Joey Logano returned to Victory Lane in dramatic fashion Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway, stealing the lead with just seven laps remaining and holding off a hard-charging Ross Chastain in overtime. Logano’s win in the Würth 400 presented by Liqui Moly marked his first victory of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season and capped off a strong two-week run for Team Penske, following Austin Cindric’s win at Talladega. The 1.5-mile track delivered high drama, heartbreak, and a crucial shakeup in the standings with Kansas up next.
Late-Race Pass Secures Joey Logano’s 37th Career Win
It was a redemption run for Joey Logano, who had been disqualified just one week earlier after a top-five run at Talladega was erased due to a loose spoiler bracket. Starting deep in the field in 27th, Logano methodically climbed the leaderboard with sharp pit strategy and consistent pace. The final laps brought chaos, as Michael McDowell—who had led since Lap 245—found himself on the wrong end of a game-changing pass.
On Lap 264, Logano pulled low on the backstretch and executed a clean pass after McDowell’s defensive block attempt fell short. Just one lap later, McDowell got caught in the dirty air behind Ryan Blaney, lost control, and slammed into the Turn 2 wall. His day ended in 26th, a devastating finish for a driver who had been eyeing his first Cup win of the season.
“Sorry, boys, I tried,” McDowell said over the radio, clearly disappointed but composed after the incident.
With the race extended into overtime, Logano had to hold off Chastain and Blaney during a final two-lap shootout. Once the green flag dropped, the No. 22 Ford rocketed ahead, clearing Blaney out of Turn 2 while Chastain darted into second. Logano never looked back, cruising to his second career win at Texas and ending a frustrating stretch of missed opportunities.
Team Penske Power Surges While McDowell Crashes Out
Team Penske flexed its muscle again in Texas. With Logano winning and Blaney finishing third, the organization secured back-to-back Cup victories and signaled its intent to dominate the summer stretch. Logano, in particular, was emotional after finally delivering a win with longtime sponsor AAA Insurance.
“The sport changes so quickly,” Logano said post-race. “It’s crazy how you can just ride these rollercoasters. I’m just proud of the team. Finally got AAA Insurance into Victory Lane. They’ve been a partner of mine since I joined Penske—13, 14 years—and I’ve yet to win with them. It was awesome to get that done here.”
Logano credited his team’s calm approach and his car’s raw speed for the climb from the back of the field. Despite qualifying poorly, his pit crew managed tight pit stall conditions with sharp stops, and Logano picked off drivers one by one.
“Slowly, methodically, a couple at a time,” he said. “We had a really tough pit stall situation. The pit crew did a good job managing that. The car was fast. I knew that yesterday. We just did a poor job qualifying. Just grinded it.”
McDowell’s heartbreak served as a reminder of how quickly fortunes can change in NASCAR. After leading 19 laps and withstanding two late-race restarts, he appeared poised for a career-defining moment. Instead, he left Texas empty-handed after one of the most painful crashes of his season.
Top-10 Finishers and Standout Performances
Ross Chastain had a strong showing, finishing second after starting mid-pack and making his move in overtime. Ryan Blaney was consistent all afternoon and came home third, helping Penske’s day even further. Kyle Larson finished fourth, while Erik Jones completed the top five—both drivers continuing solid spring runs.
| Pos | No | Driver |
| 1 | 22 | Joey Logano |
| 2 | 1 | Ross Chastain |
| 3 | 12 | Ryan Blaney |
| 4 | 5 | Kyle Larson |
| 5 | 43 | Erik Jones |
| 6 | 47 | |
| 7 | 3 | Austin Dillon |
| 8 | 42 | |
| 9 | 20 | Christopher Bell |
| 10 | 99 | Daniel Suarez |
| 11 | 34 | Todd Gilliland |
| 12 | 10 | Ty Dillon |
| 13 | 24 | William Byron |
| 14 | 35 | Riley Herbst |
| 15 | 7 | Justin Haley |
| 16 | 9 | Chase Elliott |
| 17 | 38 | Zane Smith |
| 18 | 17 | Chris Buescher |
| 19 | 41 | Cole Custer |
| 20 | 8 | Kyle Busch |
| 21 | 45 | Tyler Reddick |
| 22 | 88 | |
| 23 | 54 | Ty Gibbs |
| 24 | 77 | Carson Hocevar |
| 25 | 2 | Austin Cindric |
| 26 | 71 |
Michael McDowell
|
| 27 | 19 | Chase Briscoe |
| 28 | 6 | |
| 29 | 60 | Ryan Preece |
| 30 | 51 | Cody Ware |
| 31 | 62 | Jesse Love |
| 32 | 21 | Josh Berry |
| 33 | 23 | Bubba Wallace |
| 34 | 4 | Noah Gragson |
| 35 | 48 | Alex Bowman |
| 36 | 16 | AJ Allmendinger |
| 37 | 66 | Chad Finchum |
| 38 | 11 | Denny Hamlin |
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. placed sixth, followed by Austin Dillon, John Hunter Nemechek, Christopher Bell, and Daniel Suárez to round out the top ten. Notable mid-pack runs included William Byron in 13th, Chase Elliott in 16th, and Kyle Busch in 20th. Ty Gibbs was 23rd, and rookie Shane van Gisbergen finished 22nd, continuing his adjustment to full-time NASCAR racing.
The back end of the field included several early exits. Denny Hamlin retired after just 73 laps. Bubba Wallace, Alex Bowman, and AJ Allmendinger were also involved in incidents that ended their day prematurely. Only 24 of the 38 starters finished on the lead lap, and the race featured multiple cautions that shuffled the field repeatedly.
News in Brief: NASCAR Texas Cup race results
Joey Logano’s win at Texas was more than just another notch in the victory column—it was a momentum reset after weeks of frustration. With McDowell’s heartbreak, Penske’s rise, and a field full of hard-chargers, the Würth 400 delivered a complete showcase of what makes NASCAR unpredictable and thrilling. As the series heads to Kansas, all eyes will be on whether Logano can build on this performance and whether McDowell can rebound from a brutal loss.
ALSO READ: Top to Bottom: Complete 2025 Würth 400 Starting Lineup at Texas Motor Speedway
