NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. – The drought is over for Joey Logano.
Logano snapped a 45-race winless streak on Sunday night, achieving a dominant victory at North Wilkesboro Speedway. This marked the first points race at the historic 0.625-mile track in 30 years, bringing a wave of nostalgia and excitement to fans and drivers alike.
After Logano wrapped up a lengthy on-track burnout, fellow competitor Denny Hamlin approached him to offer a respectful acknowledgment. Hamlin spent the latter part of the race trying to catch Logano, but the effort proved fruitless as the No. 22 Ford was simply too dominant, leading an impressive 323 of the 450 laps.
“It’s wildly, wildly impressive what he did,” Hamlin noted. “I thought it was a really impressive drive from him, how he maneuvered through (lapped) traffic and did everything we know Joey to do.”
This victory represents Logano’s 38th career Cup win and his first since May 2025 at Texas. At 36 years old, he has extended his streak of winning at least one race to an impressive 15 consecutive seasons, the longest active streak among current drivers. The late Kyle Busch holds the record for the most consecutive winning seasons, with 19 from 2005 to 2023.
“A win anywhere at this point would have sounded great, but coming here and doing it at North Wilkesboro is awesome,” Logano reflected after his victory.
Finishing behind Logano were Hamlin in second place, followed by Chase Briscoe, Ty Gibbs, and Shane Van Gisbergen. This win was particularly significant for Logano, who started the race outside of the top 16 in the Chase for the playoffs but has now moved into the cutline in 15th place.
“I feel like I know exactly what I need to go fast around this place,” said Logano, recalling his dominant performance during the 2024 All-Star race held at the same venue. “I knew coming this weekend that we’ve got to capitalize on the points.”
The North Wilkesboro track, which first opened in 1947, had been largely dormant for 25 years after its last points race on September 29, 1996. Speedway Motorsports undertook the monumental task of refurbishing the track, which included clearing weeds and trees that had taken root through the asphalt. The venue has hosted the All-Star race from 2023 to 2025, breathing new life into a beloved racing landmark.
In addition to the race excitement, the NASCAR In-Season Challenge is set to conclude next week. Ryan Blaney and Todd Gilliland have reached the finals for the $1 million prize, with Blaney defeating Christopher Bell in the semifinals, while Gilliland topped Chase Elliott. The champion will be determined next Sunday in Indianapolis at the Brickyard 400, where the driver finishing higher in the race will take home the prize.
However, it was a challenging night for pole-sitter Ryan Blaney. After rain forced the cancellation of qualifying, he was set to start from the front but had to begin the race at the back due to a power steering pump issue. His situation worsened when he received a speeding penalty on pit road, dropping him from the top five and costing him 15 positions.
As the Cup Series heads to Indianapolis next week for the Brickyard 400, fans are eager to see if Bubba Wallace can defend his title after an unexpected victory last year, when Austin Cindric suffered a tire blowout.
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