Joey Logano Masters the Mayhem at Texas, Breaks Through with First Win of 2025

In a race defined by attrition, bold moves, and high-stakes strategy, Joey Logano emerged as the calm in the storm at Texas Motor Speedway, capturing his first victory of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. Sunday’s overtime win in the Würth 400 presented by Liqui Moly snapped a frustrating start for the reigning champion—who had yet to post a single top-five finish through the season’s first 10 races—and punched his ticket to the playoffs.

Starting 27th and coming off a disqualification at Talladega the week before, Logano’s triumph was as much a mental reset as it was a performance benchmark.

“The sport changes so quickly,” he told FS1 after the win. “It’s crazy. If you can just ride these roller coasters. Just proud of the team.”

The victory marked Logano’s 37th career win, tying him with NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Isaac for 23rd on the all-time list. He also became the ninth different winner in the last nine races at Texas, further reinforcing the track’s reputation for unpredictability.

‍

‍

A Wreck-Filled Afternoon of High Drama

What began as a relatively routine affair quickly unraveled into chaos. A total of 12 cautions, including seven in the final stage alone, disrupted rhythm and eliminated a wide array of contenders. Of the 13 drivers who led laps, eight were involved in crashes or spins, while others were tripped up by pit road infractions—including Ryan Blaney, who impressively rebounded to finish third.

Ross Chastain carved through the field from 31st to a season-best second-place finish, while Kyle Larson, despite leading a race-high 90 laps and winning Stage 2, had to settle for fourth after losing the lead to Michael McDowell late in the race.

“I left early the restart before and was going to leave early again,” Larson explained post-race. “McDowell just timed it perfectly and had Reddick pushing. Wish I could go back and do that one over.”

Erik Jones rounded out the top five, finally cracking the top 10 for the first time this season in what may be a turning point for his campaign.

‍

‍

McDowell’s Gamble Comes Up Short

Michael McDowell’s strategy nearly paid off. A two-tire pit stop at Lap 221 vaulted him into the lead, and his aggressive restarts put him in position to challenge for his first win in nearly two years. But after being overtaken by Logano with seven laps remaining, he was quickly passed by Blaney and crashed in Turn 2—ending his day in 26th.

Other notable incidents included Josh Berry, who led 41 laps before losing control off Turn 4 and slamming the wall midway through Stage 2. His day ended in 32nd. Austin Cindric, the Stage 1 winner and last week’s victor at Talladega, was taken out in a multi-car pileup with 24 laps to go. Points leader William Byron, the pre-race favorite per Racing Insights, saw his three-race top-10 streak end after a pit road collision with Cole Custer.

‍

‍

Why So Many Crashes?

Logano pointed to a combination of aggressive setups, razor-thin margins, and track conditions—particularly a brutal bump in Turns 3 and 4—as reasons for the high incident count.

“Everybody’s on their rear limiters,” he said. “If you’re a little loose and hit the bump, it’s gone. There’s no saving it. A lot goes into it—driver risk tolerance, car setup, and when to push versus when to play it safe.”

The Texas layout, with its fast corners and limited grip, punished even slight miscalculations—turning potential podiums into DNFs in an instant.

‍

Standings Shake-Up and Playoff Implications

Logano’s win makes him the seventh different winner in the first 11 races of 2025, and adds yet another name to a growing list of playoff locks. Meanwhile, the ripple effects across the standings were dramatic. Among drivers ranked 5th to 30th, 22 changed position—a testament to how tightly packed the mid-field remains.

The volatility underscores just how consequential every race is, especially on intermediate tracks where tire falloff, pit strategy, and late-race restarts can rewrite the script in seconds.

‍

‍

Looking Ahead: Kansas Speedway

The Cup Series continues its tour of 1.5-mile ovals with a visit to Kansas Speedway this Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on FS1. After the carnage in Texas, drivers and teams will be eager to reset and refocus—but with playoff spots tightening and momentum swinging wildly week to week, don’t expect Kansas to offer much calm.

Whether the Texas turmoil was a one-off or a sign of the season’s tone ahead, one thing is clear: 2025 is shaping up to be one of the most wide-open and fiercely contested NASCAR seasons in recent memory.