Joey Logano finishes second in 2023 Daytona 500: ‘Second is the worst, man’
Logano #Logano
After winning the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Championship — not to mention the 2015 rendition of the “Great American Race” — Logano almost added another resume-builder to his growing Hall of Fame resume during the 65th running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. However, despite initially gaining ground during the second NASCAR Overtime, a last-lap caution brought out the white flag and eventually saw the crown jewel victory go to Ricky Stenhouse Jr. instead.
RELATED: Unofficial results | At-track photos: Daytona
“Second is the worst, man,” Logano said after the race. “You’re so close. Leading the white flag lap there, I was up front. Kyle gave me a good push, and, yeah, you’re watching in the mirror, and you’re three wide across there. I felt like the three wide was going to hurt a lane; looked like Kyle was getting pushed ahead, and then Ricky started getting pushed ahead.
“I knew if I went to the bottom my car didn’t handle good enough. I already got pushed off the bottom once, and I thought, if I go down there I’m probably going to get wrecked, and I don’t know if I can get down there in time to throw the block and so I didn’t want to wreck my car either.”
Although Logano wasn’t expecting a wreck, he still said that he had to put his car in the best position to take the checkered flag. And while the No. 22 machine finished with a bittersweet result, Logano made it a priority to give credit where credit was due.
“Congratulations to Ricky,” Logano said. “There’s nothing like winning the Daytona 500. That’s why it stings so much finishing second.
“Still proud of the team, still proud of the effort coming off the championship last year and bringing this Shell-Pennzoil Mustang back toward the front and getting a Ford close to the front. Wish it was in Victory Lane, though.”
This story will be updated.
]]>