By Sarah Handy, Staff Writer
In this week’s edition of Throwback Thursday, Kickin’ The Tires relives when NASCAR driver Joey Logano won the Ford EcoBoost 400 from Homestead-Miami Speedway and also claimed his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship on November 18, 2018 for Team Penske.
Joey Logano spoiled the day for the big-three of Martin Truex Jr, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick as he cruised to not only his first win at Homestead-Miami Speedway but capturing his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Championship.
Logano wasn’t much of a threat all season until the playoffs, even though he had won two previous times prior to Homestead at Martinsville and Talladega.
However, Homestead saw Logano seal the deal when it truly mattered as he passed Truex with 11 laps remaining in the Ford EcoBoost 400.
“It’s an amazing night. I know what second felt like, and I know how much it stinks. I didn’t know what winning felt like, but it feels really, really good”, said Logano.
The Middletown, Connecticut native finished second in the championship standings to fellow competitor and seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson in 2016 when he earned a fourth-place result in the season finale. That fourth-place result was Logano’s best finish at the 1.5-mile track, until 2018.
The Championship four contenders went on to finish 1-2-3-4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway with Truex finishing second, Harvick finishing third and Kyle Busch rounding out the top-four.
The other three drivers were all seeking what would be a second championship for each, but their hopes for another title would have to wait another year as Logano captured his first.
Career Update:
Team Penske driver Joey Logano finished the 2018 season as the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Champion in addition to capturing three wins, 13 top-five’s, and 26 top-ten’s.
In 2019, heading into the season-finale Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Logano has earned two wins, 11 top-five and 20 top-20 finishes.
Unfortunately, Logano’s hopes of contending for his second Championship in the series will have to wait another year. After starting out strong in last Sunday’s Blue Green Vacations 500 at ISM Raceway, Logano’s day turned sour when his No. 22 Shell / Pennzoil Ford had major handling problems.
Logano went on to finish the race in the ninth position but it wasn’t enough with where his fellow competitors also contending for the Championship 4 stacked up. Logano will head to Homestead looking to finish out the season strong with a win in South Florida.