MARTINSVILLE, Va: With his longest streak of top 10s at Martinsville Speedway on the line, Joey Logano looked forward to the Cook Out 400 to continue just that and get his first top-10 in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season
The No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford driver would begin his quest for another grandfather clock at the fondly nicknamed “Paperclip” in the seventh position for the beginning of Stage 1.
Pleased with the balance of his Team Penske Ford, Logano told his team, “Balance is ok. Just a little snug. Turn is coming to me as I run here”
Caution on Lap 32 for debris, the team called the Middletown, Connecticut native to pit road but with a strategy call. Taking only two Goodyear tires, fuel, and an air adjustment, Logano returns to the field in eighth place.
Working his way through the rest of the stage and up through the field, the team tells their driver, “Eyes forward. We can win this stage,” and win he did.
Logano would win the first stage earning that coveted playoff point and valuable stage points.
Needing to come to pit road at the end of the stage, Logano knew that he would be in a dogfight to get back to the front in Stage 2.
Pitting for a new set of tires, fuel, and an air adjustment, the team assures him that they will reset here and get back to the front of the field.
Mired in the back of the pack in 29th position, Logano would maneuver his way through the field and up to the 17th place when a mid-stage caution would ruin his drive forward.
Pitting once more and receiving just two tires and fuel, Logano would communicate to the team that it was taking a while for the front to come to him so he could steer.
Ending the second stage in 12th place with an ill-handling racecar, Logano relays to the team that his car was tight firing off in traffic and feels like the tires on the front just don’t turn.
With that being said, the team, once again, brings their driver to pit road for a new set of Goodyear tires, an air pressure adjustment, and fuel.
“We have a shot here. You can pass better than anyone here,” the team encourages Logano as he returns to the field in eighth place.
Moving his way up through the field again, Logano would be the recipient of the caution flag on Lap 318 when the No .19 Chase Briscoe car would get loose and run into him and send his car spinning in turn four.
Once more, Logano would have to start deep in the field in the 25th position, but the determined driver would drive lap by lap and move his way up, spot by spot, to finish his day out.
Finishing the day in the eighth position and extending his streak of top 10 finishes at Martinsville Speedway to 12, more than he has at any other racetrack in the series, was definitely a workout for the Ford driver, but Logano was still pleased with the gains, he made.
Even with his top-10 finish, Logano still seemed disappointed with his run, “It seems like it’s been a typical 2025,” offered Logano.
“A pretty solid car and then something happens. Overall, I feel the guys gave me a really fast Shell | Pennzoil Mustang, one that was possible to win with if we got the track position.”
Content with the first stage run, Logano continued on stating, “We went for that stage win early in the race in Stage 1. I think that was the right call. We got ourselves back in the ballpark there and the long haul was pretty good.”
Unhappy with the way he was involved in the caution in the third stage, Logano lamented, “It was just kind of like a pick them off one at a time kind of thing, and then Ross just sticking it in a tight spot.
“He did it to me on the restart before. I can’t even blame Briscoe for shipping him. I think he got himself in a bind trying to ship him. He just races like a jackass every week and I keep paying the price. I’m sick of paying the price.”
Next up for Joey Logano will be the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Speedway on Sunday, April 6. 2025 at 3:00 pm E.T.
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