After Roger Penske’s IndyCar drivers secured the top spots at the Indianapolis 500, Joey Logano claimed a $1 million prize by winning NASCAR’s annual all-star race.
Logano, who hasn’t won a regular NASCAR Cup race this season, started the race in the best position and led for 199 of the 200 laps, including using different tire types.
Denny Hamlin was Logano’s toughest competitor, coming close to taking the lead with a risky move during the race. However, Logano managed to stay ahead by a margin of 0.636 seconds at the end.
This victory marks Logano’s second win at the All-Star Race in his NASCAR career.
Logano praised his team’s efforts, saying, “My car was so fast… We executed fantastic pit stops… It’s just so great to get in Victory Lane.”
When asked about using the ‘option’ tire for the whole race, Logano explained, “Well, we did the first 100 laps on it, so why wouldn’t it last the second 100?… it was definitely an aggressive strategy, but it worked out good.”
The race had a dramatic start with a collision between Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch, leading to a confrontation between them after the race.
Chris Buescher finished third, followed by Kyle Larson, who had earlier qualified fifth for the Indy 500, in fourth place, and Ryan Blaney in fifth.
The top 10 included Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain, Chase Elliott, Michael McDowell, and Kyle Busch.
During the race, there were two planned cautions, and Logano was the first off pit road during both. The race was not without its share of drama, with a physical altercation erupting between Busch and Stenhouse after the race.
Despite the challenges and confrontations, Logano emerged as the winner, securing the $1 million prize and celebrating a memorable victory in the all-star race.
