Joey Logano wins in Nashville for the first time this year in the Cup Series

LEBANON, Tenn. – Joey Logano felt like he couldn’t reach the finish line fast enough because his No. 22 Ford was sputtering and almost out of gas.

First, he had to keep the driver with the fastest car at bay to win the rain-delayed race that seemed to never end in the fifth overtime period, a record in the NASCAR Cup Series, at the Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday night.

With a group of pursuers breathing down his neck, Logano knew he had to make one final push to block Tyler Reddick in Turn 4. Then Logano went crazy after crossing the finish line first in the Ally 400.

“As close as you can get, for sure,” Logano said of using up almost every last drop of fuel.

Logano was able to fend off Reddick’s charge in Turn 1 on the final lap and again in Turn 4. He then beat Zane Smith, Reddick, Ryan Preece and Chris Buescher in the race that had started nearly six hours earlier and lasted 31 laps longer than the scheduled 300.

The fuel light in Logano’s Ford came on in Turn 3 after the engine sputtered on the backstretch, and Logano — who drove the final 110 laps of the 1.33-mile concrete oval without stopping — said he stumbled across the finish line. All the caution laps helped preserve a tank that should last 85 laps at best.

“This is definitely a much-needed win,” said a smiling and relieved Logano about his first win of the year and the 33rd of his career.

As if the finish wasn’t exciting enough, the chaos continued. Chase Briscoe ran out of gas. Daniel Suarez and Martin Truex Jr. collided, sending Truex into the wall. Chase Elliott spun out in turn 4 and landed in the grass.

Smith was not happy with his second-place finish, but said he wouldn’t do anything differently after the rookie’s best Cup finish.

“I felt like I picked the right lane, and it’s crazy how much different these cars drive with clean air,” Smith said. “I’m just proud of our strategy there.”

Reddick was angry with himself on pit road, convinced that he had missed out on his second win of the year.

“All the good cars ran out of gas and we were able to pass the 22,” Reddick said of Logano. “He was not good all day and I didn’t do my job.”

Denny Hamlin, who started from the pole and took the lead with seven laps to go, was two laps away from victory when Austin Cindric’s crash caused a chaotic finish. Hamlin finished 12th after pitting in overtime to avoid a fuel shortage.

“It really stinks,” Hamlin said.

A thunderstorm that forced NASCAR to stop the race for 1 hour and 21 minutes after 137 laps washed away the traction that had been built up. As a result, several cars came loose and hit the wall or slid into the grass.

This contributed to an exciting race after Christopher Bell won the first two stages before crashing.

Hamlin took the lead as he turned high into the first turn, and Chastain tried to keep him at bay and began to sway. That was enough for Hamlin to pass Chastain’s Chevrolet. It was just the first late lead change in a race that has seen a steady stream of crashes on restarts.

“I had a chance to win,” said Chastain, who led 45 laps and was seeking his first win since the 2023 season finale in Phoenix.

Cindric caused the repeated overtimes when he made contact with Noah Gragson with two laps to go. On the restart, points leader Kyle Larson caught the apron and slid the right corner of his Chevrolet, causing Chastain to hit the wall in Turn 1 and receive the 12th caution.

Larson then ran out of gas on another restart, causing Kyle Busch to run into him. Hamlin then hit the gas, shaking up the field for the wild finish.

Bell, who won in New Hampshire last week, won the first two stages before hitting the wall on lap 228.

“I just got myself in a bad spot and lost my nerve,” Bell said. “I got back into traffic with all the yellow flags. Had a bad restart.”

The drivers tried to complete as many laps as possible before a thunderstorm rolled in on a muggy Tennessee afternoon.

A flash of lightning caused the red flag to be issued, ending the race after 137 laps. Clouds were so thick at Turn 4 that it looked like a funnel was forming before heavy rain. The storm quickly moved on and drier conditions hit the track about 25 minutes after the race ended.

A rainbow appeared less than half an hour after the race was stopped. NASCAR sent the drivers back to their cars about 70 minutes after the red flag. The stoppage lasted 81 minutes, with 143 laps still to go.