Who Won the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at Texas Motor Speedway?

The 2022 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs roared into Texas Motor Speedway this past weekend for a critical middle race in the Round of 8. With championship hopes on the line, an action-packed battle ensued on the 1.5 mile quad-oval track. When the checkered flag flew after 334 laps, it was veteran Joey Logano who conquered Texas Motor Speedway and scored a momentum-building playoff win.

All About NASCAR‘s Texas Motor Speedway Playoff Race

Texas Motor Speedway, located in Fort Worth, TX, has hosted NASCAR Cup Series racing since 1997. The intermediate 1.5 mile oval is known for its variable banking in the turns, which allows for side-by-side racing and passing through multiple grooves. With 333 laps covering 501 miles, Texas has been a playoff fixture for decades and is often a pivotal race in the championship picture.

This past Sunday‘s race was the 34th Cup Series event at Texas and the second playoff race in the three-race Round of 8. Coming off a wild race at Charlotte, the playoff standings were tightened heading into the Lone Star State. Texas offered an opportunity for contenders to lock up spots in the Championship 4 finale, while others faced potential elimination if they didn‘t perform.

Starting Grid and Qualifying Notes

The starting lineup was set by NASCAR‘s qualifying metric based on race, owner points and lap times. Here‘s a look at how the top drivers lined up:

Notable playoff drivers included Ross Chastain starting 9th, Daniel Suarez 10th, Kyle Larson 12th and Chase Briscoe starting 11th.

Based on practice speeds, Hendrick Motorsports teammates Elliott and Byron were expected to be strong contenders starting from the front row. Logano and his #22 team also showed strength in practice and appeared to have a fast Ford.

Recapping the Exciting Race Action from Texas

When the green flag dropped, Elliott and Byron battled hard for the top spot before Byron cleared his teammate to officially lead Lap 1. The two Hendrick cars paced the field for the opening laps, swapping the lead back and forth.

The first stage saw intense battles between Byron, Logano, Blaney, Hamlin and others as they exchanged the top position multiple times. After leading a race-high 36 laps in the stage, Ryan Blaney went on to narrowly win Stage 1 under caution as mistakes on pit road cost Logano and Byron.

Stage 1 Top 10:

In the second 120 lap stage, Logano assumed command. He drove his #22 Ford to the lead on lap 128 and then proceeded to lead a commanding 105 laps in the segment. Logano managed his lead through several restarts to earn the Stage 2 win under caution for the 17th stage win of 2022.

Stage 2 Top 10:

In the final 114 lap shootout, Logano remained dominant. He continued to hold off all challengers, again showing a knack for getting through lapped traffic and restarts cleanly. A wreck with 5 laps left brought out a red flag and setup an overtime finish, but Logano prevailed to drive his #22 Ford into victory lane once again.

Logano‘s Win Secures Spot in Championship 4

The Texas win automatically locks Joey Logano into the Championship 4 round at Phoenix in two weeks alongside previous winner Chase Elliott. Logano won the second race in the Round of 8 which advances him regardless of next week‘s outcome.

”This is a huge win for us to lock in and take all the pressure off next week," said a jubilant Logano in victory lane. "My team executed perfectly all day and we had an awesome Shell/Pennzoil Ford. We‘re ready for Phoenix to race for another championship.”

This marks Logano‘s third win of 2022 and the 29th of his Cup Series career. The 32-year-old is now a 4-time winner at Texas Motor Speedway over his tenure.

Diving Into the Stats Behind Logano‘s Texas Win

Here‘s a deeper look at just how dominant Joey Logano‘s performance was en route to victory:

• Laps Led: Logano led a race-high 116 of 334 laps on the day.
• Stage Wins: Logano swept both Stage 1 and Stage 2 wins, his 6th and 7th stage wins of 2022.
• Average Speed: Logano‘s average speed was 144.869 mph around the 1.5 mile Texas oval.
• Margin of Victory: Logano beat 2nd place by 1.285 seconds at the finish.
• Playoff Points: Logano‘s Texas win earns him an automatic berth in the Championship 4 as well as 5 additional playoff points.

This statistical dominance underscored the strength of both Logano and the #22 team all day at Texas. Crew chief Paul Wolfe made the right adjustments while pit stops were flawless, giving Logano the track position and handling he needed late.

“We unloaded with speed, won both stages and led the most laps," said Wolfe. "You couldn‘t ask for much more than that. This team stepped up on a big playoff weekend."

Spotlight On Other Notable Playoff Drivers at Texas

While Logano was the class of the field, here‘s a look at how other playoff contenders fared at Texas:

• Christopher Bell (2nd) – Bell scored his second straight runner-up and regained the points lead on a tiebreaker. A resilient day after an engine change.
• Ross Chastain (3rd) – Chastain overcame his poor starting spot for a critical podium finish to remain in the playoff hunt.
• Chase Briscoe (9th) – Briscoe hung around the top 10 but it wasn‘t enough to avoid playoff elimination.
• Denny Hamlin (10th) – An unlucky pit stop foiled Hamlin‘s run and his championship hopes ended.
• Daniel Suarez (12th) – A tough day for Suarez after contact with Bubba Wallace ended his title bid.

Full Texas Race Results and Standings

Here‘s a look at the full finishing order behind race winner Joey Logano at Texas:

With the Round of 8 now two-thirds complete, the current playoff standings heading to Martinsville are:

Looking Ahead to the Martinsville Playoff Race

The NASCAR playoffs now head to the short track at Martinsville Speedway next weekend where the final spot in the Championship 4 will be determined. With Joey Logano and Chase Elliott already locked in, the battle is down to Ross Chastain, William Byron and Ryan Blaney fighting it out for the last position.

Based on his Texas win, Logano can approach Martinsville with no pressure as he tries to build momentum before going for another title. For Chastain, Byron and Blaney, it will be a dogfight on the short track as they try to keep their title dreams alive.

After an exciting playoff race in Texas, the stakes are higher than ever as the Cup Series heads towards its ultimate finale.