Joey Logano wins Phoenix finale for 3rd NASCAR Cup championship in 1-2 finish for Team Penske

Joey Loga won his third NACAR championship on Sunday with a relentless drive at Phoenix Raceway that gave Team Penske its third major motorsports title in less than a month.

Loga held off Penske teammate Ryan Blaney over final 20 laps to beat him to Cup Series title by 0.330 seconds. Blaney was trying to become first back-to-back champion since Jimmie Johnson won five straight from 2006 to 2010.

Inste, Loga became 10th driver in NASCAR history to win three or more championships and broke a tie with Kyle Busch as only active drivers with multiple titles.

“I love playoffs, I love it man,” Loga said. “What a team, what a Penske battle re at end. Three of m? That's truly special."

It was first time in Team Penske history organization finished 1-2 in championship. And, it came after Roger Penske's sports car team in IMSA won title last month and his World Endurance Championship team won title last weekend in Bahrain.

“At least a Penske car won it,” said Blaney, who mitted to be “worn out” at end of race.

It also gave Penske and Ford three consecutive Cup Series championships. Loga won in 2022 and Blaney won last year.

“1-2 for Team Penske, three championships in a row, can't be more proud of this team,” Loga said. “I don’t kw if I’m best driver but I’ve got best team. And toger, we’re very well-rounded and can show up when it matters most.”

finale was winner-take-all to highest finisher between Loga, Blaney, William Byron in a Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports and Tyler Reddick of 23XI Racing team owned by NBA Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin.

Byron finished third in race and Reddick was sixth.

Loga, a 34-year-old Connecticut native, led 107 laps in dominating win that Blaney me closer than expected in final laps.

But, his very presence in final four was controversial as Loga was eliminated from playoffs after second round only to be reinstated when Alex Bowman of Hendrick Motorsports failed post-race inspection at Charlotte.

Loga was put back in field of eight, went to Las Vegas Motor Speedway next week and won to become first driver locked into championship race. It gave his . 22 team three weeks to prepare for Phoenix.

“Our team is better under pressure,” Loga said. “ race started in Vegas for us. amount of work and effort that went into building this race car right here, amount of time, I don’t think anyone works harder than us. We were up at 6 in morning this morning going over stuff. guys just want it b and I’m gl we delivered."