NASCAR
Joey Logano Steals Bristol Night Race, Tempers Boil Over Behind Him
BRISTOL, Tenn. – The Bristol Night Race left everyone reeling after enough tension, conflict, and emotions to fill a movie. Although Joey Logano took his third victory in the last nine weeks with the fall Bristol classic, Chase contenders behind him made more noise. A post-race fight between Ryan Blaney and Carson Hocevar left everyone on the edge of their seat. The past Cup champion had enough of the young phenom’s antics. Chase race three may go down as the most chaotic race of this season, as raw feelings trumped any on-track action.
Joey Logano opted to make his initial tires last for a Stage 1 win, never pitting until lap 130. This strategy was also replicated by teammate Ryan Blaney to pick up the Stage 2 win. Just outside of 150 laps left, Ty Gibbs took the lead away from Blaney and drove off into the night. The iconic M&M’s colors paying tribute to Kyle Busch looked very familiar leading laps around The Last Great Colosseum, as Gibbs gapped the field until the final 10 laps.
Gibbs vs. Blaney then Larson and Hocevar for the lead here before another yellow for the spinning 24. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/YiU0Uwl4ak
— Peter Stratta (@peterstratta) September 20, 2026
Just prior to this, Blaney and Carson Hocevar were racing hard for second-place when the 12 was sent spinning in turn one. This moment would end up being a turning point of the night, as Blaney vowed to talk to Hocevar after the race.
RYAN BLANEY SPINS AFTER CONTACT WITH CARSON HOCEVAR.
The 12 led 200+ laps today. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/wVzBAQwhvF
— Peter Stratta (@peterstratta) September 20, 2026
Up front, meanwhile, Gibbs was swarmed on the restart by Carson Hocevar and then Joey Logano. Team Penske’s No. 22 took full advantage of the 77 and 54 racing hard, and made the winning pass with seven laps left. As emotions ran high behind him, Joey Logano was the man left wielding another Bristol Night Race sword trophy.
“Come on, Bristol,” Logano said. “I hear you down here. I had a really good racecar. Team Penske put together a great car. We were able to win the first stage there, and you know it’s going to get aggressive at the end and right place, right time.”
“I mean, our cars have been good and been getting better. Paul [Wolfe, crew chief] has been doing good; Joe has been awesome; the pit crew has been good.”
“I’ve got a great team. We’ve got a team that knows how to win championships. I thought there for a minute, I was like, okay, I might just finish third or fourth here tonight, but all kind of worked our way up and I was like, well, merry Christmas to me. I got a gift there.”
“There is nothing like the Bristol Night Race, man. This is just the coolest experience as a racecar driver. Being in front of all you fans down here, hearing everyone screaming, cheering, sometimes booing. That’s all right. It’s pretty awesome.”
Kyle Larson rebounded from early damage to finish second to Logano. All eyes were on third-place finisher Carson Hocevar, however. Ryan Blaney did approach the No. 77 on pit road and fists were soon flying. Both drivers’ hands connected with each others’ faces, and a massive melee was the scene. Blaney and Hocevar were eventually separated by their crews and NASCAR security, but only after a few tense moments.
Lost in all of this mess, Larson’s runner-up result was enough to take over the points lead by one over Denny Hamlin (eighth-place). Ty Gibbs was also very gracious in his defeat, saying that the night was a lot of fun racing to remember Rowdy Busch.
Thanks to the winning bonus points, Logano now leaps up to third in the standings as well. The three-time champion in the No. 22 is only 16 markers off the lead, after starting The Chase 65 points back. Has even year Logano been awoken in perfect time for another championship surge?
NASCAR Chase standings following Bristol:
1. @KyleLarsonRacin – 2,206 pts
2. @dennyhamlin -1
3. @joeylogano -16
4. @CBellRacing -17
5. @TyGibbs -42
6. @Blaney -52
7. @TylerReddick -61
8. @CarsonHocevar -85
9. @chasebriscoe -87
10. @BubbaWallace -92
11. @AustinCindric -116
12.…— Peter Stratta (@peterstratta) September 20, 2026
As if Bristol didn’t deliver in drama and excitement, a Sunflower State Showdown is on deck from Kansas Speedway. The Hollywood Casino 400 is the first of three-straight intermediate races, where this championship could be decided. The Heartland oval goes green Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on USA Network, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Kansas Speedway is no stranger to recent fisticuffs either. This Chase rage may not have seen its final bell.
Written by Peter Stratta
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Photo Credit to Chris Graythen/Getty Images
