In a tense moment during the NASCAR Cup race at Phoenix, Joey Logano triggered a major restart crash involving several drivers, bringing his own strong run to an abrupt end. The incident unfolded late in the race, with multiple strategies in play and chaos erupting as cars jostled for position, putting the spotlight squarely on Logano’s restart crash and its aftermath.
Multiple Tire Strategies Set Up Turbulent Restart
As the race entered its final hundred laps, three distinct tire strategies split the field. Leading cars continued on worn tires, with rows two and three opting for two new tires each, while Joey Logano, who had started the day on pole, lined up seventh as the first driver on four fresh tires. Lining up just ahead of Logano was Ross Chastain in his #1 Chevrolet.
The race resumed and cars charged into the dogleg—a key section of the Phoenix track—where Logano followed Chastain closely and made contact with Chastain’s Chevrolet. The nudge caused Chastain’s car to fishtail, and a subsequent clip from Logano’s vehicle sent Chastain spinning across the track.
This triggered a multi-car crash as Anthony Alfredo and Austin Cindric, caught with no escape, slammed into the spinning cars and bounced into the outside wall. The #48 Hendrick Chevrolet, this weekend driven by Alfredo as a substitute for Alex Bowman who missed the event due to vertigo, was briefly airborne during the chaos. All the involved cars suffered significant damage, with Bubba Wallace also incurring left-side bodywork harm. Despite heavy damage and losing laps, Chastain managed to stay in the race, though he finished over 25 laps behind.
Logano’s Event Ends in Separate Collision
Although Logano expressed remorse over the initial incident, his race unraveled completely soon after as a close quarters battle led to another crash. While racing aggressively three-wide in the same part of the circuit, Logano tangled with Allmendinger, spun down to the apron, and slid back up the track, collecting Daniel Suarez and Josh Berry in the process. All three were eliminated from the event as a result.
Speaking at the infield care center after being released, Logano said,
“I’m not really 100% sure what happened there,”
—Joey Logano, NASCAR driver. He then recounted the sequence, stating,
“I guess I didn’t realize we were three-wide, but it still seemed like there was some room there. Just ran out of space into (Turn) 1. Just seemed like racing, I guess. It is what it is.”
—Joey Logano, NASCAR driver. Addressing the earlier contact with Chastain, he added,
“I didn’t mean to get Ross there on the restart. I had a run and he kind of went down to the bottom with me and gosh, it’s been a rough day. We had a good Mustang, probably a top three or four car, and it just really hurts to be here.”
—Joey Logano, NASCAR driver.
Other Drivers React to the Wreck
The fallout of the crash extended to others in the field. Austin Cindric, involved in the pileup with Alfredo and others, described the confusion from his seat, recalling,
“A whole lot of cars going right when the cars need to be going left. It’s just a real shame. We had a really fast Ford Mustang.”
He went on,
“We got points in both stages and were in desperate need of a race finish without a crash and we did not get that today. It’s a shame because I felt like we did all the right things throughout the afternoon, so that’s racing. I’m not discouraged by any means. It’s a long season. My team has brought me four fast race cars to start the year.”
—Austin Cindric, NASCAR driver.
Impact on Season and Ongoing Challenges
The crash at Phoenix marks a low point for the Penske team and for Joey Logano, who led the field earlier and looked to be in contention before the incidents. Daniel Suarez and Josh Berry also saw their races cut short through no fault of their own, continuing a trend of unpredictable finishes for several drivers this season. For Alex Bowman, unable to race due to vertigo, the team’s substitute suffered extensive damage, impacting their progression in the season’s early stages.
As NASCAR heads further into the season, the Phoenix race stands out for its record-setting cautions and dramatic turnarounds, with Ryan Blaney emerging for the Penske team despite the turmoil. With multiple contenders now playing catch-up in the standings, attention will remain on Logano and his focus on rebounding after this highly charged, emotional setback during the restart crash at Phoenix.
