Joey Logano, aiming for a victory at his hometown event, settled for fourth place at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway but viewed the outcome as a positive step forward. The Penske driver, who earned the pole position, led 147 laps and commanded the race early, with his performance reflecting steady competitiveness despite falling short of a win.
Race Progress and Key Moments on the Track
The race featured a dominant presence from Ford drivers, with Logano, Ryan Blaney, and Josh Berry closely contending in a 1-2-3 formation before Blaney moved ahead on Lap 53. Blaney narrowly avoided a spinning Cody Ware to secure Stage 1, marking his eighth stage victory of the season. Logano kept pace in the following stages, capturing the Stage 2 win ahead of Kyle Larson, William Byron, Blaney, and Carson Hocevar. However, a late pit road error prevented Logano from overtaking Blaney, allowing Berry to gain a lead position.
Playoff Implications and Team Dynamics
Logano finished just behind his teammate Blaney, Berry, and Byron in fourth place, but his weekend effort boosted him to sixth in the playoff standings, up by 24 points and safely above the playoff cutline. Reflecting on the race, Logano said,
“At moments, the #12 was the fastest car, and the #21 was super solid with them. We were just kind of that next tier, and you did a good job getting a stage win, finished second in the first stage, getting the pole today. Like it’s hard to look at the weekend and say it was a failure.”
He further acknowledged the mixed emotions of competing at home:
“It’s just when you’re home, you just want to win… But when you look at our playoff run, I think we’re plus 24 after this week. So, that’s great. Kind of makes up some of the playoff point deficit that we have going into the weekend. So, overall, you’ve got to be happy about that. Just so close to a win, but overall proud of the team.”
Team Progress and Future Challenges
Logano highlighted that running three consecutive top-five finishes, collecting 52 points over the weekend, and leading many laps indicate momentum for the No. 22 team. He praised the pit crew’s flawless execution, emphasizing that the entire team contributed effectively. Still, he stressed the need to find additional speed, especially as Blaney’s car frequently had the advantage, suggesting the team must focus on reducing this gap moving forward.
