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Joey Logano demonstrated a solid performance at Martinsville Speedway, capturing the opening stage before securing his first top-ten finish of the season. Despite this, his experience at the Virginia short track was overshadowed by a series of frustrating incidents during the race.
In the closing laps, a significant clash occurred during a restart when Ross Chastain attempted to merge ahead of Logano in a tight maneuver to seize the bottom lane. While Chastain successfully made the move, it resulted in Logano hitting Chastain’s car to express his frustration over what he perceived as a reckless maneuver.
The situation escalated again during the next restart. Chastain found himself in a similar spot with Chase Briscoe, who also aimed to force his way into the bottom lane. In a misguided attempt to send a message, Briscoe ended up miscalculating and collided with Logano when he hit the curb, sending Logano into a spin and triggering the final caution of the race.
Despite the turmoil, Logano managed to recover and finished the race in eighth place. However, the outcome did little to alleviate his frustration from the events that unfolded throughout the race.
“I’m sick of paying the price”
“It’s been a typical year for us in 2025,” Logano remarked following the race. “We had a solid car but then something always happens. We pushed for the stage win early on and it was the right call. We gradually got back into the mix, but it felt like I was taking it one step at a time, then Ross squeezed into a tight spot again.”
The reigning Cup Series champion continued, “I can’t fault Briscoe for what he did; he was trying to make a move but got into trouble. Chastain races recklessly week after week, and I keep being the one to suffer the consequences. I’m just fed up with it.”
Both Logano and Chastain are known for their aggressive driving styles, a trait that has led to intense rivalries on the track. When asked about his feelings toward Chastain, Logano responded with a wry smile: “Nothing good to say at the moment.”
Logano’s frustration was shared among other competitors as well. Following the intense 400 laps of short track racing, both Tyler Reddick and Ty Gibbs were involved in a heated discussion over an on-track incident, as were Chris Buescher and Noah Gragson.
Photos from Martinsville – Race
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