Joey Logano lost his 2026 NASCAR title chance because his own crew made two huge mistakes. The Team Penske driver said they were trying to give him the win, but he gave it right back. He finished 18th on Sunday after a wheel came loose and a wrench got stuck in his car.
The race at Martinsville Speedway was supposed to be a comeback story for Logano. He had climbed to fifth in the standings after a slow start to the season. A win or a strong finish on Sunday could have kept his championship hopes alive until the final race. Instead, the car ended up stuck on pit road while the leaders pulled away.
Logano admitted the team had the race under control before the errors happened. He said they were in a spot they liked until things went wrong. The first issue forced an extra stop under green flags to tighten a loose wheel. The second issue saw a crew member dragged out of the box because a wrench was stuck in the rear window.
A Team Effort That Backfired
Logano did not blame the drivers or the strategy for the loss. He put the blame squarely on the pit crew and the team unit as a whole. “We kind of had them where we wanted them,” said Logano after the race, according to Motorsport.com. He explained that the team tried to hand him the victory, but his team failed to close the deal.
The frustration was clear in his post-race comments to reporters. He noted that winning and losing are both team efforts. “They were trying to give it to us and we gave it right back, so just frustrating is what it is,” said Logano. The driver felt the sting of seeing points left on the table during the last few weeks.
Even though the title is gone, Logano still has a shot at finishing second. The runner-up spot in the championship standings is within 40 points of him. He also led all Ford drivers in the standings with three victories since July. The driver said there are plenty of positives to take from the season despite the Sunday heartbreak.
The 18th place finish means the “even-year-Logano” championship streak ends in 2026. Logano previously won titles in 2018, 2022, and 2024. He had made a huge climb from not being in the Chase field until mid-summer. Now he will watch the finale at Homestead from outside the title hunt.
Who Actually Won the Day
While Logano watched his season end, William Byron secured his first win of 2026. The Hendrick Motorsports driver earned his 17th career victory and fourth at Martinsville. His teammate Chase Elliott finished second, leading a Hendrick 1-2 finish on Sunday.
Byron said the track has always been a strong spot for him and his team. “We’re always pretty good here,” said Byron after crossing the finish line, according to Motorsport.com. He admitted the road to this win was long and difficult for the whole group. “Man, it’s been a fricking long road this year. This team’s worked really hard,” said Byron.
The win also helped the championship battle for Kyle Larson. Larson could not clinch the title early, but he left Martinsville with a 67-point lead over Christopher Bell. Denny Hamlin remains in the hunt but sits 70 points behind Larson. The top ten finishers included Denny Hamlin, Austin Dillon, Bubba Wallace, and Kyle Larson.
Logano still sees value in the comeback he made all year. He noted that having a chance to win a championship down to one race is something to be proud of. But he also recognized the cost of the mistakes made on Sunday. “It is what it is. That’s racing for you. We’ll move on,” said Logano.
The 2026 season will end with a final race at Homestead. Larson holds a healthy advantage, but Hamlin and Bell are still in the mix. Logano will focus on securing the second-place spot in the final standings.
