Joey Logano Secures First Win Of Season In Dramatic Ally 400 At Nashville

Joey Logano emerged victorious in a thrilling and record-breaking Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway, claiming his first win of the season and securing a spot in the 2024 playoffs. The race, which saw a record five overtime restarts and 31 extra laps, concluded with Logano’s No. 22 Ford Mustang narrowly edging out Spire Motorsports rookie Zane Smith by 0.068 seconds.

The event was marked by a high number of caution flags, 15 in total, and a one-hour, 21-minute red flag for rain and lightning, which only added to the drama. Logano’s Team Penske team made a bold strategic decision to gamble on fuel, keeping their driver out on track for 110 laps on a single tank.

A Tense Finish

Logano, who hails from Middletown, Connecticut, expressed relief and pride in the post-race interview. “I know into (Turn) 3, my fuel light came on, and it stumbled across the line. That was definitely all of it,” Logano told NBC Sports. “So proud of this Shell-Pennzoil Mustang team. It’s been a stressful few weeks trying to get into the playoffs, and being able to win here is huge for our season. Boy, it feels good.”

His crew chief, Paul Wolfe, acknowledged the risk they took. “We just got to the point. … we’ve gotten this far, let’s just stick with it,” Wolfe said. “Fortunately, it was enough, but he did run out on the last lap.”

Logano’s victory burnout in front of the sold-out Nashville crowd was brief, as his Mustang ultimately ran out of fuel. However, the win was a significant milestone, marking Ford’s first victory at the 1.33-mile Nashville track.

Key Moments and Challenges

The race’s scheduled ending featured a fierce battle between pole-winner Denny Hamlin and 2023 Nashville winner Ross Chastain. For 30 laps, Hamlin and Chastain fought for the lead, with Hamlin eventually overtaking Chastain with seven laps remaining. However, Austin Cindric’s spin with four laps left forced the first of five overtimes.

The subsequent overtimes saw multiple incidents, including a collision between Chastain and Kyle Larson, which eliminated Chastain from contention. Hamlin, running low on fuel, was forced to pit, clearing the way for Logano to challenge for the win.

In the fourth overtime restart, Logano lined up alongside Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe, with Zane Smith moving into second place around Briscoe. The final caution for Josh Berry set up the decisive fifth overtime restart, where Logano managed to hold off Smith and other challengers to take the checkered flag.

Final Standings

Following Logano, Zane Smith finished in second place, securing the best Cup Series career finish for the former NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series champion. Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing took third, followed by Stewart-Haas Racing’s Ryan Preece and RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher.

Logano’s Team Penske teammate and reigning series champion Ryan Blaney finished sixth, while 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace, Kyle Larson, Kaulig Racing’s Daniel Hemric, and SHR’s Noah Gragson rounded out the top ten.

Christopher Bell, who dominated early portions of the race by leading 131 of the first 229 laps and winning both opening stages, faced setbacks due to pit strategy and finished 36th.

Looking Ahead

The next race on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule is the Grant Park 165, the main event of the second annual Chicago Street Race Weekend. This highly anticipated street-circuit race is set for Sunday at 4:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on NBC, MRN Radio, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, and the NBC Sports App. The race will feature 75 laps (165 miles) through the streets of Chicago.

Post-race inspection at Nashville Superspeedway found no issues, making Logano’s victory official. NASCAR officials also confirmed that no cars would be sent to the Research & Development Center for further evaluation.