Joey Logano absolutely dominated North Wilkesboro Speedway this past weekend, leading a mind-blowing 323 of 450 laps on his way to his first victory of the 2026 season. After a brutal year, this isn’t just a win; it’s a statement, especially at a track where he’d previously won the All-Star Race in 2024. Talk about a comeback for the three-time Cup champion in the first points race at that historic 0.625-mile asphalt oval in 30 years.
Logano Bursts The Chase Bubble With Authority
Man, Logano needed this win. He rolled into North Wilkesboro eight points *behind* The Chase cutoff, feeling the pressure. Now? He’s sitting pretty with a 49-point cushion, and there are only five races left before NASCAR’s postseason field is locked. This victory gives his Team Penske season a serious shot of new life, which is huge considering the year they’ve had. Logano himself put it bluntly, saying, “It’s been a tough year, no doubt. Any time you kind of lack in speed, you start to question a lot of things around you, what the process is, what we’re doing, yourself. All those things come to mind on why there’s not speed.” He even added, “When you come to a track like North Wilkesboro, if we didn’t have speed, we’d really be scratching our heads because we feel like this is our best racetrack.” Sounds like they found that speed, didn’t they?
Hamlin Keeps It Close, Gilliland Hunts A Million-Dollar Payday
While Logano was busy crushing it, Denny Hamlin still put in a super solid second-place run. He probably wanted that win bad, but his finish gives him a sweet 68-point lead over Tyler Reddick for the regular-season title. Hamlin thought he could pull a fast one, pitting one lap earlier than Logano to get that extra grip from new tires. But Logano just wasn’t having it. Hamlin admitted on the race telecast, “There was a lot of time where it felt like my car was kind of close where it needed to be [but] just a smidge off. It was a great battle. At least we could keep him honest there.”
And speaking of battles, get this: Todd Gilliland is in the final round of the in-season tournament, racing for a cool $1 million prize! This dude advanced through NASCAR’s version of a bracket, taking down Chase Elliott, who finished 17th to Gilliland’s eighth. Elliott gambled on a short-pit strategy in the second stage, trying to get fuel to last, but a timely caution left him a lap or two down. Gilliland hadn’t pitted, and that was the difference. “I was definitely very proud of the strategy and kind of the way we executed the whole race,” Gilliland said after the race, according to a Ford news release. “That was probably about as good as it could have gone. It’s crazy. We’ve got to beat one more guy for a million dollars.” Also, a massive shout-out to Shane van Gisbergen, or SVG, who snagged a surprising fifth-place finish and even led laps! His road-course technique working on a short track? Wild.
Next Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, all eyes are on Todd Gilliland and Ryan Blaney as they battle for that life-changing $1 million prize. Can Gilliland pull off the ultimate underdog story? You bet we’ll be watching to see!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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