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Joey Logano wins GEICO 500: Talladega finishing order, results

By Nick Tylwalk

TALLADEGA, AL - APRIL 29: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil/Autotrader Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 29, 2018 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Getty Images)
TALLADEGA, AL - APRIL 29: Joey Logano, driver of the #22 Shell Pennzoil/Autotrader Ford, leads a pack of cars during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 29, 2018 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Getty Images) /
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It wasn’t quite the afternoon of craziness that sometimes happens at Talladega, but there was just enough drama to keep things interesting before Joey Logano prevailed.

Joey Logano doesn’t always come up immediately when NASCAR fans talk about the best restrictor place racers, but maybe he should. He had multiple wins at Talladega Superspeedway going into the 2018 GEICO 500, and he now has more Cup Series victories there than at any other track.

Running in the top five most of the day, Logano also spent a lot of time out in front, including down the stretch on Sunday afternoon. Though other Ford drivers figured to have a shot at him, none really made a noteworthy charge in the closing laps, allowing Logano to hold on and take his third Talladega trophy.

Six Fords finished in the top seven spots, with only Chase Elliott in third breaking up the stranglehold. Outside pole-sitter Kurt Busch finished second, while his Stewart-Haas Racing teammates Kevin Harvick (fourth) and Aric Almirola (seventh) also had good days.

“Ford teamwork is what did it today,” Logano said during his Victory Lane interview. “Not only with the Team Penske Fords but with all the Fords out there today.”

Ford drivers Brad Keselowski and Paul Menard won Stages 1 and 2 and figured to be players at the end, but both got caught up in “The Big One,” which started when Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson and William Byron almost made contact and bunched the field up at a spot where that simply couldn’t work out. A total of 14 cars were involved, a bunch of which could not continue.

Logano’s win was his first since the spring Richmond race last season. That win was later taken away for playoff purposes due to a post-race inspection violation, and the 22 team never recovered. The way the Fords look right now, Logano might be able to better weather it if this victory is wiped away for some reason, and it might not be the last time he takes a checkered flag this season either.

Next: GEICO 500 highlights, stage results

2018 GEICO 500 finishing order from Talladega Superspeedway

  1. Joey Logano
  2. Kurt Busch
  3. Chase Elliott
  4. Kevin Harvick
  5. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
  6. David Ragan
  7. Aric Almirola
  8. Alex Bowman
  9. Ryan Newman
  10. Daniel Suarez
  11. Chris Buescher
  12. Jimmie Johnson
  13. Kyle Busch
  14. Denny Hamlin
  15. Ty Dillon
  16. Bubba Wallace
  17. Kasey Kahne
  18. Ryan Blaney
  19. Matt DiBenedetto
  20. D.J. Kennington
  21. Cole Whitt
  22. Brendan Gaughan
  23. Timothy Peters
  24. Gray Gaulding
  25. Ross Chastain
  26. Martin Truex Jr.
  27. Joey Gase
  28. Jamie McMurray
  29. William Byron
  30. Paul Menard (Stage 2 winner)
  31. Clint Bowyer
  32. Michael McDowell
  33. Brad Keselowski
  34. AJ Allmendinger
  35. Austin Dillon
  36. Timmy Hill
  37. Reed Sorensen
  38. Trevor Bayne
  39. Erik Jones
  40. Kyle Larson
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