Joey Logano didn’t leave Phoenix Raceway with the trophy Sunday, but he did accomplish something he hadn’t pulled off in more than six years.
The Team Penske driver swept both stages of the Freeway Insurance 500, marking just the third time in his NASCAR Cup Series career that he’s won the opening two stages of the same race.
The last time? August 2020 at Daytona International Speedway.
This is the third time Logano has swept the stages in his career and the first since Daytona in August 2020
It’s a rare accomplishment for the three-time Cup Series champion, who spent much of Sunday’s 312-lap race looking like a legitimate threat to win before ultimately finishing sixth.
And although Tyler Reddick took the checkered flag, Logano walked away with a valuable haul of championship points.
Joey Logano Sweeps NASCAR Stages for First Time Since 2020
Logano started second alongside Team Penske teammate Ryan Blaney, who led the opening 44 laps at Phoenix.
The first caution changed the complexion of the race.
After Michael McDowell and Riley Herbst collided while battling for position, teams faced an early strategy decision on pit road. Several contenders opted for two tires, while Logano’s No. 22 team went with four.
It paid off.
Logano worked his way past Denny Hamlin on Lap 51 and held on to win Stage 1.
The second stage brought another fight for the lead, this time involving Christopher Bell. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver built a sizable advantage before pit strategy helped bring Logano back into contention.
Logano ultimately captured Stage 2 as well, completing the sweep and collecting the maximum 20 stage points available.
According to NASCAR Insights, it was only the third stage sweep of his Cup Series career and his first since Daytona in August 2020.
For a driver with three Cup championships, that’s a surprisingly uncommon achievement.
Logano Falls Short of Phoenix Victory but Gains Valuable Chase Points
Winning both stages didn’t guarantee Logano a trip to Victory Lane.
He led 84 laps Sunday, second only to Bell’s race-high 85, but the final stage played out in Reddick’s favor.
The 23XI Racing driver held off Blaney by 0.801 seconds to win, with Chase Elliott, Bell and Corey Heim completing the top five.
Logano crossed the line sixth.
Still, there was plenty for the No. 22 team to take away from Phoenix.
The stage sweep gave Logano 20 additional championship points before his finishing position was factored in, an especially important boost with the NASCAR Cup Series Chase entering its final three races.
Logano left Phoenix sixth in the standings, 44 points behind championship leader Kyle Larson.
And while a sixth-place finish wasn’t the result he wanted after leading so many laps, Sunday’s performance was another reminder of how dangerous Logano can be when the championship is on the line.
He didn’t win the race. But for the first time in more than six years, he won everything NASCAR had to offer before the final stage.
Joey Logano Pulls Off NASCAR Feat He Hadn’t Accomplished in 6 Years