LAS VEGAS — Joey Logano saved just enough fuel to hold off a hard-charging Christopher Bell and secure a spot into the NASCAR Cup Series championship race.
Logano hit pit road during a late caution when Bell and other leaders elected to stay out. This allowed Logano to stay out and save fuel as laps counted down. Logano wasn't the only driver to bank on the strategy, though. Daniel Suárez was on the same strategy and seemed in line to take the win until Logano passed him with under 10 laps to go.
"What an incredible turn of events in the last week," Logano said after the win. "We're going to the championship four again!"
Bell raced from nearly two-thirds of the track behind the leader to just a few car lengths behind Logano by the checkered flag. Bell led a race-high 156 laps but could not match the strategy call from Logano and settled for second.
"Just a bummer," Bell said after the race. "Did everything we needed to [win] but unfortunately it wasn't meant to be today."
Suárez finished third, William Byron finished fourth, and Alex Bowman rounded out the top five.
Logano entered this round of the playoffs at the bottom of the championship grid. He only earned his spot into the round because Alex Bowman was disqualified after the Charlotte Roval. And while Logano locked himself into the championship race, many title contenders suffered poor finishes.
Tyler Reddick won the first stage and flipped over just eight laps later. Martin Truex Jr. made contact with Chase Elliott, causing a crash that involved Reddick, Brad Keselowski, and Ryan Blaney. Reddick's car flipped as it slid across the infield.
Playoff drivers Blaney, Elliott, and Reddick all had to settle for finishes outside the top 30.
Kyle Larson also had a rough day but salvaged it for a decent finish. He ran around the top 10 until a slow pit stop trapped him a lap down. He got back on the lead lap and raced his way to finish 11th.
Bell, Larson, and Byron hold the other three championship race slots on points after the first race of the Round of 8. Denny Hamlin is the first one out, 27 points behind Byron. Reddick, Blaney, and Elliott are at least 30 points behind the cutoff line.
The NASCAR Cup Series is next in action at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Bell is the defending winner.
