Joey Logano made history last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway, as he surged to his highly anticipated 37th career victory in the Wurth 400, officially moving ahead of Brad Keselowski on the all-time NASCAR Cup Series wins list. The 34-year-old reigning champion had gone seven months since his last win, which came at the 2024 Championship Race, sharing the 36-win mark with Keselowski throughout that waiting period. With this latest triumph, Joey Logano now holds a tie for 23rd place on the prestigious all-time race winners list, matched with the legendary Bobby Isaac.
The achievement holds extra significance, given the unique bond between Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, who have not only grown as fierce competitors but also as close friends throughout their parallel NASCAR journeys. Logano expressed deep respect for Keselowski, noting,
“It’s really cool. I respect Brad as a driver a lot. Even more so as a person more than anything. So I consider him a great friend of mine, I don’t think there’s many people I trust as much as I do in Brad.”
The win was especially sweet for Logano because of the wait and anticipation following his last victory. Breaking his own drought, Joey Logano pulled ahead of Keselowski, who claimed his most recent, 36th win at last year’s Goodyear 400. With both drivers still actively competing, the friendly rivalry remains alive, each eager to climb further up NASCAR’s storied ladder of success.
“It’s cool that we go out there and race with each other still, and we’re able to separate what we do on the racetrack and what our families are like,”
Logano reflected.
“We came in at the same time, you know. I always say he was a big part of getting me here to Team Penske. He was the one that told Roger that, you get Joey to drive. I owe a lot to him for saying that.”
The significance of surpassing Brad Keselowski is underscored by the fact that both drivers not only mirror each other in career timelines but have also shaped each other’s paths. For Logano, stepping past Keselowski places him in rarified air among NASCAR legends. Sharing a spot with Bobby Isaac, Logano said,
“Obviously Bobby Isaac is a legend in our sport. Yeah, it’s neat to keep climbing up through the record books. I don’t look at it that often. It’s cool to hear it, so thanks for telling me, but I feel like I still have a ways to go. So I don’t look at it a whole bunch, but racking up stats are cool.”
This season’s first win instantly put Joey Logano back into the championship conversation. As the current Cup Series champion with three titles under his belt, Logano is now eyeing the rare chance to become only the fourth driver in history to capture four series titles, a feat matched by just a handful in NASCAR’s history. Currently holding the ninth spot in the standings, his victory at Texas boosts his momentum as he sets his sights on overtaking front-runners like William Byron and Kyle Larson.
Logano remains mindful of the broader impact stemming from his sustained success:
“You don’t know when your last win is or those type of things, but yeah, it’s neat to rack them up. I always say there’s more important things than just racking wins up. You have to do something with them afterwards and make sure you make an impact in people’s lives the best way you can, but the wins definitely help do that.”
Joey Logano’s latest achievement sends a surge of excitement through the NASCAR community, intensifying both the competition on track and the inspiration off it. As the season moves forward, all eyes will be on whether he can continue to build on this foundation—cementing his place as one of the greats and raising the bar not just for himself, but for every racer who dreams of making NASCAR history.
