year’s victory in Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 NASCAR Cup Series race.
Logano sped away after a restart on Lap 266 of 267 and led runner-up Matt DiBenedetto to the finish under caution to win for the second time at Las Vegas, the first time this season and the 24th time in his career, breaking a tie with Ricky Rudd for 35th all-time.
Logano was one of seven lead-lap drivers who stayed out on older tires when Ross Chastain’s spin in Turn 2 brought out the eighth caution of the afternoon on Lap 261. That yellow flag changed the complexion of the race.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished third, the beneficiary of excellent pit strategy by crew chief Brian Pattie. Austin Dillon ran fourth, and Jimmie Johnson came home fifth, the highest finisher among drivers who pitted for fresh tires under the eighth caution. The top-five run was Johnson’s first since he ran third at Daytona in July of last year.
Pumped. ✊@joeylogano | @Team_Penske pic.twitter.com/YtrULtKb3n
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 24, 2020
A ? sure feels good for @joeylogano!
Today’s winner at @LVMotorSpeedway checks in from Victory Lane! pic.twitter.com/ZHtGSXpzGd
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) February 24, 2020
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