Joey Logano wins the 2022 Cup Series "Goodyear" 400 at Darlington

 

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    Joey "Smoking Joe" Logano drove the wheels off of his No. 22 Ford Mustang during the 2022 "Goodyear" 400 at Darlington Raceway, on Sunday, May 8th. Whatever tires were left after the checkered flag were completely used up during his race-win celebration burnout, leaving just the rear rims without the Goodyear tires to drive to victory lane.

Logano started from the pole position, gave a hard fight to finish in the same place after 400 miles of chaos. He won a good fight with Kyle Larson for the Stage 1 points, gaining points for later in the post season. Larson would lose his engine later on, ending his day on lap-112. Ross Chastain, who is still on his hot streak of finishes, lead some laps as well today. He won the second stage, adding to his points collection, but would get wrecked late in the going by Denny Hamlin, who was trying to keep the race lead from Chastain and his No. 1 machine. 

There were many comers and goers at the front of the field today. Kyle Busch led some laps before contact with Brad Keselowski screwed up the steering and handling of the No. 18 machine, so Busch ended his day early. Chase Elliott had an up and down day, starting the race in a backup car, ran up the field from the back to the front before trouble exiting pit road, the coming back to finish in the top-5. Veteran Kevin Harvick starting in the back, but worked his way up front before a 4th place finish. 

In the final dozen laps, the top-3 drivers were William Byron, Joey Logano, and Tyler Reddick. Byron appeared to have been checked out with the win just a few laps prior, but then the No. 22 along with Reddick in tow, began to reel in the leader quite fast. With just 5-laps to go, Logano was right up on Byron's bumper, searching for a path around him. Contact between the two were made and then the race for the win was on. Logano shoved his way past the No. 24, again making contact before Byron got into the wall, and fell way back to finish 13th. Logano had already reached the white flag by the time Byron hit the wall, so the race would have ended with the next flag. 

It is worth noting that 9 different teams finished in the top-10 at Darlington Raceway, with Richard Childress Racing sneaking both of their entries inside. For a 5th time of his short NASCAR Cup Series career, Tyler Reddick would finish in the runner-up spot, his highest series finish ever. Justin Haley would squeak into a 3rd place finish for Kaulig Racing.

Here are the complete NASCAR Cup Series race results from Darlington Raceway:

NASCAR.com

 

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