31-03-2025
Logano leaves Martinsville frustrated with Chastain: 'I'm sick of paying the price'
On one of his least dominant days of 2025, Joey Logano notched his best finish of the season Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.
He just needed to fight through adversity once again.
This time, on his way back to an eighth-place result and 12th consecutive top 10 at Martinsville, Logano was forced to charge back through the field after his Lap 317 spin from sixth place. His No. 22 Team Penske Ford slid after contact from Chase Briscoe, but Logano placed the blame in the hands of Ross Chastain, who put a block on Briscoe's No. 19 Toyota at the entrance of Turn 3 that Briscoe didn't appreciate. Briscoe charged the corner to bump Chastain, but also caught the inside curbing, sending his car up the track and into Logano.
Advertisement
RELATED: Race results | At-track photos: Martinsville
'It seems like it's been a typical 2025. A pretty solid car and then something happens,' Logano said. ' … Ross just sticking it in a tight spot. He did it to me on the restart before. I can't even blame Briscoe for shipping him. I think he got himself in a bind trying to ship him. He [Chastain] just races like a jackass every week, and I keep paying the price. I'm sick of paying the price.'
Asked whether he had anything to say to Chastain, Logano said: 'Not at the moment. Nothing good.'
Joey Logano spins at Martinsville.
The 'good' instead came from Logano's speed, as emphasized by NASCAR Insights' post-race statistics. The three-time and defending NASCAR Cup Series champion ranked fourth-best Sunday in passing, third-best in defense and sixth in overall speed. A Stage 1 victory netted him an additional 10 points toward the regular-season standings and a playoff point to boot, aiding the No. 22 team to a 39-point day, its best of the season.
Advertisement
Logano led 13 laps at Martinsville and now ranks second in laps led this season, thanks in large part to race winner Denny Hamlin pacing the field for 274 of 400 circuits on Sunday. And yet, the frustration of what could have been stung more for Logano than any bright side could offer.
'It seems like it's been a typical 2025,' Logano said. 'A pretty solid car, and then something happens. Overall, I feel the guys gave me a really fast Shell/Pennzoil Mustang, one that was possible to win with if we got the track position. We went for that stage win early in the race in Stage 1. I think that was the right call. We got ourselves back in the ballpark there, and the long haul was pretty good.'
Then came the contact from Briscoe that changed the complexion of Logano's final 83 laps in the Cook Out 400.
