• Joey Logano started 11th and finished fourth after an up and down day in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon. Logano failed to collect stage points in the Stage 1 after suffering damage on a restart, despite running inside the top-10 for most of the stage. The AAA Racing crew would rally back in Stage 2, finishing fifth and ultimately bringing the car home in the fourth position.
• Logano worked from the 11th position to seventh before the first caution flag on lap 8. Under caution, Logano reported the AAA Ford Mustang was good working through traffic. A caution flag on lap 14 set the team up for a trip to pit road to take a splash of fuel in hopes of making it to the end of the first stage. Restarting 21st, he worked his way to 14th in the opening three laps following the caution.
• Logano reported the AAA Mustang took a swing to the free side, slowing his forward progress through the field. However, a caution on lap 43 set the team up for an opportunity to hit pit road and make a substantial air pressure adjustment to work on the handling. Unfortunately, the handling on the AAA Ford Mustang didn’t improve. The team elected to pit again on lap 73 under caution, this time taking four tires and additional air pressure adjustments. Logano had to return to pit road near the end of the first stage to repair damage to the left rear suffered during a restart.
• The No. 22 AAA Ford would take the green flag for Stage 2 in the 13th position with all repairs complete. As the run continued, Logano worked solidly inside the top-10, reporting his Ford Mustang was a little tight in turn 1. The team elected to make their green flag pit stop on lap 148, taking right side tires and fuel to finish the stage. Logano rallied to finish Stage 2 in the fifth position. The AAA Ford Mustang would come to pit road following the stage for four tires, fuel and a wedge adjustment.
• As the first run of the final stage wrapped up, Logano had cycled forward, reaching the lead before a caution flag would bring the AAA Ford Mustang back to pit lane for a four-tire stop. Logano reported that he was tight running the high line through the first run. With varying pit strategies, Logano would line up in the fifth position for the restart. As the laps winded down, he continued to run in the fourth position, reporting a loss of overall grip.
• The team would relinquish the fourth position to pit on lap 306, taking right side tires and fuel. As the green flag stops cycled through, Logano would regain the fourth position and hold off a late surge from Alex Bowman, bringing home a fourth-place finish.
• Logano’s finish kept the team in the fourth and final transfer position, 20 points ahead of the cutoff as the series heads to the penultimate race of the season at ISM Raceway.

 

“It is going to be a good battle for sure. We are racing for that last spot just in case someone behind us outside of the top-four wins. It will be a good time. Obviously, the No. 18 team is good, and Kyle (Busch) is a good driver, but I think we are a great team and they are beatable just like everybody else.”